HELLO FALL! I’ve been waiting for you and your splendid bounty of crisp apples, juicy plums and pears, sweet root vegetables and colorful array of pumpkin and squash.
I am ready to put on warm sweaters and cozy up indoors spending my days developing new recipes and cooking warm soups, homemade breads, pizza dough and homemade pasta. This particular pasta recipe for butternut squash cappellacci is dear to my heart. It’s what Mr. Italicano’s Italian mom and aunt would prepare on Sunday lunches and for special holidays. It’s the dish that I would always go back for seconds, sometimes thirds, because it’s Just. That. Good. It’s bathed in sage infused butter and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.If I’m by myself, I lick my bowl.
In the northern region of Emilia-Romagna there are two famous pumpkin/squash pasta dishes: tortelli di zucca from Mantova and cappellacci di zucca from Ferrara. The main difference is the name, shape and filling. In Mantova, the filling typically consists of cooked pumpkin, ground amaretti cookies, mostarda (candied fruit and mustard-flavored syrup), Parmigiano Reggiano and nutmeg.You can find them shaped in squares or like cappellacci, whose name is derived from the dialect caplaz which means “little hats” and is in reference to the straw hats once worn by farmers who worked the fields. The cappellacci di zucca from Ferrara, on the other hand, typically uses butternut squash, a little bread crumbs and does not include the amaretti or mostarda.
I am so excited to have two upcoming cooking classes this weekend where I will teach how to make this authentic Italian pasta dish! It is the ultimate Italian comfort food for the fall. If you are in the Seattle area, come make some mouthwatering homemade pasta with me!
October 6th, 11:00am-1:30pm
I will be holding a cooking classat Whisk, a beautiful store and cooking school in Bellevue. In this fun and interactive cooking class each student will start with flour and eggs to create their own pasta dough then will learn how to cut and form two pasta shapes–cappellacci and tagliatelle. We’ll then create Roasted Butternut Squash Cappellacci with a Sage Infused Butter Sauce and Tagliatelle with Porcini Mushrooms and Cream Sauce. You’ll learn the secrets of homemade Italian pasta, made simple so you can recreate these recipes again and again at home. Discover more details and sign up here.
October 7th, 1:00-3:30pm
I will be holding a class with my dear friend Lisa Caruccio, the owner ofCaruccio’s, a stunning culinary event center on Mercer Island. In this interactive, hands-on demo, you’ll learn the basic techniques to making two pasta shapes tagliatelle and cappellacci.I will be showing how to make Butternut Squash Cappellacci with a Sage Infused Butter Sauce, and Lisa will demonstrate how to make Chestnut Tagliatelle with a Light Cream Sauce. You can relax around the 21ft counter with a glass of wine and new friends, and jump in to participate with various preparations if you’d like.Discover more details and sign up here.
MORE FALL CLASSES & DEMOS COMING UP!
WHISK OCTOBER 16TH, 12PM-1PM LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS. -Arugula Salad with Burrata, Pears and Walnuts -Farro Beet Soup with Greek Yogurt, Pistachios and Orange Zest
WHISK OCTOBER 23RD, 12-1PM LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS. -Plum Caprese Salad -Homemade Turmeric Tagliatelle with Pumpkin, Toasted Walnuts and Crispy Sage Ribbons
WHISK OCTOBER 30th, 12PM-1PM LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS. -Autumn Salad with Apples, Dried Cranberries, Almonds and Feta -Creamy Pumpkin Soup
WHISK
NOVEMBER 3rd, 11:00am-1:30pm NATURAL COLORED PASTA WITH ANCIENT GRAIN FLOUR
Learn how to make delicious homemade pasta with farro flour and natural ingredients to create a colorful, vibrant dough. MORE DETAILS.
NOVEMBER 13th, 12PM-1PM LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS. -Sicilian Fennel and Orange Salad -Homemade Matcha tagliatelle with Kale Pesto, Leeks and Wild-Caught Prawns
CARUCCIO’S NOVEMBER 18th 1:00PM–3:30PM MEDITERRANEAN PLATTERS Learn how to create Mediterranean-inspired platters that will wow your guests and allow you to entertain stress free this holiday season. MORE DETAILS.
