The Feisty Italian

Mastering the Art of Homemade Pasta:  A Beginner's Guide to Perfecting Your Pasta Skills Living down South for the last several years,  I have been consistently honing in on my culinary skills. I have transformed my kitchen into my favorite Italian restaurant. I taught myself how to make classic staples such as chicken cutlet parmesan, braciole, ravioli, ragu (yes, it’s a dish not just a jarred sauce), and most importantly, pasta.  Learning to make homemade fresh pasta can seem like a daunting task. I assure you, it’s not. I must have watched countless hours of Food Network to learn and improve this skill. I also watch the “Pasta Grannies” on YouTube. This has helped me focus more on hand-crafted specialty pasta dishes that may not be as well known in the United States. To get started, I researched some different ways of making pasta. Did I want to use an attachment for my stand mixer or did I want to use an old-school rolling pin? I found it easier to use the Kitc...

  Slice of Heaven: Exploring Sal's Neighborhood Pizza  St. Simons Island, GA Sals Back when I lived in Georgia, there wasn’t much in the way of Italian cuisine. I searched high and low for some semblance of tasty pasta or pizza, only to be constantly disappointed. I was just done with “pizza” that was overcooked/undercooked, used jarred sauces or low-quality mozzarella cheese. I was ready to just give up completely until I discovered Sal’s Neighborhood Pizza on St Simons Island, GA. Finally, I found my treasure after months of searching.   My husband and I had traveled out to Sal’s in the summertime for a date night or two. It was about a forty-five-minute drive from our apartment, however, I tell you it was well worth it. It is tucked away in a remote area of St Simons Island. I love that it was mostly an outdoor restaurant as the weather in the evening would lend itself to plenty of outdoor seating. This place also had the added advantage of not being placed wi...

Lost in Translation: Navigating Cultural and Language Barriers at the Supermarket Deli in Brunswick, GA Living in the South, football is a HUGE deal. It is so important, that people have parties and plan their weekends around the entire season. This would include college and minor league football as well.  That year, we were invited to our first ever SuperBowl party. I was pretty excited. One of my husband’s good friends and co-workers was hosting this extravaganza. I offered to contribute to the party and bring over an appetizer. Being that I am an Italian American from New York, the request was of course, for “something Italian.” This was a daunting task for me as I was unable to get many of the ingredients I needed to stock my Italian pantry. I thought long and hard about this. “What the hell am I going to make?” I thought to myself.  I grabbed my tablet and searched for “Italian Appetizers.” After scrolling for a good 15 minutes, I found it; the answer to what I had been l...

Unveiling the Ultimate Ravioli Maker: A Comprehensive Review to Elevate Your Pasta Game Living in the South, I have missed many of my favorite dishes from home, namely the ravioli. This classic dish can be accomplished by even the most novice home chef. Before I began learning the “old school” way of making ravioli by hand, I started by using the Ravioi Maker by Bellemain.  It takes all the “fuss” out of creating this delicious meal at home. Also, this handy tool is easy to clean; a little soap and water will do the trick! If you’re interested in beginning your culinary journey into Italian classics, this tool set is for you! You’ll be a ravioli master in no time.  I have enclosed a photo of some of the ravioli I achieved from using this set. It can be done. is just a few steps. Essentially you roll your sheets of dough out first. Second, you lay it across the medal ravioli mold. Third, you fill your ravioli with the filling of your choice. Fourth, lay your second sheet o...

  Italian Helper GIADA DE LAURENTIIS https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/italian-helper-4720566 Back in the day, there were affordable out-of-the-box meals like Hamburger Helper. This is a unique Italian twist to a true nostalgic classic. This modern version will be a family hit for sure. You will definitely want to give it a try. I threw it together last night and my family was asking for more before I even sat down with my bowl! Not only does this dish hit the spot, but it yields a large batch. I had to pull out my large stock pot to fit it all. This is perfect for stretching those groceries and saving you some money without sacrificing taste or quality. Okay, let’s talk about the main ingredient: Mascarpone. It is not a common pantry staple. It adds the right amount of creaminess to this dish that rounds out this flavor-packed meal. With some internet hunting, you can snag some on sale at most local grocers. It is a worthwhile investment to add to your panty....

The Crock Pot is back baby! Making a home-cooked meal can be tough to pull off when you’re trying to balance the kids' extracurriculars and work. I have the solution. Dust off your crock pot and get ready to be amazed. No more sacrificing taste and quality for convenience. The crock pot can do more than traditional slow cooking or braising. You can create a delicious meal the whole family will love while you’re at work with minimal effort. Would you believe me if I told you that you can have that wonderful “Sunday dinner” on a weeknight? Imagine coming home to a virtually complete meal? That intoxicating scent of garlic and spices hits you as soon as you open the front door?  Okay, let’s talk about how to achieve this classic meal. Simply toss your favorite sauce ingredients (or jarred) into the crock pot and set it on “low” for 8 hours. Next, roll up (or take out of the freezer) your meatballs. Toss them into the pot. I have experimented with tossing in raw pasta such as rotini or...

    Elevate Your Pasta Game with KitchenAid's Pasta Roller Set      If the Stand Mixer is the "King of the Kitchen" then the perfect royal companion is the Kitchenaid 3-piece pasta roller & cutter set. This attachment set has it all! Not only can you roll out your pasta dough with ease, you can cut it too! You have a choice between Spaghetti or Fettucini. I personally prefer the fettucini. Learning to make my own pasta with this was a breeze! I even took the leap and rolled out fresh pasta for my latest lasagna! (picture inclused below). This is my "go-to" attachment whenever I am making pasta; weather it is for ravioli, lasagna sheets, or fettucini. The downside to this attachment is that there is a learning curve and you need a little patience. During your pasta making journey, you have to toggle between each attachment (first the roller and then the cutter attahment of your choice). Clean up is simple and easy too, THESE ATTACHMENTS CANNOT GO IN THE DISH...