Is the combination of pasta and meatballs an Italian-American invention? or did it have a precedent in Italy. Here’s one piece to that puzzle - Ada Boni’s recipe from 1927 macaroni with meatballs.
La coratella umbra
The Umbrian version of coratella has been obscured by the more renown Roman dish of the quinto quarto tradition. If you are a newcomer to offal, this is a great dish to get you over the hurdle of curiosity and into appreciation. If you are already an offal fan, this is one you’ll want to add to your repertoire.
Pasta and Perseverance - Part IV: Mischiglio
Mischiglio is a multigrain pasta from the deep south region of Basilicata, part of the so-called cucina povera. Because of its association with poverty, it was cast off when economic conditions improved, as it was an unpleasant reminder of difficult times. As is true with many foodways of poor rural communities, this pasta is being reassessed as a tradition and symbol of resilience and resourcefulness.
Ethiopian spaghetti and spicy meat sauce
ETHIOPIAN SPAGHETTI AND SPICY MEAT SAUCE - Recipe for a fiery meat sauce that arose from Italian colonialism. Learn the history behind the influence of Italian foodways in Northeastern Africa as well as the very recent polemic that brings this history into our own day, where we must reckon with the past.
Tortelletti - 1570 Bartolomeo Scappi
Chiancaredde - orecchiette tarantine
Pasta and Perseverance - Part III: Struncatura
The history of struncatura, a pasta from southern Calabria, is an intriguing rags to riches story. This is not just another story of la cucina povera but of a pasta that was for years sold under the table given the dubious ingredients and conditions under which it was prepared. What was it about this humble food of sustenance that lifted it from shame to fame? Pasta and Perseverance - Part III: struncatura
Pasta and Perseverance - Part II: Cordelle calabresi
This is the second episode in the Pasta and Perseverance series exploring regional pastas made with so-called “inferior grains.” The pasta featured in Part II is a Calabrian rye pasta called cordelle.
The object of this exploration is to enter into the experience of the dish through both the historical context and a sensory exploration including the olfactory perspective and the act of preparing it.