Aglio Olio

There is beauty in the simplicity of this classic pasta dish Spaghettini Aglio e Olio.  The clean flavor of the garlic and herbs ring true for those who prefer to taste and bite of pasta but don't want a sauce to overwhelm the experience.

Feel free to modify this recipe and add chicken or shrimp to the saute pan as well, or keep it simple.

Braised Greens

I use to wonder if my relatives were crazy when they went into the yard and picked dandelion greens.  I use to think what are they doing eating "weeds"!  Little did I know at 7 years old that braised greens taste great!

I personally like escarole and have made this recipe in the past as a side, a base for chicken dishes, toss into pasta, with polenta or as a pizza topping.

I have even seen it used as a filling for Arancini

Besciamella Ricetta

The first sauce I learned to make was besciamella.  Besciamella or bechamel is one of the five mother sauces used in cooking.  All it is is a heated milk thickened with a blond roux with salt, white pepper and a bit of nutmeg. Much controversy over the origin of bechamel or as known in Italy besciamella. This is due to the northern region of Italy's proximity to the French border.

Nonetheless it is a sauce you should learn to master.