italy on my mind

About me
- Press
Recipes
Classes, tours & workshops
Cookbooks & Italian Travel
- Travel in Italy
- My cookbooks
Blog
Contact me

About me
- Press
Recipes
Classes, tours & workshops
Cookbooks & Italian Travel
- Travel in Italy
- My cookbooks
Blog
Contact me

Contact me

If you’d like to touch base please fill in the enquiry form below.

Your Name (required)

Your Email (required)

Subject

Your Message

Recent posts

Mamma
Cavatelli with sausages, peas and cinnamon
Crostata di ricotta – sweet ricotta pie
Savoury Easter Pie – Torta Pasqualina
Polenta shortcake in the time of a pandemic

Instagram

Lockdown travel dreams #5 - Miramare castle on the

Lockdown travel dreams #5 - Miramare castle on the shores of the Adriatic Sea in Trieste September 2018

When you need comforting, there is nothing quite l

When you need comforting, there is nothing quite like sweet things and even better if they are fried. I grew up with frittole being a regular in our house, with grated apples in them and grappa soaked sultanas.

Castagnole, which are cooked in a similar way, were new to me and they contain ricotta, which keeps them moist and makes them delicious. They are so named (castagne = chestnuts) because of their shape/size but have other names depending on where in italy you are. I discovered them when I was researching Italian Street Food (back in 2015). Do you know these? What do you call them?

I feel like making castagnole this week, it is so long since I made them. It seems like the right type of comfort food as we enter 6 weeks of stage 4 lockdown in Melbourne. The curfew does not worry me (I can think of only once since mid March that I was out after 8pm) though the one hour only of exercise will. I will miss my solo walks around the local suburbs that often went for a couple of hours. I really hope these tough measures affecting so many businesses work. Many will close their doors forever I feel. There are already so many “for lease” signs on my local shops. Lucky I have started online cooking classes as I cannot see my in person cooking classes resuming until late September at the very earliest, more likely October or November. Stay safe people, we are in this together

I seem to be always posting photos of pasta - but

Lockdown travel #4 - Treviso July 2012

Lockdown travel #4 - Treviso July 2012

Last week’s nettle pasta - I found some frozen n

Last week’s nettle pasta - I found some frozen nettles from last season in the freezer. They had already been blanched (hence no longer stinging). So I thawed them, finely chopped them and worked them into the dough. The sauce was a braise of green vegetables including kale leaves, peas and spinach in a base of onion and garlic. I have recently discovered fresh dill (after reading Summer Kitchens by @oliahercules cover to cover) so am throwing it over many dishes and it works so well. So I smothered the pasta with it plus a good amount of grated Parmesan cheese and olive oil

The importance of friendship and reaching out to e

The importance of friendship and reaching out to each other during this, the most challenging of years for so many reasons. I seldom post selfies as that is not what my account is about, but felt it important at this point in time. Thanks to both @natashastipanov and @melbourneitaliangirl for nominating me #womensupportingwomen #challenge accepted

Let’s talk about apple cakes. I have three favou

Would you like to join me in an online cooking cla

Lockdown travels #3 - Sorrento 2010

Lockdown travels #3 - Sorrento 2010

Get in touch

Contact me

© 2020 italy on my mind. All Rights Reserved