Linguini with Mussels and Shrimp
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
I love pasta with mussels! You could make this dish as mild or picy as you want by just adjusting the amount of crushed red pepper in the recipe
Chicken Paradisio
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
This dish is a great mix of a chicken milanese and a chicken saltimboca. It is simple to prepare and delicious for all to enjoy!
Spaghetti Amatriciana
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
The smokey bacon and spicy Calabrian Chilies take this Italian classic over the top!
Beef Carpaccio
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Thinly pounded raw beef with a citrus arugula salad is a classic Italian appetizer. Make sure to buy fresh beef when making carpaccio.
Tuscan Beans
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
These buttery beans pack an incredible amount of flavor. Be sure not to let them boil hard or they will begin to break apart.
Spicy Lamb Bolognese
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Medium
I love lamb so this spicy take on a bolognese sauce is really a special treat. I prefer to serve it with a nice pappardelle pasta, but any hearty noodle will do!
Veal Short Ribs “Marsala”
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
This is a great play on Veal Marsala! If you like short ribs, get these veal short ribs from your local butcher and try this recipe out!
Chicken Vesuvio
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Chicken Vesuvio is a dish everybody is familiar with. If you are not a fan of chicken on the bone, you can substitute the whole chicken for boneless, skinless breasts.
Linguine and Clams
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Make sure to use fresh clams for this pasta. I prefer smaller clams like little necks or cockles because they have a much sweeter meat.
Bolognese Sauce
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Bolognese is a ground meat sauce accented with tomatoes. A heavier pasta like rigatoni or pappardelle pairs perfectly with this sauce.
Prosciutto and Figs
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
There are a few Italian dishes that are just perfect... sweet, fresh figs and salty prosciutto is one of them. The most beautiful thing about this dish is the simplicity.
Insalata Italiana
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Easy
Pancetta
Seafood Stew Over Polenta
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
I love a good, hearty seafood stew. If you don't want to serve it with polenta, cut up some potatoes and add them into the stew for a hearty meal.
Whitefish Lemon and Capers
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Dipping the filet in egg helps it hold together durring the cooking process and adds a great texture to the dish.
Red Wine Risotto with Asiago
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Making this risotto with mostly red wine gives an amazing color to the rice and a wonderful red wine taste.
Chicken Milanese
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
The fresh lemon juice in the salad cuts right through the crispy chicken giving you an incredibly fresh chicken entree.
Avocado, Cherry Tomato and Lupini Salad
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
This summer salad makes a fantastic starter or a side dish. These flavors meld so well together and the lupini beans are a wonderful al dente addition.
Grilled Zucchini, Almond and Mint Salad
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
This is such a simple and delicous salad! The sweetness of the zucchini mixes so well with the brightness of the lemon juice and mint. It is a perfect salad for outdoor parties or an afternoon snack!
Garlic and Parmigiano Pork Chop
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
The garlic and parmigiano crust give such an amazing flavor to this pork chop. You can use the same technique on a pork roast or a steak.
Lemon Granita
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Shaved Italian ice is the perfect summer time treat. You can make any flavor granita you want and keep it in the freezer.
Meatballs
Serves 24 | Difficulty: Easy
There is nothing better than a good meatball! This recipe is a standard Italian meatball recipe, but you can modify it any way you like.
Baccala, Potato and Olive Salad
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Medium
You really need to let your cod soak for 2-3 days to remove all of the saltiness. Then a light poach will give you an unforgettable salad!
Ricotta Stuffed Eggplant Rolls
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Easy
These warm eggplant rolls are a favorite in my restaurant. You can prepare them the day before and heat them right before serving.
Olive Oil Poached Fingerling Potatoes
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Poaching potatoes in Olive Oil allows the potatoes to take on an incredibley buttery flavor without the addition of any butter or cream. I love fingerlings because of their natural sweetness.
Prosciutto and Apricot Bruschetta
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Medium
You can make this jam out of apricots, peaches, plums or nectarines. When making jams and preserves, always use fresh fruit for the purest, freshest flavor.
Pasta and Peas!
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
My father's signature pasta, the combination of pancetta and peas is classic.
Risotto with Lamb Sausage and Peas
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Medium
Sweet peas, salty pecorino and gamey lamb sausage come together in this flavorful Italian rice dish.
Focaccia
Serves 1 | Difficulty: Medium
I love a good focaccia. This oily, flavorful bread is the perfect accompaniment to any antipasto platter.
Basic Pasta Dough
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Medium
You can use this rich, golden pasta dough for all cuts of home made pasta and ravioli.
Shaved Fennel and Orange Salad with Prosciutto
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
When segmenting the orange, make sure you save all of the juice that falls well cutting it. The orange juice cuts through the fattiness of the prosciutto and gives a wonderful brightness to the dish.
