Italian

Nettle Pesto

It is time to harvest nettles here in NorCal, and the first thing I make with them each year is a lurid green nettle pesto to put on pasta or mix into rice or spread on bread.

Fish

Sicilian Tuna Meatballs

Some days you remember forever. This tuna fishing trip was one of them. I spent a couple days, 40 miles off North Carolina, in search of tuna. We found them. Oh yes, people, we found them... and with the trimmings of those great fish, I made these Sicilian meatballs.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Italian Ricotta Spinach Dumplings

Called strangolapreti -- "priest stranglers" -- in Italian, these dumplings made with breadcrumbs, cheese and a green thing (spinach, amaranth, chard, etc) are easy to make and are a great vegetarian main course or side dish for something meatier.

Foraging

Ramp Pesto

Wild onions, ramps especially, make a great pesto. This is my version, which is pretty classic -- but you can play with pesto a lot, changing the nuts, cheese and herbs at will.

Preservation Recipes

Pickled Cauliflower, Italian Style

When I was growing up, I thought “antipasti” meant pickled cauliflower, carrots and onions because that's what was served in the old-style Italian joints I ate in. Well, I managed to recreate the recipe for their pickled cauliflower here.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Fresh Pea Gnocchi

This is about as springtime as it gets. Fresh garden peas, served with light-as-air gnocchi made with pea puree, tied together with a little butter and cheese. Just a lovely light supper.

Charcuterie

Finocchiona, Fennel Salami

Fennel salami, finocchiona, is an Italian staple. There are lots of variations on this salami, but they all require a decent addition of fennel seeds. My version has wild fennel seeds, fennel pollen and ouzo.

Charcuterie

Italian Cacciatore Salami

Cacciatore means "hunter" in Italian, and this is a recipe for a spicy, hunter's style salami you can carry around with you in the field. I make them with narrower hog casings so they're easier to make than traditional wide salami. Use pork, venison or boar.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

The Ultimate Pasta Book Library

I've been making pasta, mostly at home, but sometimes in restaurants, for more than 25 years. Over that time I've read a great many books on making pasta, and some of the best are very recent. Here are the best - the ones you will want to own if you want to make pasta at home.

Recipe

Rabbit with Morels and Gnocchi

Spring is in full swing here in California, and it's not far off in the rest of the country. This recipe brings together several of my favorite spring ingredients: Rabbit, morel mushrooms and nettles, all in a lovely, Italian-inspired dish.

Italian

Classic Duck Ragu

This is an Italian classic, sugo d'anatra, or duck ragu. It's a meaty pasta sauce that uses slow-cooked duck legs or wings for the meat, and is damn good with any pasta or polenta, but especially good with pumpkin-ricotta gnocchi.