WHISK NOVEMBER 20th, 12PM-1PM LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS. -Warm Spinach salad with Black Pepper Portobello Mushrooms -Farro & Butternut Squash Soup with Crispy Sage and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
WHISK NOVEMBER 27th, 12PM-1PM LUNCH & LEARN – ITALIAN FALL COUNTRYSIDE LUNCH Enjoy a cooking demonstration, 2 course Italian lunch and glass of wine. MORE DETAILS. -Kale Salad with Apples, Pecorino Shavings and Toasted Herbed Bread Crumbs -Homemade Tagliatelle with Brown Butter Beet Sauce, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Crispy Brussel Sprouts and Toasted Pine Nuts
WHISK DECEMBER 1st, 11AM-1:30PM THE ITALIAN KITCHEN – PASTA In this interactive pasta-making cooking class you’ll learn the techniques and secrets to making homemade pasta dough and two shapes: tagliatelle and cappellacci. MORE DETAILS. -Roasted Butternut Squash served with a Butter and Sage Sauce. -Tagliatelle in a warm Porcini Mushroom Cream Sauce
Butternut Squash Cappellacci & Fall Cooking Classes
Butternut Squash Cappellacci is the ultimate comfort food from the region of Emilia-Romagna. It is served with a sage infused butter sauce and a glorious shower of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
For the egg dough:
2½ cups (300g) 00 or all purpose flour (I also love using farro flour or a mix of whole grain)
3 eggs
For the filling:
2.2 lb (1 kg) butternut squash
8 oz (200 g) Parmigiano Reggiano, grated*
2-4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
2 dashes of nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 egg
For the sauce:
6 tablespoons butter
5-6 sage leaves
*For a vegan version use a vegan parmesan cheese and butter.
Instructions
For the Filling:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cut the butternut squash in half. Remove the seeds and slice. Lay on a baking tray and bake for 30-40 minutes until soft. Cut off the skin and put the pulp in a large container. With an hand immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add the Parmigiano Reggiano, breadcrumbs, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add the egg and blend until mixed.
Pasta dough by hand:
Put the flour on a large clean work space and create a volcano shape. Add the eggs and gently whisk with a fork. Gradually incorporate the flour from the sides. Gently mix together until a ball of dough starts to form. Knead for 10-15 minutes until elastic. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
Pasta dough in a stand mixer: Attach the dough hook to the stand mixer and add flour, salt and eggs. Mix on low for 5 minutes until the dough comes together as a ball and is smooth. Wrap with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 minutes.
Rolling out the pasta:
Attach the pasta roller accessory to the stand mixer. Divide the dough into 6 pieces, press them into flat rectangles. Lightly flour each side. Pass one of the pieces through the machine on speed 1 on no.0. Fold the ends towards each other and pass it through again. Continue to pass the dough through, reducing the thickness from no. 0 to 7. If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can roll out the dough with a rolling pin.
Forming the cappellacci:
Put a sheet of pasta on a lightly floured board. Use a pastry cutter to cut squares roughly 2 ½ inches. Put a heaped teaspoonful of the mixture in the center of each square. Fold one corner of the pasta to the other to make a triangle, push out any air from the center to the edge before sealing. Fold and press the ends of the triangle and together with your thumb and pointer finger so they seal together.
Cooking:
Cook the cappellacci in salted boiling water for 6-7 minutes. Melt the butter in a large skillet over low heat, add the sage leaves. Once the cappellacci are cooked, drain and toss in the skillet and mix until coated. Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Buon appetito!
Seriously, when it’s sweltering hot: I hate elaborate cooking.
I mean this whole slaving over a hot stove and sweating through my shirt is not my idea of summer fun. In fact, it’s just not cool… (Pun intended. Oh dear. This heat is going to my head. My apologies.)
When it’s hot outside, ovens and complicated recipes are just not in my vocabulary.
But, chopping is.
Oh, yes. Chopping up ripe seasonal fruits and veggies is my hack for creating delicious, easy and elegant summer dishes. But that’s not all. You get the added benefit of washing your fruits and vegetables. If I close my eyes in that moment, I’m no longer in my hot kitchen but near a mountain spring being splashed by refreshing water that cools me down.Makeshift paradise.
Here’s what’s in this dream summer salad:
Juicy, jammy cold peaches sliced paper thin
Cool cucumbers to add some crunch
Extra virgin olive oil and refreshing lemon juice
Fresh herbs: oregano, lemon thyme and mint. Don’t forget the mint.
Parmigiano Reggiano shavings because life is just better with Parmigiano Reggiano. (Although if you want to make this Vegetarian or Vegan, just leave this off.)
