For Easter: Italian Easter Pie, "Torta Pasqualina"

If you look for recipes for the traditional Italian Easter Pie, you will find many variations.  Some people call it a pie and some call it a cake.  Some have meat inside and some do not.  There are so many different ways to make it, but they are all savory.  This recipe is one that I have had for twenty-five years.  It comes from a very authentic source - Anna Teresa Callen, who is now in her eighties. She is a very well known cooking teacher and author who lives in New York City. She is from the Abruzzo region of Italy.  She says this pie is traditionally made with 33 layers of dough, one for each of the years that Christ lived.  But she makes this with twelve - for each of the apostles (and a whole lot easier!)

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Aperol Spritz Cocktail

It's about time for another cocktail around this blog, I think.  I want to introduce you to a drink that is wildly popular in Italy, especially in the Veneto where it originates, but is hardly known in the United States.  It is made with Aperol, which began to be imported into this country only about three years ago.  It is the Aperol Spritz and you can get a little of the general spirit of the drink with this Italian TV ad:

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Potato Pizza and the Correct Flour to Use for Pizza Dough

I know what you're thinking - what a carb load potato pizza must be!  Well . . . yes.  You certainly wouldn't want to eat it if you were doing Atkins, but if you're vegetarian or even vegan, it's the perfect pizza.  No meat and no cheese (the cheese is optional, but I think the pizza doesn't need it).  If you go to Italy, you will see potato pizza in most of the pizza shops.  The combination of potatoes, rosemary and onion is absolutely delicious and set on top of great pizza dough, it's so good.  Add a green salad and it's a nice dinner.  Cut it into small squares and it's a delicious, unusual appetizer.  

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