Gourmet Italian Foods, Private Chef & Catering Services

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Coppa (a.k.a. Capicola or Capocolla)

Buonasera, and dare I say, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!! Hard to believe they’re here again. Anyway, the party season is upon us. Catered a fund-raising event the other evening where I served a Coppa (a.k.a. Capicola or Capocolla), Carmelized Onion & Chestnut Honey Bruschetta. (This recipe is one of my – and my clients’ – favorites.) In case you’re wondering, Coppa is …


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“Tim Burton” Farfalle

Ciao!   Part of the fun of getting back to work is restocking the pantry.   Now, I could claim that I made these beautiful pastas, but I’d be lying.   That honor belongs to Donne del Grano (Ladies of the Grain -or- Pasta Ladies), an Italian artisan brand available at Ferrari Olive Oil Company (Studio City).   Who knew that pasta came in …


Spaghetti and clams

Spaghetti alle Vongole

Buonasera a tutti!   Slowly but surely getting into the swing of things.   In this case, one clam at a time.   SPAGHETTI ALLE VONGOLE   If you want, toss in some Panko bread crumbs (briciole di pane) for a crunchy contrast.   Ciao, e buon appetito!


Chestnut Soup

Zuppa di Castagna

Buonasera!   Cooler nights have arrived in Southern California.   (About time!!!)   To celebrate, I’ve opted to whip up one of my favorite Fall/Holiday dishes – CHESTNUT SOUP.   These earthy, rich-tasting morsels are sure to delight when pureed with Leek, Carrot & Onion, topped off with an artist dash of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Espresso Balsamic (both from my good friend, Alex …


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Pesto

I don’t care what anyone says, it’s ALWAYS better when you make it yourself.   Ciao e buon appetito!


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Pasta Fresca

Buonasera!   I’ve been talking about making pasta with my friend, Alex Ferrari (Ferrari Olive Oil Company – Studio City) for some time now.   He sells a beautifully delicate White Truffle Oil that justifies the additional effort.   (Remember, if the sauce is light or relatively simple, that’s the perfect time to roll out Nonna’s old-fashioned crank-handled machine – it’s by far …


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Formaggio o non Formaggio

Buongiorno!   Along with Chef Mo, extremely proud of our SLT students who did an amazing job last night in cheese-making class.   Both their Ricotta (pictured) and Mozzarella where ‘squisito’.   FYI…although typically referred to as cheese, Ricotta cannot be qualified as such given that it is not produced by the coagulation of casein. Rather, it is made by coagulating other milk …


White Truffle Risotto

Risotto al Tartufo Bianco

Ciao a tutti!   Okay, for whatever reason I found myself to be in a really good mood today.   Accordingly, I felt a special treat was in order for both me and the entire Tavolo Mio team.   WHITE TRUFFLE RISOTTO   Now, people who know me will tell you that I’m not a subscriber to Truffle mania, but I have to admit …


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Polenta di Pesto

Buonasera!   The other night I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at my friend, Cheryl’s house that included polenta.   While assisting her in the kitchen, we started to toss around various ideas on how we might change up the basic recipe.   One that we both loved and I was anxious to try (finally did so tonight) was Pesto Polenta.   I’m sure I’m …


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Baba au Rhum

Ciao!   It’s Friday, so you know what that means: SWEETS FOR THE SWEET (or semi-sweet) TOOTH.   Tonight, I tip my hat to the Campanese side of the family…Baba au Rhum, a classic Neapolitan dessert.   A simple yeast cake soaked in rum syrup, you can serve it plain, with whipped cream and/or fruit; individual pastry-sized or as a single, large cake.   …