Your Guardian Chef: Laura Giunta Tobin
Get authentic recipes, cooking videos, and exclusive Italian cuisine tips straight to your inbox, and exclusive insights to dispel common misconceptions about Italian cooking!
Quick Italian Ratatouille: A Vegan Summer Dish You Can Freeze and Reuse
Buona domenica, This week, I am excited to share a simple yet flavorful recipe for Italian baked ratatouille—a dish that’s quicker and easier to prepare than the French classic, with even richer, heartier results. In this version, summer vegetables are roasted until caramelized and then finished with a tomato sauce, transforming them into a vegan ragù that melts in your mouth. It’s a versatile recipe that can be served warm or at room temperature, making it perfect as a vegan main with rice,...
The One Step You Should Stop Doing When Making Rice Stuffed Tomatoes
Buona domenica, This week, we explore a classic Roman summer dish: Pomodori di Riso, rice-stuffed tomatoes. While many online versions suggest a two-step process that involves precooking the rice, the authentic technique is simpler and creates a superior texture. The uncooked rice bakes directly inside the tomatoes, absorbing their natural juices to produce a filling that is both creamy and crisp. This preparation is exceptionally versatile. It can be served warm from the oven or, as is...
Discover the Italian Way to Make Prawns the Star of Your Pasta
Buona domenica, Growing up on the Italian coast, I’ve always appreciated how simple techniques and fresh, seasonal ingredients can create extraordinary dishes. This week, I’m thrilled to share a video and three detailed posts that will guide you through the process of making authentic Italian pasta with prawns, inspired by the traditions of Italian coastal cooking. In the video, "How to Create a Gourmet Italian Pasta with Prawns," you’ll learn one essential Italian technique to prepare two...
Sushi Rice Risotto & Other Food CRIMES: Why Italian Food Gets Lost in Translation
Buona domenica a tutti, This week, I am pleased to share a recent video interview with Real Italian Restaurants where I discuss how Italian cuisine is often perceived and presented abroad, and why we Italians care so deeply about its authentic representation. As an Italian living abroad for many years, the disconnect between true Italian culinary tradition and what is often offered can be a constant source of frustration. It's about more than just slightly different recipes; it impacts our...
3 Traditional Sicilian Recipes Reinvented with Blueberries
Buona domenica a tutti, This week, we’re bringing a New World ingredient to Old World traditions with three recipes made using fresh blueberries: gelato, sorbetto, and liqueur. These recipes, deeply rooted in Sicilian culinary heritage, are typically prepared with fruits like peaches, strawberries, or pineapples. But what happens when blueberries take their place? Blueberries, native to North America, add a unique flavor and vibrant color to these classic desserts. The creamy gelato, the...
Are You Using the Right Zucchini Flowers? Male vs. Female Explained for Perfect Frying
Buona domenica a tutti, As summer begins, it’s the perfect time to embrace the vibrant flavors of seasonal produce. Today, I’m excited to introduce you to one of the classic Mediterranean specialties: Fried Zucchini Flowers (Frittelle di Fiori di Zucca). These delicate blossoms are transformed into a golden, crispy delight, making them a perfect appetizer or side dish for warm summer gatherings. The recipe is simple, yet the key lies in achieving the ideal balance of texture and flavor,...
How Italians Transformed Scarcity into Culinary Genius
Buona domenica, Today, I'd like to introduce you to a recipe that was born as a clever solution during times of scarcity but has become a beloved dish celebrated for its flavor and ingenuity: Italian Eggplant Meatballs (Polpette di Melanzane). This dish is a classic example of cucina povera—a resourceful way of cooking where eggplants were used to replace expensive meat. Over time, the recipe became so popular that it was even served at grand aristocratic parties. Flavored with fresh basil,...
The Roman Street Food That Gave McDonald’s a Run for Its Money
Buona Domenica a tutti, Street food in Italy has existed for centuries, tracing its roots back to the Roman Empire and thriving long before McDonald's was even imagined. McDonald’s opened its doors in Piazza di Spagna in 1986, when Porchetta Romana, not the Big Mac, was the street food that brought Romans together. Our Vespa gatherings often revolved around kiosks selling this savory, slow-roasted pork dish. Porchetta, seasoned with garlic, rosemary, and fennel seeds, was sliced thin and...
Fail-Proof Vegetarian Eggplant Milanese (Even Kids Will Love It)
Hello Italian Food Lovers, Today, I’m thrilled to share a recipe that’s not only delicious but also rooted in the traditions of Italian cuisine: Eggplant Milanese. This vegetarian twist on the classic veal Milanese has its origins in cucina povera, the cooking of Italy’s lower class, where meat was often too expensive. Eggplants, with their soft, chunky, and meaty texture, became an ingenious substitute. The recipe was so good that it soon found its way onto the tables of Italy’s wealthiest...
From Shipwreck to Street Food: So Easy You NEED to Make It!
Buona domenica, Today I'm exploring the Italian chickpea pancake. You might know it by various names across the Mediterranean, such as Farinata in Liguria, Cecina in Tuscany, Pannella in Sicily, or Socca in the South of France, to name a few. This particular dish has a rather unique legend behind its origin; the story tells of an incident at sea involving Genoese sailors and their cargo. Its culinary history is quite interesting, and its journey across different coastal cultures, via historic...
Get authentic recipes, cooking videos, and exclusive Italian cuisine tips straight to your inbox, and exclusive insights to dispel common misconceptions about Italian cooking!