What I love most about this salad is that you can prepare everything in advance so it’s easy peasy when guests arrives or you’re ready to serve your hungry family. Just put the peach and cucumber on individual plates with a squeeze of lemon juice and store in the fridge, create the herb vinaigrette and leave it at room temperature. Then when guests arrive just top with a few drizzles of the vinaigrette, pepita and hemp seeds and a few Parmigiano Reggiano shavings. It’s that simple. And, oh so good.
Skip down for this delicious recipe; otherwise read on about finding courage.
Raise curious, courageous and compassionate children.
Build a successful business with Mr. Italicano that gives us a creative outlet, brings us personal satisfaction, keeps our minds challenged, helps our customers solve a problem, does well for the environment and give us monetary means to one day afford a small house and a boat on the lake surrounded by nature.
Publish my novel and continue to write until I become a best selling author.
Continue to learn and share with others all I have learned about the Mediterranean Diet Lifestyle by teaching cooking classes in Seattle, publishing regular content on Italicana Kitchen, writing for magazines, appearing on TV cooking shows and writing a cookbook.
Some days I feel as though I can conquer the world. I break out of my cocoon of comfort and throw myself into a challenge, dedicating myself completely towards creating something unique and exceptional. I know I have it in me to do great things and achieve the goals I’ve set for myself. I don’t let myself get in the way. I rise at dawn or work until the wee hours of the night, weekends don’t exist as I am consumed in creating something of value. For instance, a few months ago, I was sitting in my kitchen in Italy with one mission: develop the most incredible organic sprouted farro granola for my client. These granolas and granola bars would be branded under the company’s name and sold in supermarket stores all over Italy. What a satisfaction it would be to have my recipes on supermarket shelves!I rolled up my sleeves and dove in: the days were long andhot. I researched and shopped for the best ingredients then spent hour after hour in my kitchen developing recipes, baking, tastings and retesting.
I made over 40 batches tweaking each recipe, process and cooking time until I developed five delicious and unique flavors with just the right amount of sweetness, crunch, cluster consistency and fruit to granola ratio. Mr. Italicano and I then worked with a professional baker to understand how to replicate these recipes on a larger scale production.
The project was stimulating and fascinating.Each failed attempt was vital in the learning process. And, now these healthy granolas are on Italian supermarket shelves! I couldn’t be more proud.These are the days I feel like I am following my path, I am improving my skill sets, I am offering value to others and making a small helpful mark in the world.
I wish I was this courageous all the time. The truth is that there are many days where I can’t find the courage to act. Instead, I remain paralyzed by fear of failure instead of actually dedicating myself to the learning process where failed attempts are a vital part of growth. I get flustered and overwhelmed, already imagining how I will not succeed. For instance, food photography still secretly frightens me. I know. Really, after four years of food blogging I should be pretty comfortable with my DSLR camera. It’s frankly embarrassing. On one hand, I love food styling and finding the perfect dishware, linens and accessories to createa beautiful photographic set.
But when Mr. Italicano or my friends who are photographers start talking with me about technical features of the camera, my eyes glaze over and I tense up. I should know this stuff. I should be a pro. But, to be honest, each time I pick it up the camera instead of finding the courage to practice, fail, learn and improve, my mind tells me that: I’m not skilled enough, smart enough or creative enough to take great food photography because it’s too technical. I don’t do well with technical things. I’m terribly horrid at math, excel spreadsheets and anything really that requires precise measurements (that’s why you don’t see a lot of baking on this blog).So I’ve let this fear of the technical aspects of photography stop me from developing this skill. Instead I fall back on the 1 to 2 photography tricks I know to take ok photos. Sometimes they turn out even to be great photos, but I wouldn’t be able to explain to you how I got that shot. These are the moments I’m not proud of myself. I could be honing a craft to improve and instead I’m scared to try so my skills remain mediocre and I constantly feel insecure.
It’s funny, I look at my 8 month old daughter and she is doing everything right.
Each day Pepper is courageous. She wakes up in the morning, curious and determined to learn something new and doesn’t give up until she excels. Her mind is not deceiving her with doubts that she is too little to walk, or too small to make someone smile, or too uneducated to communicate. Oh, no. She is confident. She is persistent. She is consistent day in and out.