Tortellini in Brodo
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Tortellini in brodo is a fantastic combination of a soup and a pasta. Using a rich, flavorful chicken stock makes all of the difference in this dish.
Lamb Osso Buco
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Using lamb shanks is a really nice twist on osso buco. The tough shank meat slow cooks to a "fall off of the bone" consitency.
Olive Oil Smashed Potatoes
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Easy
The best thing about these mashed potatoes is there is no butter or cream. Olive oil is emulsified into the potatoes for an unforgetable flavor.
Lobster and Shrimp Gnocchi
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Chunks of shrimp and lobster simmered in a rich lobster cream sauce makes an amazing dish. Tossing in feathery gnocchi finish it off beautifully.
Eggplant Wrapped Snapper
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Wrapping the fish in eggplant makes a really great presentation that your dinner guests will talk about for a long time.
Ricotta Gnocchi
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
I love ricotta gnocchi because you can make the batch and then freeze them. Ricotta gnocchi, while extremely light and fluffy, are much easier to work with than traditional potato gnocchi.
Gnocchi with Pork and Fennel Ragu
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Sweet fennel and tender pork pair beautifully with the gnocchi. You can make this sauce ahead of time and heat it up when you are ready to serve the gnocchi.
Home Made Italian Sausage
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Medium
The nice thing about making your own sausage is that you can season it to your liking. It can be as spicy or garlicy as you wish!
Marinara Sauce
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
I like to make a big batch of this sauce at home and freeze it in smaller containers for future use. A good marinara sauce is a great base for many Italian dishes.
Chicken With Mushrooms and Port Wine
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Sweet port wine and woodsy mushrooms come together in this braised chicken dish for something you will never forget.
Zucchini Fritters
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
The natural sweetness of cooked zucchini really comes out in these fritters. I like to serve them with some marinara sauce as a dipping sauce.
Wild Mushroom Risotto
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Fresh porcini mushrooms are so expensive and hard for the average person to find, so I use dry porcini. The dry porcini add a nice, earthy flavor, while the other mushrooms give a meaty texture.
Pappardelle with Pancetta and Vegetables
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Be sure to let your pasta simmer with the sauce for a minute or two. This helps to bind the sauce and introduce a slightly starchy flavor to the dish.
Gnocchiette with Sausage, Mushrooms and Peas
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Mushrooms, sausage and peas are a classic Sardegnan combination. And combined with these gnochhiette, also known as Malloreadus, a beautiful meal is made.
Endive Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Bitter Endive with sweet apples, figs and smokey bacon come together to make an unforgettable salad.
Roasted Pork Loin with Fig Jus
Serves 3 | Difficulty: Medium
The depth of flavors in this dish come out from the brining of the pork. The subtle hints of orange and juniper go beautifully with the figs and port wine.
Panelle
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Panelle are a Sicilian garbanzo (ceci) bean fritter similar to fried polenta. You can find people all over the streets of Sicily frying these things up and making sandwiches or simply eating them as they are.
Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
When making the brown butter for this sauce, it is important not to burn the butter. We cook it to a golden brown color with a nutty aroma. If the butter is burned, a greasy flavor comes through the dish.
Rib Eye Steak with Balsamic Glaze
Serves 2 | Difficulty: Easy
After the steak is roasted I like to baste it with a little brown butter and balsamic. This can all be done in the same pan for ease of preparation.
Parmigiano Gnocchi
Serves 8 | Difficulty: Medium
These fluffy, delicate gnocchi are perfect to accompany a light sauce. The Parmigiano adds a touch of nuttiness to the dough that differentiates these gnocchi from standard potato ones!
House Salad
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
This very light, simple salad is a great starter or finisher to any meal.
Creamy Polenta
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Polenta makes a wonderful side for both meat and fish. You can chill your left over polenta, slice it and pan fry it for yet another great side dish!
Grilled Acorn Squash with Smoked Prosciutto
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Roasted acorn squash is a beautiful, nutty vegetable with a hint of sweetness. The smoked prosciutto, also refered to as speck, brings a wonderful depth to an already great salad.
Chocolate Truffle Espresso Cake
Serves 8 | Difficulty: Easy
This decadent cake is sure to be a hit with it's smooth texture rich taste. The bitterness of the dark chocolate and espresso pair beautifully together.
Orecchiette With Sausage and Broccoli
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Spicy crumbled Italian sausage and broccoli makes the perfect pasta entree. You can substitute mild sausage, but I love the spicy kick!
Escarole Salad with Pancetta Vinaigrette
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Meaty escarole is enrobed by the poached egg yolk in this rustic, yet refined salad.
Chicken Cacciatore
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Medium
Calabrian Chili Peppers 
Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
This fig jam goes great on bruschetta, with grilled pork, or even in certain pastries.
