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Roasted Broccoli

Roasted Broccoli by John Spottiswood

This roasted broccoli recipe, adapted from the Barefoot Contessa, is really wonderful. It has a lot of flavor. We served it with a mild pasta, and it was just a wonderful combination. Don't be worried by the lemon juice and zest. They impart a subtle flavor that adds a nice dimension to this dish.

25 votes
21183 views
Brussel Sprouts Sauteed in Garlic & Olive Oil

Brussel Sprouts Sauteed in Garlic & Olive Oil by John Spottiswood

This is a simple, tasty side dish to add to your menu. I've adapted it from Marcella Hazan's recipes for other vegetables. It tastes GREAT with Brussel Sprouts. Broccoli is good too.

25 votes
63857 views
Minestrone Romagna Style

Minestrone Romagna Style by John Spottiswood

This is the way minestrone is made in Romagna. It's not a lot of prep time, but you simmer the soup for a long time until all of the vegetable flavors mellow into one mild but delicious soup. The subtle flavors of this soup are even more delicious the next day, so it is a good dish to prepare in advance of guests arriving for a…

14 votes
21619 views
Sicilian Eggplant & Ricotta Pasta

Sicilian Eggplant & Ricotta Pasta by John Spottiswood

This is yet another wonderful Italian recipe that I've adapted from Marcella Hazan's classic "Essentials of Italian Cooking". This one is good enough that my wife put a little smily face in the upper corner of the recipe and wrote "It's a keeper!". I think you'll feel the same way. We served this for friends with a wonderful citrus…

12 votes
10587 views
Italian Chick Pea Soup

Italian Chick Pea Soup by John Spottiswood

Chickpeas are one of my favorite ingredients in soup. They don't lose their texture or their nutty flavor. Whether in a spicy Harira (served during Ramadan) or in this mild flavored Italian soup, Chickpeas make soup both nutritious and delicious. This soup has been popular in Italian homes for over 1000 years, and it was…

12 votes
6304 views
Simple Pasta with Garlic & Olive Oil

Simple Pasta with Garlic & Olive Oil by John Spottiswood

This is a classic recipe that is so simple to make but always delicious. You can serve this as a side dish to any grilled meat or vegetable entree. It can also stand on it's own or be paired with a salad for a light lunch or dinner. It's a great, easy recipe to add to your list of staples. Using a good olive oil is key here. I…

12 votes
24525 views
Pasta with Spinach, Ricotta, Ham

Pasta with Spinach, Ricotta, Ham by John Spottiswood

This is one of our family staples. It is healthy and delicious! Two of our kids say it is their favorite dish. We've adapted it from Marcella Hazan. It's easy to throw together and great the next day too.

10 votes
38970 views
Simple French Bread Pizza

Simple French Bread Pizza by John Spottiswood

This is an easy recipe that I've been making since I was about 14. I made it last night because I was pressed for time, and all of my kids said they liked it better than regular pizza. Simple can still be delicious!

9 votes
21480 views
Lemon & Garlic Green Beans

Lemon & Garlic Green Beans by John Spottiswood

It is rare to have a side dish which everyone keeps reaching for instead of the main dish. That's especially true if its a fairly simple green vegetable side. But these green beans were truly that good. We used packaged, thin french cut green beans from Trader Joes. They are tender and tasty on their own, but I've never had them taste…

8 votes
33840 views
Pizza Sauces

Pizza Sauces by I Sicilian

Stop the pizza delivery man, for ever! Unless… it’s being delivered directly from Sicily. I am sure that if you try this homemade pizza you will never buy into any impersonator again. Although most of us think of pizza as a round pie colored in red and white, pizza like pasta comes in different shapes, different thicknesses, with…

7 votes
5019 views
Grilled Eggplant Parmesan

Grilled Eggplant Parmesan by Mihir Shah

Wonderful and lighter alternative to baked eggplant Parmesan and wonderful for summer or fall nights. I use canned pasta sauce (basil if you have it).

7 votes
17012 views
Parmigiana di melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan)

Parmigiana di melanzane (Eggplant Parmesan) by Frank Fariello

Being a lover of good food, I find it almost impossible to answer the question 'what's your favorite dish?' But if I had to, my answer would probably be eggplant parmesan--parmigiana di melanzane--the way Angelina used to make it. This is a simple dish to make, but it involves several steps. Allow yourself a good two hours to…

6 votes
12729 views
Pasta with Butter and Parmesan Cheese

Pasta with Butter and Parmesan Cheese by John Spottiswood

I've been cooking this recipe for so long, and it is so simple, that I have often overlooked posting it. We had it with our grilled chicken this week, and finally I'm putting it online. Marcella Hazan says this method of cooking pasta has eclipsed all others as the favorite amongst Northern Italians. And I must say it's among the…

6 votes
7333 views
Chilled Italian Zucchini Appetizer

Chilled Italian Zucchini Appetizer by John Spottiswood

This is a fantastic recipe that I adapted from Marcella Hazen. She recommends serving this at room temperature, but I've had a similar broccoli appetizer at a great local Italian restaurant and they chill it, so I thought I would too. I think it would be great either way. If it's hot out, and a chilled appetizer would be nice, then…

6 votes
4450 views
Simple Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms and Tomatoes

Simple Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms and Tomatoes by John Spottiswood

This is one of those simple recipes that are almost embarrassing to put on this website. But this was really tasty and healthy, and our kids devoured it. I have everything being prepared in parallel, so the whole dish takes less than 25 minutes start to finish. If you're tight on time, this is a winner!

6 votes
8092 views