This daring little creature tried for a week to stand, falling time again as she tried to figure out how to coordinate her arms and legs and use her body to pull herself up. At times she would be frustrated, but she would never give up. She also didn’t care that I saw her try and fail. She had no insecurities about what I must have thought at her “failed attempts”. On the contrary, seeing her struggle, I immediately was rooting her on. It was inspiring to watch her tenacity, her resilience, her perseverance to succeed at the task at hand. And, just like that—with her continued dedication towards doing one thing well, she soon stood with ease and was off to learning her next “one big thing”.
She is growing exponentially because she constantly puts herself out there and doesn’t have fears, doubts and insecurities blocking her way.
What if I could go back to this learning mentality?
What if I could get out of my head long enough to take action towards doing one thing well each day on a consistent basis?
What if I could give myself permission to try and fail without thinking less of myself, but rather, knowing that it is just part of the process to mastering a skill?
Oh, Pepper, sweet little girl. You are a wise little one without even knowing it. When I need to find courage each day I will think of you.
Breathe.
Baby steps.
Daily steps.
Do one thing well each day.
Peach & Cucumber Carpaccio + Finding Courage to Improve Each Day
This Peach & Cucumber Carpaccio is the perfect dish to stay cool during the summer heat. It's bursting with flavor and easy to make ahead so you can enjoy a cold glass of rosè with your friends instead of slaving away in the kitchen. Double win.
You can cut the peach in half, remove the pit and thinly slice half moons or, what I tend to do is to slice large circles off the whole peach working my way around the peach until I get to the pit then I discard. Divide the peaches on two plates and add the sliced cucumber. Next make the vinaigrette by whisking together the extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. Evenly drizzle this mixture over the peaches and cucumber then top with fresh lemon thyme, oregano, mint, pepitas, hemp seeds and a few shavings of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. Crack on top sea salt and black pepper.
Make ahead: if you’d like to make in advance, just put the peach and cucumber on individual plates with a squeeze of lemon juice and store in the fridge, create the vinaigrette and leave it at room temperature. Then when guests arrive just top with a few drizzles of the vinaigrette, fresh herbs, pepita and hemp seeds and a few Parmigiano Reggiano shavings.
Oh, hello vegan burgers that actually taste delicious! There is just so much goodness in these little patties, that even meat lovers will appreciate them too.
What I love about them:
1. They are high in fiber and protein.
2. They have a great texture (no falling apart or squeezing out of your bun when you take a bite)
3. They are easy to make. Just watch this short video recipe that I made for Poggio del Farro, a Tuscan farro producer.
Let’s chat about what’s inside:
Organic Whole Grain Spouted Einkorn Grains
Einkorn is one of the three types of farro grains:
Einkorn
Farro (also called Emmer)
Spelt
If you can’t find einkorn grains the other two can easily be substituted.
I used sprouted whole grain farro because they have more nutrients than regular whole grain farro. Here is an interesting article by Harvard Medical School for more on the sprouting process and health benefits.
Cannellini:
I love cannellini beans. You’ll find these white kidney beans in a lot of Italian recipes like minestrone or “pasta e fagioli” (pasta & bean dish). They are hearty with a mild taste and even help you to lose weight!On my way to dropping those last few baby pounds, hooray!
Beets:
Bring on the antioxidants, the bright color and the wonderful taste of beets! Mr. Italicano used to hate beets because he had only ever eaten them boiled—how boring! Then I introduced him to: beet soup, beetsalad, beet crepes, beet pasta and beet hummus. He’s now a super fan of this superfood. I can’t wait to make beet baby food for Baby Italicana in a few months. Oh man, it’s going to be fun to experiment. ❤
Speaking of little Pepper, for Easter we took her on a road trip to Tuscany where we rented a lovely airbnb in the hillsides overlooking Florence with our friends Mario, Monica and their 2 year old daughter, Agata. If the weather had been nice, we would have spent the entire trip hanging out by the pool and BBQ outside. It was only sunny the morning we were leaving. Ahh, that view!!! ❤❤❤
As luck would have it, it was windy and rainy so during the day we ventured out for a road trip to nearby Chianti (not bad for Plan B!) We drove along the Strada del Chianti which is a scenic road lined with cypress trees, vineyards and olive groves for as far as the eye can see. We stopped for lunch and went wine tasting at Badia Coltibuono , an organic wine producer located in an abbey built in 1051. Oh Italy, you and your amazing historic sites.
I love the idea that Mr. Italicano and I are sharing with Pepper our passions for traveling, adventure and new experiences. Not only are these moments great for us, but for an infant they are a huge opportunity to learn and grow. Monica told me that whenever they went away on a trip, Agataachieved some kind of new milestone when they got back. This proved to be true also for Baby Italicana. The following day, she laughed for the very first time!
