This Sicilian pasta is actually more Sicily-inspired than really Sicilian since it’s another one of my “fusion” dishes. The pasta is Tuscan (wonderful Gigli toscany by Pasta Panarese), the sun-dried cherry tomatoes come from Noto, Sicily, and the olive oil I used for drizzling the finished plate is an Apulian one, the amazing Empress by BONO, one of their…
This little recipe is quick, easy and very, very satisfying. I’ve used the wonderful, dark organic spaghettoni (thick spaghetti) by Bio Alberti made with Senatore Cappelli, an old type of wheat which after the 60’s was almost forgotten and has – luckily – seen a fierce come-back in the Southern regions of Italy. It was originally “created” by Italian genetist…
This is the simplest brown rice salad for the warm Summer days, made with tuna, tomato, green olives and an unusual and unexpected ingredient, at least for Italian dishes: a dash of ketchup. My mum always adds a little bit of ketchup to her rice salad and I’ve learned to appreciate its pleasant sweet-and-sour taste in it. I buy a good organic one and…
During the latest Horecava (8-10 January) I’ve been resident chef of Bellavita, THE Italian Food & Beverage Trade Show that represents and presents the best of the made in Italy (if you’d like to have an idea of how great this fair is, take a look at the video on this page). During this delicious 3-day food & drinks marathon…
The gattò di patate (from the French gâteau) is a classic dish from Naples and surroundings. In the 18th century the Austrian Maria Carolina of Habsburg-Lorraine married King Ferdinand I of Naples and brought her French chefs to the Neapolitan court. The influence of French cuisine is clearly noticeable in several dishes from the region, including this delicious potato…
Watch my latest vlog on Snapchat where I prepare a delicious couscous salad inspired by the Sicilian tradition (Sicily is the only Italian region where couscous is regularly on the menu). Easy to prepare in advance and perfect for a pick-nick with family & friends. You can follow me on Snapchat, my name is nicolettacooks. Buon appetito! Serves 4: 250…