Goat Cheese Risotto with Roasted Peppers and Green Beans
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Topping the risotto with goat cheese counters the sweetness of the roasted peppers and green beans with a nice tang.
Oxtail Ragu
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Challenging
Oxtails are an old Italian classic. They are more readily available at grocery stores now due to their growing popularity.
Eggplant Caponata
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Caponata is a Sicilian "sweet and sour" eggplant dish. It makes a wonderful side dish or a topping for a bruschetta.
Tomato and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Adding the goat cheese and olives to the bruschetta give a fun twist to a classic dish. This simple appetizer is sure to be a big hit at parties and dinners.
Stuffed Patty Pans
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Jumbo patty pans are perfect for this squash appetizer. If you can't find patty pans big enough, just substitute yellow squash for them.
Pot Roast
Serves 3 | Difficulty: Medium
A good pot roast is the perfect food for a cold winter's night. It is a "one pot shot" as we call it because it has the meat, vegetables and potatoes all in one.
Fusilli with Sausage, Mushrooms and Peas
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
The combination of spicy sausage, mushrooms and sweet peas is heavenly.
Home Made Mozzarella
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Challenging
Pulling your own Mozzarella can make all of the difference in your salad or sandwich. You can but the cheese curds from your local Italian cheese market or deli.
Stuffed Pork Roast “Porchetta”
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Challenging
Porchetta is a classic, slow roasted pork roast. I love this dish for parties and holidays because it is such a unique entree.
Prime Rib
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
With any roast, allow the meat to rest for about 20 minutes after cooking before slicing. This allows the meat to relax and reabsorb some of the moisture lost durring the roasting process.
Butternut Squash and Mascarpone Risotto
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Butternut squash and fresh sage are the perfect fall combination. The squash will sweeten the risotto nicely as it cooks with the rice.
Roasted Mushroom and Mozzarella Bruschetta
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Easy
I love the combination of roasted mushrooms and fresh mozzarella. Make your mushroom and mozzarella mix ahead of time and put it on your bread as the guests arrive!
Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 12 | Difficulty: Easy
You can substitute any type of squash for this soup (acorn, spaghetti, pumpkin, etc.) but I love butternut squash the best.
Short Rib Manicotti
Serves 20 | Difficulty: Challenging
Short ribs are one of my favorite cuts of meat to cook with. They have a great amount of flavor and can cook to be the most succulent filling for ravioli or manicotti.
Pork Brine
Serves 1 | Difficulty: Easy
A brine is a useful tool. It is a salt and sugar solution used to infuse flavor into meats. You can adjust the herbs and spices to any flavors you like... this combination is my favorite for pork.
Filet with Gorgonzola Crust
Serves 1 | Difficulty: Easy
Blue cheese and steak go wonderful together. A good, charred piece of meat topped with tangy blue cheese are a perfect pairing.
Risotto with Corn, Cherry Tomatoes and Basil
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
I love the fresh summer flavors of this risotto. Frozen corn is okay for this recipe, but there is no comparison to cooking it fresh.
Gorgonzola and Dates
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Tangy gorgonzola cheese with sweet dates is an amazing combination. I like to add walnuts for a bit of texture and crunch.
Savory Crepes
Serves 20 | Difficulty: Medium
These crepes are easy to make and perfect for manicotti. You could kick them up by putting some fresh herbs in the batter to compliment your choice of filling.
Arugula, Apple and Prosciutto Salad
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Salty prosciutto and crisp apples work so well together... and a peppery arugula cuts right through the sweetness.
Hazelnut Vinaigrette
Serves 6 | Difficulty: Easy
This sweet and nutty dressing is a perfect accompaniment to a nice salad, grilled chicken, or roasted vegetables!
Pollo al Mattone
Serves 2 | Difficulty: Medium
Pollo al Mattone means "chicken under a brick". We don't actually use a brick, but instead press the chicken while it is cooking to release all moisture from the skin to leave behind a crispy, delicous skin.
Roasted Beet Salad with Apples
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
Roasted beets and apples are one of my favorite combinations. Add some salty ricotta salata and you have great dish!
Crab Legs with Anchovy Vinaigrette
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
I love crab legs! King crab legs, in my opinion, have the best meat and the subtle sweetness of the anchovies is the perfect compliment.
Bucatini Caccio E Pepe
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
A classic Roman pasta that combines the spiciness of black pepper and the sweet, saltiness of pecorino is sure to please the advanced palate.
Pizza Sauce
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Easy
This is a simple and classic pizza sauce from Naples. You can spice it up any way you like, but the true Napoletanos believe this is all a pizza sauce should be made of.
Cream of Mushroom and Parmigiano Soup
Serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium
Any combination of mushrooms will work in this creamy soup. And the addition of parmigiano... priceless!