And, so, I’ll leave you with this video that hopefully brings a smile to your face as it did ours.
Thank you for following me into the kitchen and with me in life. ❤ If you try these vegan sprouted einkorn burgers, snap a photo and tag Italicana Kitchen on social media or leave a comment below. I love hearing from you! Happy Cooking!
Vegan Sprouted Einkorn Burgers - Vegan or not, you will love these vegan sprouted einkorn burgers! They are packed with protein and made with delicious sprouted einkorn, beets and cannellini beans. Serve them on an artisan bun and top them with mashed avocado, lettuce and a soy yogurt and herb sauce!
Serves: 6 patties
Ingredients
For the Vegan Burgers:
1 cup (150g) sprouted einkorn grains (or farro or spelt grains)
3 cups water
2 tablespoons (32g) ground flax seeds
5 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 white onion, finely diced
1 cup (100g) raw walnuts
½ tablespoon (4g) chili powder
1 tablespoon (8g) paprika
1½ teaspoon salt and a few cracks of black pepper, plus more for coating burgers
1½ cups (150g) rolled oats
2 cooked beets (250g)
1¼ cups (230g) cooked cannellini beans (weight of the drained beans if using canned)
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Bun and toppings:
6 bakery hamburger buns
2-3 avocados, pit and skin removed and mashed
Mixed salad
For the Vegan Yogurt Sauce:
1 cup soy yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Pinch of salt and a few good cracks of freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Add the sprouted einkorn to a pot. Cook according to package directions.
In a small bowl, add the ground flax seeds and water. Stir and set aside.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan, add the onions. Cook for 5-6 minutes until translucent but not brown.
Add the walnuts, chili powder, paprika, salt and rolled oats to the food processor. Blend for 1 minute until all the ingredients are well chopped. Pour this mixture into a large bowl.
When the einkorn is ready, drain, then add it to the food processor along with the cooked beets and cannellini beans. Mix for 1 minute until combined.
Add the einkorn/beet mixture to the bowl with the rolled oats. Add the flaxseed mixture and stir all of the ingredients together with a wooden spoon. If the mixture seems too sticky, blend ½ cup more oats and add it to the mixture (you could also use bread crumbs).
Divide the mixture into patties the size of your buns. (It will make 6 large patties). Sprinkle on top salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to a large skillet, wait until the oil is hot, then add 3-5 patties to the skillet. Let the patties cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. If they are starting to brown too quickly, lower the heat. Carefully flip the vegan burgers and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
In the meantime, make the vegan yogurt sauce: add the soy yogurt, parsley, chives, salt and pepper to a small bowl. Stir well and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
To plate: toast the buns, spread some of the mashed avocado on the bottom of the bun. Top with the vegan burger, a dollop of vegan yogurt, some salad and the top part of the bun. Enjoy!
This is a great make-ahead recipe. Prepare the patties and yogurt sauce ahead and store in the refrigerator, then cook the patties and serve with the rest of the condiments when ready to eat.
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I made this recipe for Poggio del Farro . Although we often collaborate with this company, this specific recipe is not sponsored by them.
I hope this farro bowl with poached eggs, shaved asparagus and feta rocks your world as much as it did mine!
I have to admit, this dish was extra delicious and special for me. After 9 months of abstaining from undercooked eggs while I was pregnant, I finally sliced my fork into the center of a perfectly cooked poached egg, let all that creamy yolk run out right on top of tangy little feta crumbles, silky shaved asparagus, pungent basil leaves and a mound of farro. If I could put heaven in my mouth, this would be it.
Oh, did I mention how easy this recipe is? Here’s a video recipe that I made with Poggio del Farroa Tuscan farro producer that I collaborate with to make delicious recipes and products.
One of the parts not included in the video is the addition of vinegar (I used white) and swirling the water to make a perfectly poached egg. You can check out Chef Ramsey Gordon’s videoto see how simple it is.
Quick and wholesome meals are essential for my busy life with a newborn. Being that I am breastfeeding, I want to give Pepper all the right nutrients she needs to grow strong and my meal planning has to be efficient as I have limited time to cook. This is why I love this farro bowl. It’s packed with goodness and I can make it in a snap.
