Ricotta Calzone

While compiling a mega list of recipe ideas with Nonna at the beginning of the year, I realised there were so many glorious foods and baked goods she had simply stopped cooking/baking.  How could this be?

Just more proof of the importance of The Cooking With Nonna project - some extra motivation to do a little extra shopping, find a little extra time, and make something a little extra special.

I now love the familiar feeling of pulling out the giant wooden board from the back of Nonna's linen cupboard, laying it out, and pouring out flour.  Bowls are just so overrated.

Creating edible things from scratch is the best way to learn that cooking and baking are really just the same steps repeated over and over with slight variations.  Pasta, pizza, biscotti and now calzone all start here, on the board, with some egg and flour.

Ricotta calzone variation: lemon rind.

Oh, Ricotta, how I love thee without shame.

And how improved you are with some sugar and spice.

Having grown up in a largely gluten-free house, seeing the fluffiness of risen dough can be a bit too exciting.

AND VOILA!

Does it get any better than fresh pastry wrapped around sweet, creamy ricotta?  I THINK NOT.

Springtime: Artichoke Soup

Hey look, a blog post!  It's only been about seven months: seven months of ups and downs, and uni assignments, and road trips, and one broken camera, and plenty of cooking with Nonna.

The broken camera was one of the scarier moments, but it means I have a beautiful new lens to debut, so keep an eye out for some experimental focusing.

September means another springtime full of fresh, leafy greens, moist soil, and edible blossoms.

I sincerely believe it is a crime to ignore the beautiful signs of the seasons, which means we all need to spend some quality time outside of buildings, getting our shoes dirty.

Growing along the fence line of Nonno and Nonna's vegetable garden are a row of leafy, grey plants which sprout pretty artichoke globes.  I've been peeking through the leaves for a couple of weeks now, but still no sign of these tasty treats.

These pictures are last year's artichoke wonders, which were made into soup, or pickled in olive oil and oregano to be smashed over pizzas all year through.

Stuffed artichokes boiled in a deliciously rich broth is one of the most perfect dishes for a crisp, chilly September evening.  

Once these lovelies cooked for hours, I added some boiled fava beans and spaghetti and had a very satisfied stomach.

Now I'm off to check those artichoke bushes again...

The First Post...

... is always the hardest.

Just like rolling your very first gluten-free pumpkin and potato gnocchi.

No matter how easy it looks, the first one is always a flop.

But as my Nonna always says (imagine Italian accent)...

"Piano, piano"

And she's not referring to the instrument.  

I understand 'piano, piano' to mean, 'slow down, take it easy, and you will get it right in the end.'

Over the next few months I will be making lists of recipes, scanning black and white photographs, typing up some family history, and of course cooking with Nonna.

I think that's a good place to end the first post.