Main Dish
Caccio e Pepe
I had a friend I college who ate nothing but spaghetti tossed in butter every night. My daughter loves this pasta. It was her go-to dish in Rome and any other restaurant where it was served. Translated the name says it all “Cheese and pepper.” It is a perfect example of how authentic Italian cooking is uncomplicated and makes use of minimal ingredients— in this case: four. I like it at home for a quick easy supper as all of these ingredients are always in my kitchen.
Read moreButcher’s Pasta
Dario Cecchini comes from a long line of butchers. His family has run the local butcher shop in Panzano, Chianti for 250 years. Dario’s dishes are simple, uncomplicated, and brilliant examples of how to use all cuts of the animal. This is a recipe I created in honor of him. He probably never uses cream-based sauces like we do in America, but you can bet that the meats he uses are perfectly butchered and of the finest quality. Yours should be too.
Read moreAglio Olio
This is as simple as it gets— garlic, olive oil, and pasta. Always mince garlic from fresh cloves and use it immediately. Never purchase pre-minced garlic in a jar.
Read moreWhite Pizza
Preheat a pizza stone at 450 in the oven. On a floured surface, roll out pizza dough very thin and…
Read moreVeggie Pizza
Preheat a pizza stone at 450 in the oven. On a floured surface, roll out pizza dough very thin and…
Read moreSausage and Onion Pizza
I prefer sausage and onion to sausage and mushroom. Caramelized onions make any dish that uses onions instantly better.
Read moreSausage and Mushroom Pizza
Sausage and mushroom are a classic pizza pairing. If you make the sausage recipe in this book instead of using store-bought you’ll be glad you went to the effort.
Read moreQuatro Frommagio Pizza
L’Archibugio Ristorante is located in the middle of a medieval village at the top of a hill in Barbarino Val D’elsa. The following is what you need to know about this pizza joint: It’s small, it’s cramped, the service is slow, it’s named for a muzzle-loading rifle, and it has the absolute best pizza on the planet. Period. Trust me. I have eaten a lot of pizza in 50 years. This is the best I have ever eaten. L’Archibugio, according to my friend, David Trigiani, “It’s the best pizza I have ever eaten in Italy.” This, coming from a dual-citizen lover of all things Italian, a man who travels to the boot several times a year, a man who knows food, a man who has been to Naples and eaten in the birthplace of the pie. The crust is the thinnest pizza crust I have tasted. The toppings are minimal. It is the exact opposite of what we Americans accept as pizza, and it is wonderful. All pizzas in this book hope to live up to L’Archibugio Ristorante
Read morePizza Dough
Dissolve the honey and yeast in ¼ cup of the water in a small bowl. Combine flour and salt in…
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