Speaking of Baby Italicana, she turned two months last week! It’s surreal how fast time flies by. Mr. Italicano and I are loving every moment of parenthood, even the middle of the night wake ups and poopy diapers. We wouldn’t trade it for anything. Our life right now has definitely become more routine, but it feels so remarkably amazing.I never knew my heart could feel this full, it just bursts and overflows with love. ❤️ We are so grateful for this little beautiful creature.
I cannot resist posting a blast of photos: I hope they make you smile and brighten your day as much as they do ours. ❤️
Our beautiful newborn photos above were taken by my talented friend and photographer, Michelle Aschbacher.
Farro with Poached Eggs, Shaved Asparagus and Feta
Try this simple farro bowl with poached egg, shaved asparagus, feta and basil. I LOVE how easy it is to make. So delicious too!
Serves: 2
Ingredients
1 ¼ cups (200g) pearled farro
1 tablespoon coarse salt
5 cups water
6 Asparagus
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, skin removed
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
1 handful of basil, chopped
2 tablespoons feta, crumbled
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 eggs
Gomasio
Salt and black pepper
Instructions
Fill a medium sized pot with water, add the farro and salt and bring to a boil. Cook for 18 minutes.
Use a vegetable peeler to shave the asparagus.
Add the extra virgin olive oil, asparagus and garlic clove to the skillet. Cook for 1 minute over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Discard the garlic.
When the farro is done, drain and divide the farro into two bowls. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Stir to combine.
Top farro with the asparagus, chopped basil and feta.
Bring a small pot of water to boil. Add the white vinegar and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Crack one egg into a small bowl. Now stir the water with a spoon to create a vortex and gently lower the egg into the water. This will help the yolk to be covered by the egg white. Cook for 3 minutes or until the egg white has harden up. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat dry with a paper towel. Repeat for the second egg.
Add the poached eggs to the bowls and top with a sprinkle of gomasio, salt and pepper.
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I made this recipe for Poggio del Farro. Although we often collaborate with this company, this specific recipe is not sponsored by them.
Farro beet crepes! As you can imagine, these beautiful crepes are naturally colored with beet puree. They are the perfect dish for Mother’s Day brunch.
Ever since I learned how easy it is to naturally color my food, I have been experimenting more and more in my kitchen. I love the esthetic look of colored food—Bright! Fun!—I also love packing in more nutritious vegetables to every meal. Plus, it’s easier than you think—way easier.
This post is sponsored by Poggio del Farro. I created the recipe, photos and video—which you can also find on their website along with many other delicious farro recipes. The writing and opinions are my own.
I remember the first time I made a crepe; I was in high school. My feet on a step stool and my hands reaching in the far corners of the wooden pantry shelf (where sometimes my older brother hid the best snacks), I ran across an old 1960s box with a crepe pan designed on the front—probably a wedding present. I was intrigued. I pulled it out, dusted it off and opened it up to find a little recipe book on top of the black crepe pan. That night I made cannelloni crepes for my family. I remember they turned out absolutely terribile. I was disappointed. My dad, on the other hand, continued to eat them. “It’s just one meal, Cindy,” I remember him saying. Ahh, my dad’s simple wisdom. He was right. I was just 16. In my lifetime I would have thousands of more meals to make and whole lot of opportunities to get it right.
The second time I made a crepe was last year, almost 20 years later (wow does that make me feel old). I was recipe testing for Smeg {affiliate link}, an Italian design appliance brand. Since their small appliances have adorable colors, I wanted to create something stylish and colorful as well. My blender spinach crepes were so good that I brought them to my friends house where we created a beautiful outdoor aperitivo (Italian style happy hour).
Since spinach worked so well, I had to try it with beets. I also used farro wheat from Poggio del Farro for these crepes. I have come quite obsessed with Poggio del Farro’s products. Farro has lower gluten content and higher amounts of protein and fiber compared to modern day grains. I use their farro grains to make soups and salads, and their flours to make crepes, pancakes, chocolate chip cookies and homemade pasta, among many other recipes. Farro is pretty much replacing all other flours in my kitchen.
The beet crepe on its own is not so beet-y tasting, so you can top it with a myriad of fillings from sweet to savory. My favorite for this recipe is fresh crispy arugula, creamy ricotta, juicy blood oranges, crunchy pistachios all drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar (affiliate link) and sweet honey. Pure deliciousness.
Happy Mother’s day to all and especially to my mom, an extraordinary woman whom I admire.
Beet Crepes with Ricotta, Blood Oranges and Pistachios
In a blender or a bowl, add all of the ingredients for the crepes then blend or whisk until homogenous. Chill in the refrigerator for ½ hour.
