Pesto isn’t exactly the recipe of the season, since basil is best at the height of summer. Still, in the middle of winter a nice pesto is a breath of freshness and a promise of the coming seasons. For those of us in the warmer climes, getting some fresh organic basil will be easier, but for those of us where winter has a bite there are plenty of greenhouse gardens capable of supplying the couple of cups of basil necessary for this dish. A little

It is a bit disappointing that by the time mid-October rolls around, La Romita has usually closed her doors for the year. Disappointing because some amazing Umbrian delicacies come into season in fall, chief among these the black truffles of Norcia. Truffles are the “fruit” of a fungus that grows on the roots of forest trees, particularly oak and hazelnut.  Up the Valnerina (Valley of the Nera River) to the northeast of Terni,  three rivers pass through forests of these trees around the town of

And finally, bringing the Ciriole together with a spicy tomato sauce. Part 1 – Pasta Fresca Part 2 – The Story of this Recipe Part 3 – Ciriole – Making the Pasta Part 4 – Ciriole alla Ternana – The Complete Dish Ciriole alla Ternana Ingredients (trad): 1 link or 1/4lb of spicy italian-type sausage, casing removed and pulled apart into very small pieces 1 28oz can of San Marzano Tomatoes (see ) 1.5 Tbsp fresh parsley (Italian or flat-leaf, finely chopped) 1 Tbsp Olive

Here we get to the nitty-gritty: the actual recipe for the pasta itself. Make sure you check out the videos at the bottom of the page, featuring Irma demonstrating the steps! Part 1 – Pasta Fresca Part 2 – The Story of this Recipe Part 3 – Ciriole – Making the Pasta Part 4 – Ciriole alla Ternana – The Complete Dish Ciriole Ingredients (trad): 3 Cups flour* 1 Cup minus 1 Tbsp water scant 1/2 tsp salt scant 1/4 tsp soda makes approx 1lb

Part 1 – Pasta Fresca Part 2 – The Story of this Recipe Part 3 – Ciriole – Making the Pasta Part 4 – Ciriole alla Ternana – The Complete Dish About This Recipe From Alessandro – I’ve known that I wanted to include this recipe in our collection for quite a while, so when I went to visit La Romita in April 2011 I leapt on the opportunity to learn from a master. Some of our past participants might remember Irma Cruciani. Irma was

By all rights, recipes with short ingredient lists should only need a few words of explanation, but obviously there are exceptions. Who could be surprised that pasta, the iconic dish of Italy, would need more than a few short paragraphs to do it honor?  Making fresh pasta may seem daunting, but it’s a rewarding endeavor and we hope to inspire you to try making some yourself! So in four parts: Ciriole alla Ternana Part 1 – Pasta Fresca Part 2 – The Story of this

La Romita has been lucky enough to have some truly remarkable people involve themselves with the mission. One person who created an indelible mark on our school is Adabelle Hill, who joined us almost at the beginning and shortly became a fixture, lending her considerable talents to the school in its formative years and helping it become what it is now. So it is with great sorrow that we learned of her passing on August 20th, 2011. Enza Quargnali posted the following: Adabelle has been

Green beans have a nice long season, and are a delicious accompaniment to a summer meal. Fagiolini al Pomodoro is a common preparation in Umbria (and Tuscany) and is (as most Italian dishes) extremely simple, essentially a short braise of the bean in a basic tomato sauce. As always, start with the best, freshest ingredients available to you. Fagiolini al Pomodoro Ingredients: 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed 8 oz of crushed tomatoes (choose the best canned tomatoes you can find) 3/4 cup of water 1-2