Curious Appetite

Cucina Lockdown (Recipes in the time of COVID-19)

Antipasto recipe: Burrata con i friggitelli (inspired by a pizzeria in Florence)

In case you were wondering what friggitelli were- they are these! Not spicy and extremely versatile! Although nothing wrong with a little spice 😉

Hello cari lettori (dear readers),

It’s been a hot minute since I wrote to you all. Again, I have a slew of excuses but more honestly, I’ve had a bit of bloggers block. But also, my priorities have shifted. The world has changed. And I’m not sure how many of you are truly interested in another fluff list of where to eat and drink in Florence. Nor sure how much it’s relevant. I sometimes struggle with expressing something joyful when there is so much strife around me. I try not to subscribe to these self-conscious fears, as I would from an objective place see someone with a good nature, would appreciate some enthusiasm and positivity- not see malice of gloat within it.

That being said, my energies have been focused elsewhere- like writing a weekly newsletter. If you’d like more frequent updates from Curious Appetite on what’s happening in Florence, around Italy, Italian ingredient deep dives and freebies like e-recipes, subscribe HERE Continue Reading

Cucina Lockdown: Pici al ragù di agnello (pici pasta in lamb ragù)

to be or not to be a sugo, that is the question

Well, hello! Welcome to my blog! I have to say, one of the bright sides to this whole lockdown thing is having more time to cook and write recipes. But let’s be honest, some of the hassle in this is all the cleaning. I am so tired of cleaning and washing up. I miss restaurants!

I made this for Easter Sunday since in Italy lamb is traditionally eaten during Easter feasts (and I love making ragù). Before I dive into the recipe, in case you’re wondering “what’s the difference between a sugo di carne and a ragù?” I’ll do my best to answer while preemptively apologizing to the Italian food police, who still somehow have the energy to work during a pandemic. Continue Reading

Cucina Lockdown: Zuppa con fagioli, salsiccia e bietole (Tuscan-inspired Soup)

beet greens! you can’t beat a bunch of beets!

If you follow me on instagram or have been reading for a bit- you’ll know I am obsessed with soups. They are my favorite dish to make for myriad reasons. They are affordable, a clever way to use up surplus veg, are extremely nourishing and bring an immense sense of comfort when making them.

If I have someone over to my house for the first time I’ll either make one of 2 things: a ragu’ bolognese or a soup since for me, making food is one of the most sincere love letters one could write to another. So best to make the things which I love the most.

Another reason I love soup (and ragu, too) is they are rather straightforward and easy to make once you have some basics down. You can read my full love letter and basic soup tips to the art of Tuscan soup making HERE. If you’re looking for more personalized cooking help, check out some of Curious Appetite’s online versions of our food tours and culinary lessons, led by our team of experts in Italy. Continue Reading

Cucina lockdown: Gnocchi con salsa di zucchine

wanna make this? more like gnocchetti (smaller gnocchi) but hey home cooking is forgiving unlike the Italian food police! scroll for the recipe!

Ciao readers, what a time to be blogging. Without stating the obvious, like how unbelievable reality feels right now and somehow we’re adapting to this new normal, I’ll get right to it.

The world is cooking more. But I miss restaurants so much, I miss cocktails and while I could make them at home, something feels so out of place (for me) making a negroni at home vs sitting at the bar pondering their gin, bitter and vermouth collection with a friend after a massive feast out. There is of course takeout, but honestly as someone whose income has been hammered to smithereens, take-out is not exactly a luxury many people can afford right now even if I’d so very much like to. So, instead of usually writing about restaurants I’ll be posting more recipes like this one for gnocchi in a zucchini and almond sauce. Continue Reading

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