How to Make Classic Southern Italian Eggplant Fritters The silver dollar sized eggplant fritters or Polpette di Melanzane pictured above are, at times, referred to as eggplant meatballs or patties and are made with a few basic ingredients, including fresh breadcrumbs, roasted or boiled eggplant, and good grated cheese (viz., Parmigiano-Reggiano).  Our mother Annunziata is an expert Eggplant Fritter maker which […]

Try this Italian American version of mashed potatoes made with extra virgin olive oil and roasted garlic. Our Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes can be “customized” with the herbs of your choosing (e.g., rosemary, thyme, etc.) and/or freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes   Print Prep time 30 mins Cook time 30 mins Total time 1 hour   An […]

Baked Clams Oreganata can be found on most Italian American restaurant menus and when they’re prepared well (with high quality ingredients) they are an excellent way to consume fresh clams, outside of on the half shell with a squeeze of lemon and a dash of Tabasco. Our family feasts on Baked Clams Oreganata during the holiday season and they are fairly […]

We collect frittata recipes here at Scordo like Roger Federer collects Grand Slam tennis victories; that is, en masse.  Our latest frittata recipe is the centered on asparagus and couldn’t be easier to prepare.  Here’s our easy, and delectable  Asparagus Frittata recipe. Asparagus Frittata   Print Prep time 5 mins Cook time 15 mins Total time 20 mins   A classic and easy […]

Italian Seafood Stew or Cioppino Italian Seafood Stew is made throughout southern Italy and is typically comprised of shrimp, mussels, clams, swordfish, and any firm white fleshed fish.  Seafood stew is wonderful any time of the year; we like to make the dish with a bit of spice during the summer months and even add a bit of pancetta or […]

Sun-Dried Tomato Spread is a classic Italian treat and can be used on a piece of bruschetta or toasted bread, as a condiment for a sandwich with prosciutto cotto and provola, and even spooned into a sauce for added flavor.  Our version is made with, among other ingredients, homemade olive oil cured sun dried tomatoes, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Sun-Dried Tomato […]

You often find Seafood Salad (Antipasti di Mare) served during the Christmas holiday in Italy but we like to make this salad throughout the year.  Our version of seafood salad includes shrimp, calamari (squid), octopus, and scallops.  You can experiment with various seafood, especially if you don’t have access to fish such as octopus or squid (in fact, we’ve utilized mussels, […]

When it comes to Fettuccine Alfredo (Fettuccine al Triplo Burro) one ingredient separates the dish as it’s prepared in the United States versus Italy; viz., cream.  The original dish was created (or popularized) by Alfredo di Lelio when he supposedly tried to cook something satisfying for his pregnant wife.  Alfredo created a sauce of butter and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and the dish was enjoyed by both his wife,and later, the many […]

To say that the sea is important to the Province of Calabria would be a considerable understatement.  In fact, the sea is probably the single most important geographical attribute in all of southern Italy where, in some places, it’s a little over 30 miles from one side of the peninsula to the other; e.g., from the Tyhrrenian to the Ionian in Calabria. […]

Stuffed Squid (Seppie o Calamari Ripieni) are prepared and served all over southern Italy.  Travel to Sicilia and you’ll find squid stuffed with raisins, black olives, and pine nuts.  Cross the Straight of Messina (Stretto di Messina) into mainland Calabria and most of the stuffings will include crumbled dried red chilies. Our version of Stuffed Squid (Seppie o Calamari Ripieni) is prepared in the traditional […]