All recipes with Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Ligurian Rabbit with Olives and Pine NutsRabbit gently cooked with white wine, Taggiasca olives, pine nuts and aromatic herbs.
Tuscan roast pork loin (arista)Visit Tuscany’s arista seasons lean pork loin with garlic, fresh rosemary, salt and pepper. Kitchen twine keeps the roast in shape as it cooks with extra-virgin olive oil and white wine. Slice the meat thinly and serve it with the juices from the roasting pan. This measured recipe is for six people.
Wild boar stewRed wine, aromatic vegetables and herbs give this Tuscan wild-boar stew its layered sauce. A day in the marinade comes before gentle covered cooking with tomato paste; the finished sauce clings to the tender pieces of meat.
Pannerone and pear risottoCarnaroli rice, diced pear and Pannerone come together in this risotto from the Lodigiano. A few cubes of cheese finish each plate.
Ragù di pecoraIn the Marsica area of Abruzzo, ragù di pecora turns mature sheep meat into a slow-cooked sauce. Chunks of shoulder simmer with onion, carrot, garlic and rosemary before peeled tomatoes are added for the final stage. The tender meat and its sauce pair well with potato gnocchi.
Bari-Style Focaccia with Cherry TomatoesA crisp-edged focaccia with cherry tomatoes, brined Barese olives and dried oregano, made with refreshed sourdough starter.
Zucchini alla scapeceFried zucchini rounds with garlic and fresh mint. Our version uses white wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil, with a refrigerated marinade.
Pollo alla CiociaraChicken pieces simmer under ripe tomatoes and strips of sweet Pontecorvo peppers, with garlic, dry white wine and fresh chili.
Tuscan castagnaccioChestnut flour, raisins, pine nuts and walnuts come together in this Tuscan castagnaccio, finished with rosemary and olive oil.
Spring salad with Salame di VarziMixed leaves and baby spinach meet fava beans, asparagus, young carrot ribbons and diced Salame di Varzi, dressed with a lemon citronette.
Acquasale with Salame FelinoBriefly moistened freselle meet cherry and datterino tomatoes, buffalo bocconcini and thin slices of Salame Felino.
Cold frittata with mint, Grana and Salame BrianzaA thin mint frittata is served cold with Salame Brianza. Our version uses grated Grana Padano for the cheese.
Bagna cauda with red and yellow peppersA warm Piedmontese garlic and salt-packed anchovy sauce, gently cooked with butter and extra-virgin olive oil and served here with raw red and yellow peppers.
Panzanella with tomatoes and cucumberSoft, hand-crumbled Tuscan bread with ripe tomatoes, cucumber, red onion and basil, dressed with olive oil and red wine vinegar.
Tuscan kale and cannellini farinataCavolo nero, cannellini beans and yellow maize flour make a thick Tuscan soup, finished with extra-virgin olive oil and black pepper.
Baccelli and fresh Pecorino ToscanoFresh fava beans, young pecorino and bread: a simple Tuscan serving combination.
Tuscan Chicken-Liver CrostiniChicken-liver crostini with a vegetable base, capers, anchovy paste and butter, adapted from Juls’ Kitchen’s recipe on Visit Tuscany.
Agnolotti del Plin Burro e SalviaThe Langhe's tiny pinched pasta, filled with wine-braised meat and spinach, finished simply in butter and sage so the filling does the talking.
ArrosticiniAbruzzo’s shepherd skewers: small cubes of mutton threaded tight, grilled fast over coals, salted, and eaten by the dozen straight off the stick.
CaponataFried eggplant, celery and olives meet ripe tomatoes, pine nuts and a bright sweet-and-sour dressing.
Cavatelli al Ragù di MaialeMolise’s two-finger pasta in a pork rib ragù that simmers until the meat surrenders. The region Italy forgets makes the Sunday sauce it shouldn’t.
Ciambotta LucanaBasilicata’s summer vegetable stew: peppers, eggplant, potatoes, and tomatoes cooked separately, then married. The garden in one pot, without the mush.
FiadoneMolise’s Easter cheese pies: golden half-moons of wine-kneaded pastry around a rich filling of pecorino, caciocavallo and egg, good warm or from the basket.
Fileja alla ’NdujaCalabria’s rod-rolled pasta in a sauce of melting ’nduja: Spilinga’s fiery spreadable salume dissolved into tomatoes until the heat glows instead of burns.
Focaccia GenoveseThe fügassa of Genoa: a finger-dimpled sheet bread baked with an olive oil and salt-water brine until the surface shines and the crumb stays plush.
Lenticchie di Castelluccio in UmidoThe tiny lentils of the Castelluccio plain stewed with soffritto and sausage: Umbrian mountain food, and Italy’s New Year’s good-luck supper.
Malloreddus alla CampidaneseSardinia’s saffron gnocchetti in a sausage and tomato ragù, finished with pecorino sardo: the Campidano plain’s feast-day standard.
Olive all’AscolanaTender Ascolana Tenera olives with a three-meat filling, breaded and fried until crisp.
Orecchiette alle Cime di RapaHand-shaped orecchiette with cime di rapa, anchovies, garlic and chile, finished with toasted breadcrumbs.
Parmigiana di MelanzaneThe Neapolitan way with eggplant: fried slices layered with tomato, basil, and two cheeses, baked until it slices like a promise kept.
Pasta alla NormaCatania’s tribute to Bellini: fried eggplant, tomato, basil, and a blizzard of ricotta salata over pasta. An opera in four flavors.
Pesce Spada alla BagnareseBagnara’s way with swordfish: steaks seared in olive oil and white wine, finished with a salmoriglio of lemon, capers, and parsley that does quietly what sauces do loudly.
Pici all’AglioneHand-rolled eggless noodles from the Val di Chiana in a tomato sauce built on aglione, the giant mellow garlic that perfumes without biting.
RibollitaTuscany’s twice-cooked bread and vegetable soup, thick enough to eat with a fork: cavolo nero, cannellini beans, and stale bread reboiled into something far greater than its parts.
Sarde in SaorVenice’s sweet-and-sour sardines: fried, then layered under slow-cooked onions with raisins and pine nuts, and left to mellow for a day or two.
Spaghetti alla Chitarra con PallottineAbruzzo’s square-cut egg spaghetti, strung through the chitarra, with tomato sauce and the region’s tiny hand-rolled pallottine.
Spaghetti alle VongoleSpaghetti finished in clam liquor with garlic, olive oil and parsley: a glossy version in bianco.
Strangozzi al Tartufo NeroSpoleto’s eggless ribbons under Norcia’s black truffle: pounded warm with oil and garlic, never cooked, only persuaded.
Strascinati con Peperoni CruschiBasilicata’s dragged pasta with its crowning glory: Senise peppers flash-fried to a crimson crackle, crumbled over garlic oil and breadcrumbs.
Strudel di MeleApple strudel with hand-stretched pastry, pine nuts, raisins and cinnamon, served barely warm.
Tiella BareseBari’s layered bake of rice, potatoes, and mussels: raw layers, mussel water, and an oven doing all the work. Its resemblance to paella is often put down to centuries of Spanish rule in Puglia, though no one can prove the link.
Trofie al Pesto GenoveseLigurian trofie with basil pesto, potatoes and green beans, dressed off the heat.
VincisgrassiThe Marche’s grand baked pasta: silkier than lasagne, layered with a chicken-liver-enriched ragù, besciamella, and patience across two days.
Vitello TonnatoPiedmontese veal sliced thin and dressed with a smooth tuna and caper sauce. Prepare ahead and keep chilled until serving.