4 North Beach Sandwiches on 2 Top 10 Lists

4 North Beach Sandwiches on 2 Top 10 Lists

4 North Beach places own top spots in 2 recent San Francisco best sandwich lists. Molinari’s and Mario’s Bohemian Cigar Store are on both lists, Eater SF’s Most Iconic Sandwiches and Sean Timberlake’s Citysearch Guide’s Best Italian Sandwiches. Giordano Brothers and L’osteria del Forno are 

Stracciatella–Italian Egg Drop Soup

Stracciatella–Italian Egg Drop Soup

After a slice of savory Pizza Rustica and some arugula salad, the first course for my Easter meal is Stracciatella, Italian egg drop soup. Stracciatelle means “little rags” in Italian. They’re formed by whisking beaten eggs into hot chicken broth. My Mom made perfect little egg 

Chicken Roman-Style with Peppers

Chicken Roman-Style with Peppers

I’m hosting an informal Easter dinner next Sunday. Some of the friends at the table will be with me in Rome and Naples in a few weeks so I’m serving dishes from those 2 cities. We’ll start with a savory deep-dish pie, Pizza Rustica filled 

Buona Pasqua! Happy Easter! Happy Spring!

Buona Pasqua! Happy Easter! Happy Spring!

Natale con i tuoi, la Pasqua con chi vuoi, Christmas at home and Easter with whomever you wish” is an old Italian saying. Friends are coming to my place for Easter dinner next Sunday. I’m making 2 traditional Easter deep-dish pies from Naples that will bookend 

St. Joseph’s Day Spaghetti

St. Joseph’s Day Spaghetti

March 19 is the Feast of St. Joseph, Festa di San Giuseppe. It’s a big day in Italy and a big day among Italian-Americans. St. Joseph’s Day is Father’s Day in Italia. Joseph was Mary’s husband and helped raise the young Jesus. St. Joseph is also Sicily’s 

Chicken with Olives, Capers & Lemon

Chicken with Olives, Capers & Lemon

Here’s a really simple dish from Naples for those times when you really don’t feel like cooking. The recipe works well with chicken or with fish. It’s pollo (or pesce) con olive, capperi e limone. You see this combination celebrating meaty olives, zesty capers & 

2 North Beach Pizza Margheritas On Top 10 List

2 North Beach Pizza Margheritas On Top 10 List

Bravo! 2 of the pizzas on Chow’s Top 10 Pizza Margheritas in the Bay Area list are made right here in North Beach: Caffe Baonecci on Green near Grant and Tony’s Pizza Napoletana on Stockton at Union. The Gambaccini family at Baonecci really make you feel 

Asparagus Frittata–Spring Has Sprung

Asparagus Frittata–Spring Has Sprung

Spring is taking hold so I thought I’d make something to celebrate, an egg pie with tender, thin asparagus. Actually “La Squadra”, is gathering at my house for lunch. My Rome and Naples traveling companions and I need to finish planning our final week in Campania 

Spaghetti all’Amatriciana

Spaghetti all’Amatriciana

Here’s one of my favorite spaghetti sauces that’s ready in the time it takes to cook the spaghetti. The recipe comes from the the small hill town of Amatrice in the Sabine Hills northeast of Rome. You see spaghetti all’Amatriciana in all the trattorie in 

Steak and Mushrooms with Baby Arugula

Steak and Mushrooms with Baby Arugula

You may see a theme in my upcoming recipes. I’m celebrating the food of Rome, the first stop on my upcoming trip to Italia. A popular dish found in restaurants all over Rome, straccetti di manzo is a quick sauté of thinly sliced steak and 

Stay Healthy–Eat Italian

Stay Healthy–Eat Italian

You may have seen the news reports about the Mediterranean diet study just published in the New England Journal of Medicine. People who eat lots of beans, nuts, fish, vegetables and fruits, use extra virgin olive oil and drink wine with meals have a lower 

Oscar Worthy “Moonstruck” Eggs

Oscar Worthy “Moonstruck” Eggs

In anticipation of tomorrow night’s Academy Awards I cooked up some Oscar-worthy eggs this morning. Ever see Norman Jewison’s 1987 movie about a Brooklyn Italian-American family? “Moonstruck” won Oscars for Olympia Dukakis and Cher. There’s a kitchen scene where Dukakis is making these eggs for 

Beef Brisket Roman Jewish Ghetto Style

Beef Brisket Roman Jewish Ghetto Style

When I was in New York City a couple of weeks ago I ducked into a deli for a beef brisket sandwich before heading to the airport to come back home. Unfortunately, the sandwich sucked. I left most of it uneaten on the plate. Back 

Farro with Tuna & Tomato

Farro with Tuna & Tomato

Farro is the new kitchen darling. A few years ago most people didn’t know anything about this nutty, nutritious ancient grain. I just love it. I usually make cold farro salads of one kind or another. But, here’s a delicious hot dish that you can 

Italian Grilled Cheese

Italian Grilled Cheese

Here’s an Italian twist on the wildly popular grilled cheese sandwich, mozzarella in carozza (mozzarella in a cart). My Dad made this Neapolitan treat when I was a kid and I still make it often. You have to construct the “cart” to carry the mozzarella. I