Una ricetta
Classic Italian recipes with the history of where they come from. Cook and learn at the same time.
20 articles
Sugo all'Amatriciana: The Tomato Sauce Born in the Apennines
Guanciale, tomato, pecorino, a pinch of chili — amatriciana is one of Rome's great pasta sauces, but it was born not in Rome but in the mountain town of Amatrice, which was devastated by earthquake in 2016.
Arancini: Sicily's Golden Rice Balls
Crispy outside, molten inside — arancini are the pride of Palermo and the symbol of Sicilian street food. Each golden ball is a little orange, a little sun, a little piece of Arab-Norman history.
Bistecca alla Fiorentina: The Steak That Started a War with the EU
Two centimeters thick, T-bone cut, Chianina beef, blood-red inside and charred outside — the Fiorentina is not just a steak. It is a Tuscan religion, and in 2001 the EU tried to ban it.
Cacio e Pepe: Three Ingredients, Infinite Arguments
Pasta, pecorino, black pepper. That is the entire ingredient list for Rome's most technically demanding pasta — a dish that takes five minutes or five years to perfect, depending on who you ask.
Cantucci e Vin Santo: The Twice-Baked Cookies and the Wine They Swim In
Hard, dry, packed with almonds — cantucci are not meant to be eaten alone. They exist to be dunked in Vin Santo, Tuscany's amber dessert wine, until they soften and absorb its flavors.
Spaghetti alla Carbonara: Rome's Coal Miners' Pasta
Creamy, golden, intensely satisfying — carbonara is Rome's most debated pasta. No cream. No onion. And a history wrapped in smoke and legend.
Culurgiones: Sardinia's Pasta Shaped Like an Ear of Wheat
Hand-pinched into the shape of an ear of wheat, filled with potato, pecorino, and mint — culurgiones are the most distinctive pasta in Italy, born in the mountains of Ogliastra.
Focaccia Genovese: The Flat Bread Ligurians Eat for Breakfast
Olive oil, sea salt, dimples, and a golden crust — focaccia genovese is the bread that Ligurians dip in their morning cappuccino. Yes, really. And it is wonderful.
Granita Siciliana: The Arab Frozen Dessert That Became Sicilian
Crushed ice flavored with almonds, lemon, coffee, or mulberry — granita was brought to Sicily by Arab rulers in the 9th century and has been inseparable from the island ever since.
Lasagne alla Bolognese: Bologna's Greatest Gift to the World
Layers of fresh pasta, slow-cooked ragù, and béchamel — this is not Sunday lunch, this is a love letter. Bologna's lasagne is the most comforting thing Italy has ever made.
Osso Buco: Milan's Bone With a Hole and Its Hidden Treasure
A cross-cut veal shank, braised until the meat falls off the bone and the marrow inside melts into the sauce. Osso buco is Milan's most glorious winter dish — and the bone is the best part.
Panzanella: The Tuscan Bread Salad Born from Poverty
Stale bread, ripe tomatoes, basil, red onion, olive oil, and vinegar — panzanella is Tuscany's summer salad, born from the peasant wisdom of wasting nothing and making everything delicious.
Pesto alla Genovese: Liguria's Brilliant Green Sauce
Seven ingredients, one marble mortar, and a region's entire soul. Pesto alla Genovese is the taste of the Ligurian hills in a spoonful — and it is nothing like the stuff in the jar.
Pizza Margherita: The Queen's Pizza, Naples' Gift to the World
Red tomato, white mozzarella, green basil — the colors of the Italian flag on a plate. The story of pizza Margherita begins with a royal visit to Naples in 1889.
Ribollita: The Tuscan Peasant Soup That Became Gourmet
Stale bread, cannellini beans, black kale — ribollita was born from poverty and became one of Florence's most celebrated dishes. Reboiled the next day, it is even better.
Risotto alla Milanese: Gold in a Pot
Saffron turns this simple rice dish into something extraordinary — a luminous golden yellow, fragrant and rich. Milan's signature risotto has a 500-year history and a legend involving a love-struck glassmaker's apprentice.
Spaghetti alle Vongole: The Sea in a Bowl
Clams, white wine, garlic, parsley, olive oil — spaghetti alle vongole is Naples' celebration of the sea. Simple, fast, and devastatingly good when made with fresh clams.
Supplì al Telefono: Rome's Fried Rice Balls That Stretch Like a Phone Cord
Bite a supplì in half and pull the two pieces apart: the mozzarella stretches into long elastic strings, like an old telephone cord. That's why Romans call them supplì al telefono — and they are magnificent.
Tiramisù: The Dessert With Three Possible Inventors
Coffee, mascarpone, savoiardi, cocoa — tiramisù is Italy's most beloved dessert, and three different restaurants claim to have invented it. The truth may never be settled. The recipe, however, is indisputable.
Tortellini in Brodo: Bologna's Pasta Shaped Like Venus's Navel
Legend says a Bolognese innkeeper spied on the goddess Venus through a keyhole and, enchanted by her navel, shaped a pasta in its image. Whether myth or not, tortellini in brodo is Bologna's most beloved dish.