The Italians were onto something with sformato, a creamy egg and vegetable dish that is elegant and yet homey, plus irresistible in flavor and texture. Most traditionally, sformato (pronounced sfohr-MAH-toh, coming from the Latin word for “form”) is a vegetable flan prepared in large ring mold or individual molds. But Read more
Rice laced with spinach and cheese and fried—spinach arancini bring home a delightful taste of Sicily. That’s where I first tried this version of deep fried risotto balls a couple of years ago when we visited to explore some of my Sicilian roots. The treat—shaped as big as oranges, ovals, Read more
Although the most famous Jewish-Italian artichoke dish might be the deep-fried Carciofi alla Giudia (Artichokes Jewish-style), Italian Jews enjoyed artichokes many ways. It helps that they got a head start on other Italians by warmly embracing the petal-packed thistle buds after the vegetable was likely introduced to Sicily by Arab Read more
Like a doughnut, but better. These fritters are less fussy to make, wonderfully chewy and flavorful—and they have a Jewish-Italian connection that I love. Plus, most fittingly for this year of holiday overlaps, in Italy, similar versions are enjoyed for both Hanukkah and Christmas celebrations. In a new piece for Jewish Food Read more