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Hello IFF Friends!

Today is Palm Sunday, so we are just a week away from Easter. We will be heading up north this week to spend the week of Easter with family as we will be heading back to Umbria in just two weeks.

I have been busy cleaning out my pantry and freezer before we leave for six months so creating new recipes recently has been challenging. I am counting the days until we are back in Umbria however where I will be shopping at the amazing outdoor markets multiple times a week. Spring is the season for fresh artichokes and fava beans, two of my favorite spring vegetables, so I can't wait to hit my local markets and get busy in my farmhouse kitchen.

I wish everyone who celebrates a joyous Easter holiday! Happy Spring!

Truffled Mushroom Lasagna
I recently hosted our last dinner party to share some of my favorite Umbrian recipes with a few couples and created this lasagna as one of the courses. I knew I wanted to create a "white" lasagna, since no tomato sauce would be used, and since fresh truffles are not available to me locally, I added a truffle flavor to this creamy baked pasta dish by folding a jar of truffle paste, known as Salsa Tartufata, into my sautéed mushrooms adding a wonderful earthy flavor. Get The Recipe......

Ricotta Almond Cake
In just a few short weeks we are returning to Umbria where will stay for 6 months so I am busy trying to empty out my pantry and freezer. For some reason, I seem to have a LOT of almonds left in my freezer that never got used up in my holiday baking so I have been busy using up almond meal in cookies and cakes the past couple of weeks. This cake has quickly become a favorite of my husband's as it has a rich almond flavor and is very moist. I like it too because it is really easy to assemble, and the only slightly time consuming task involved is beating the egg whites which are folded into the cake to give it a lighter texture. Get The Recipe......

Pasta With Roasted Cauliflower
Although I could easily eat pasta every day of the week, I do try and limit my pasta addiction to two or three times a week. I also try very hard to ensure my pasta choices are healthy ones, and I either use a whole grain pasta, or I create a pasta such as this one where the pasta almost takes a backseat to vegetables. My husband and I absolutely adore roasted vegetables, and have even created whole meals around them. Roasted cauliflower is phenomenal, and if you have never tried it, I highly recommend that you do so very soon. Get The Recipe......

Torta Pasqualina
A traditional tart recipe for Torta Pasqualina, or Italian Easter Pie, a traditional Ligurian recipe made each year to celebrate the Easter holiday. It is said that this pie should have 33 three layers in the crust to celebrate the number of years that Jesus spent on Earth, but generally most recipes contain fewer layers. Although it is time consuming to roll out each layer thin enough, you can also substitute puff pastry, which is readily available at most grocery stores. Get The Recipe......

Easter Menu
Easter Sunday in an Italian home is a joyous occasion spent with family and friends. Typical of Italian cuisine, most holiday tables are planned around seasonal favorites, and springtime is a wonderful season for doing just that. Artichokes, fava beans, baby peas, and asparagus fill the market stands across the country. Lamb, or kid is often the meat of choice and is cooked in many ways, particularly by roasting as seen in my recipe below. For dessert, a number of regional specialties are offered, including many that are rich in eggs and cheese. Get The Menu......