Add a small knob of butter to a crepe pan or frying pan. As the butter and as it melts over medium heat, swirl the pan so that the butter covers the bottom. Pour in ½ cup of the crepe and quickly swirl the pan so that it distributes the liquid evenly. Cook for 1-3 minutes then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat for the rest of the crepes. Keep the crepes warm by putting them in the oven at a low temperature.
Fill each crepe with some ricotta, arugula, blood orange pieces & zest and pistachios. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar and honey.
Notes
Batter should be chilled in the refrigerator for ½ hour before using.
*If you are not able to find farro flour you can replace with other flour.
I’m obsessed with this farro beet soup with Greek yogurt, pistachios and orange zest. Mr. Italicano is too. He even forgot that that he doesn’t like beets!
This post is sponsored by Poggio del Farro. I created the recipe, photos and video—which you can also find on their website along with many other delicious farro recipes. The writing and opinions are my own.
Really, all food can be great (or bad)—it just comes down to how you prepare the dish. Just take microwaved mushy asparagus vs. melt-in-your-mouth-shaved asparagus. The first is seriously inedible (actually, flat out gross) the second I can down in a second. I often top my frittata with shaved asparagus or serve it with delicious fresh fish. You can also use these green veggie curls in place of fettuccine noodles like Lindsey Ostrom does on her blog, Pinch of Yum. Watch out world, shaved asparagus is going to be the new avocado to your toast.
Now that we got my shaved asparagus obsession out of the way, let’s get back to this amazing farro beet soup. The idea for this recipe came from Maria Speck’s lovely Simple Ancient Grain Book. She makes a bright beet soup with buckwheat and spicy horseradish, while I created mine to incorporate the irresistible flavors of the Mediterranean: a dollop of creamy Greek yogurt, nutty farro from Tuscany and pistachios and orange zest that are symbols of Sicily.
Farro is a staple in my vegetarian/pescatarian lifestyle. It’s a grain that is high in protein, fiber and antioxidants—you can read more about the nutritional benefits here — and I love it’s subtle nutty taste and firm texture. It’s so adaptable and can be transformed into a healthy salad, homemade pasta, easy crepes, and more.
I get my farro from Poggio del Farro, a family owned company in Tuscany. They are truly “farro specialists.” The passion that they put into their work to make their products made me fall in love with this grain. When I met the owner Federico for the first time I listened as he explained that this business adventure was an act of love for his family and keeping the tradition of cultivating farro alive (many fellow farmers were switching to grains that were easier to cultivate). I’ve been substituting farro for modern refined flours more and more as the reading I’ve done shows that it is a better choice for your health. And, although I don’t have problems with gluten, I like that farro has a different kind of gluten structure than modern grains. In fact, many people with gluten sensibilities (not celiacs disease) find that they can eat this grain without adverse effects. I want to limit health problems in the future by being attentive of what I’m eating today!
Farro Beet Soup with Greek Yogurt, Pistachios & Orange Zest
Add the farro and water to a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil then add the salt and reduce the heat to simmer. Cook for 30 minutes.
In a medium pot, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add the red onion and salt; cook until the onions are translucent, but not browned. Now add the garlic and honey and cook for another minute. Remove from heat.
In a blender, add: the onion/garlic mixture, beets, 1 cup vegetable broth. Blend until smooth.
Pour the contents of the blender into the medium sized pot and bring to a simmer.
Now that the farro is ready, drain and add to the pot with the beet soup. Add more vegetable broth to arrive at a soup-like consistency. Bring to a simmer on medium heat until warm. Taste and adjust with salt and pepper--the salt really makes the flavor come out. Ladle into bowls. Top with a spoonful of Greek yogurt, chives, pistachios and orange zest. Buon appetito!
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This post was sponsored by Poggio del Farro and their delicious farro grains!I created the recipe, photos and video—which you can also find on their website along with many other delicious farro recipes. The writing and opinions are my own.
I am ready to put on warm sweaters and cozy up indoors spending my days developing new recipes and cooking warm soups, homemade breads, pizza dough and homemade pasta. This particular pasta recipe for butternut squash cappellacci is dear to my heart. It’s what Mr. Italicano’s Italian mom and aunt would prepare on Sunday lunches and for special holidays. It’s the dish that I would always go back for seconds, sometimes thirds, because it’s Just. That. Good. It’s bathed in sage infused butter and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. If I’m by myself, I lick my bowl. 
In the northern region of Emilia-Romagna there are two famous pumpkin/squash pasta dishes: tortelli di zucca from Mantova and cappellacci di zucca from Ferrara. The main difference is the name, shape and filling. In Mantova, the filling typically consists of cooked pumpkin, ground amaretti cookies, mostarda (candied fruit and mustard-flavored syrup), Parmigiano Reggiano and nutmeg. You can find them shaped in squares or like cappellacci, whose name is derived from the dialect caplaz which means “little hats” and is in reference to the straw hats once worn by farmers who worked the fields. The cappellacci di zucca from Ferrara, on the other hand, typically uses butternut squash, a little bread crumbs and does not include the amaretti or mostarda.
I am so excited to have two upcoming cooking classes this weekend where I will teach how to make this authentic Italian pasta dish! It is the ultimate Italian comfort food for the fall. If you are in the Seattle area, come make some mouthwatering homemade pasta with me!
WHISK
NOVEMBER 13th, 12PM-1PM
CARUCCIO’S
Some days I feel as though I can conquer the world. I break out of my cocoon of comfort and throw myself into a challenge, dedicating myself completely towards creating something unique and exceptional. I know I have it in me to do great things and achieve the goals I’ve set for myself. I don’t let myself get in the way. I rise at dawn or work until the wee hours of the night, weekends don’t exist as I am consumed in creating something of value. For instance, a few months ago, I was sitting in my kitchen in Italy with one mission: develop the most incredible organic sprouted farro granola for my client. These granolas and granola bars would be branded under the company’s name and sold in supermarket stores all over Italy. What a satisfaction it would be to have my recipes on supermarket shelves!
I made over 40 batches tweaking each recipe, process and cooking time until I developed five delicious and unique flavors with just the right amount of sweetness, crunch, cluster consistency and fruit to granola ratio. Mr. Italicano and I then worked with a professional baker to understand how to replicate these recipes on a larger scale production.
The project was stimulating and fascinating.
But when Mr. Italicano or my friends who are photographers start talking with me about technical features of the camera, my eyes glaze over and I tense up. I should know this stuff. I should be a pro. But, to be honest, each time I pick it up the camera instead of finding the courage to practice, fail, learn and improve, my mind tells me that: I’m not skilled enough, smart enough or creative enough to take great food photography because it’s too technical. I don’t do well with technical things. I’m terribly horrid at math, excel spreadsheets and anything really that requires precise measurements (that’s why you don’t see a lot of baking on this blog).
This daring little creature tried for a week to stand, falling time again as she tried to figure out how to coordinate her arms and legs and use her body to pull herself up. At times she would be frustrated, but she would never give up. She also didn’t care that I saw her try and fail. She had no insecurities about what I must have thought at her “failed attempts”. On the contrary, seeing her struggle, I immediately was rooting her on. It was inspiring to watch her tenacity, her resilience, her perseverance to succeed at the task at hand. And, just like that—with her continued dedication towards doing one thing well, she soon stood with ease and was off to learning her next “one big thing”.
She is growing exponentially because she constantly puts herself out there and doesn’t have fears, doubts and insecurities blocking her way.
I have to admit, this dish was extra delicious and special for me. After 9 months of abstaining from undercooked eggs while I was pregnant, I finally sliced my fork into the center of a perfectly cooked poached egg, let all that creamy yolk run out right on top of tangy little feta crumbles, silky shaved asparagus, pungent basil leaves and a mound of farro. If I could put heaven in my mouth, this would be it.
Quick and wholesome meals are essential for my busy life with a newborn. Being that I am breastfeeding, I want to give Pepper all the right nutrients she needs to grow strong and my meal planning has to be efficient as I have limited time to cook. This is why I love this farro bowl. It’s packed with goodness and I can make it in a snap.
Our beautiful newborn photos above were taken by my talented friend and photographer, 
The beet crepe on its own is not so beet-y tasting, so you can top it with a myriad of fillings from sweet to savory. My favorite for this recipe is fresh crispy arugula, creamy ricotta, juicy blood oranges, crunchy pistachios all drizzled with extra virgin olive oil, 
This post is sponsored by Poggio del Farro. I created the recipe, photos and video—which you can also find on their website along with many other delicious farro recipes. The writing and opinions are my own.
Farro is a staple in my vegetarian/pescatarian lifestyle. It’s a grain that is high in protein, fiber and antioxidants—you can read more about the 
I get my farro from