Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

Lamb with beans and tomatoes

2026-11-06T13:58:28.141+10:00

Giuliano Hazan has a lamb with rosemary, white wine and tomato recipe in his How to Cook Italian I enjoy. Here's a similar one with some beans instead of olives.

I think Marcella has something similar in her Italian Kitchen.

Frittata with Zucchini, onions and basil

2026-11-06T12:28:49.875+10:00

It's been too long! Basil was from the garden. Our tradie said oh it tastes like so much more, when he had a munch and heard the ingredients.

So true...

Lamb Chops Calabria-Style with Tomatoes, Peppers, and Olives

2026-10-25T17:33:04.379+10:00

I've very fond of Marcella's lamb chops with rosemary, white wine and garlic from Marcella's Italian Kitchen, published in the mid 80s. This recipe was published around 20 years later - with fresh parsley from the garden, a red capsicum, peeled, of course, fresh tomatoes, also peeled, and green olives.

It's a keeper, from Marcella Says. So fresh and light. And the olives - at least the ones we had - weren't as prominent as you might be used to from say black olives. Normally I fret over chop - or cutlet, temperature, but on this occasion I followed Marcella's instructions and it all turned out fine. Lovely and pink.

Pork loin braised with milk

2026-10-11T13:36:46.070+10:00

I have been eyeing this recipe off for 17 years. I don't know why I was reluctant to cook it. I think, perhaps, in the beginning I was too intimidated by it. It was such a classic. I have been a slow student. Marcella told me once I needed to have a close look at my cooking, to see what was going wrong with it. Perhaps that put me on edge.

Anyway, I gave it a go, 16 years after I started this blog. It worked. It was delicious. I shall make it again.

I used Giuliano's version "taught to me by my mother". She first published her version in 1973. His is almost the same. She talks of bones and tablespoons of water, and he does not. Both talk of removing fat from the nut brown sauce - mine was fine with the fat included.

We are not religious, but often say a quiet thanks to Marcella when we eat some of her food.

Thanks.

Lemon veal scallopini

2026-08-16T17:30:50.068+10:00

Lovely! Will have to try with chicken.

Dodged the flour. Any GF suggestions (lower GI) I'm all ears.

Pot Roast with Red Wine

2026-08-16T17:26:34.467+10:00

This is a feast for a group of people you love.

I don't think mash is optional. I did cauiflower.

Green beans would go well with it.

Marcella published this recipe 53 years ago, when she was younger than me.

Still Tasty, Marcella. Thank you.

Roast Easter Lamb with White Wine

2026-02-25T14:45:00.001+10:00

I made this little beauty with a hunk of lamb shoulder.

It was delicious - tender lamb with a classic, effortless delicious sauce.

I would warm the serving bowl next time, as instructed.

Pork chops with sage and tomatoes

2026-02-23T15:04:00.005+10:00

I can't believe I've not posted about this dish before.

Pork, sage, tomatoes - that's pretty well it.

It's so delicious. We skip the flour, but it browns nicely without. The trick, as is usually the case, is the get the best of everything: free range pork, best tomatoes, sage from your garden, the best salt and fats. If you use a crappy bit of pork it will be like an old boot.

Cook until it's done. This doesn't mean stopping after the suggested hour, or god help us, 20 minutes as I read in someone's blog post. You cook the pork till it's tender when prodded with a fork. That might take 40 minutes. Or it might take 2 hours.

Fried Calamari

2026-02-01T13:43:00.004+10:00

We used almond flour and olive oil, and it worked a treat. I fried for longer than you might think - minutes, till it really went golden. We bought the preprepared squid tubes and it was much easier.

Pan Roased Chicken with Garlic, Rosemary and White Wine

2025-12-03T05:46:00.003+10:00

When Marcella first sat down in the early 1970s to write her first Italian cookbook, I understand the first recipe she documented was this one. Possibly 55 years later, we cooked it for dinner. It is lovely! It's so different from dishes that look similar - like the Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Garlic, or the Fricasseed Chicken with Cherry Tomatoes, Garlic, Rosemary and Olives. I think perhaps it's the butter which changes things.

Anyway, it was delicious.

We cooked it with green beans with butter and parmeson (also from Essentials), and roast potatoes with rosemary (Giuliano has this in his How to Cook Italian, as I recall).

Give it a go.

Pork Loin Braised with Savoy Cabbage

2025-12-02T06:18:00.001+10:00

Here is a recipe from Giuliano Hazan's Every Night Italian. A lovely man, and a fantastic book, which I understand from Giuliano is still in print.

As with Marcella's recipes, there are very few ingredients here. But they work magic, and provide a comforting winter dish.

I used normal cabbage, and it worked great.

Smothered cabbage

2025-11-26T17:53:00.002+10:00

Marcella has this "smothered cabbage" recipe, that has garlic, olive oil, onion and vinegar in it.

You have to (well, I had to) watch it catching.

It was just OK for me, which usually means I've not worked something out.

I will keep braising cabbage till I do as I like the idea of it.

Chicken Fricassee with red cabbage

2025-11-21T04:46:00.003+10:00

I have posted about this before - 16 years ago or thereabouts.

It's such a delicious dish. I think some of the smells attracted a four legged stranger into the house.

Marcella commented on my cooking when she heard I struggled getting the garlic bright gold before I burned the onion. In September 2010 (15 years ago) she said:

David's cooking, as always, can be mystifying

I miss her.

Caprese Salad

2025-11-20T00:32:00.003+10:00

Marcella's most beautiful book is Marcella Cucina. I find it her most personal as well. This salad is one mentioned, although as she points out, it is so simple it requires only a brief description of how to assemble rather than a recipe.

As usual, it depends heavily on the quality of the ingredients on offer. Thankfully I am in a place I can get beautiful buffalo mozzarella and ripe tomatoes (along with everything else).

What a delight.

Chicken Fricassée with porcini mushrooms, white wine and tomatoes

2025-07-20T18:50:00.003+10:00

Lovely. Was worried about liquid quantity - 2 cups, for rehydrating mushrooms. I wonder if she puts that much in in later recipes for porcini. But I reduced it at the end, as instructed. Delicious sauce. Earthy. Some grit. Will wash better next time.

I see Giuliano Hazan has a different version in his How to Cook Italian (this is from Essentials), so I will try that another time.

Marcella has another in Says I think, or Cucina.

Frittata with green beans

2025-07-20T08:10:00.002+10:00

Overcooked the eggs on the bottom. Not sure why. I think it's because Marcella cooks it all the way through, almost. Just a few seconds under the grill, she says. It's never a few seconds for me, no matter how much I cook them. I think next time I'll cook it less on the stove, and more under the grill, to reduce the risk of overcooking the bottom.

Guilano says to grill till brown. Marcella says do not brown. Evolution...

Shredded carrot salad

2025-07-19T16:06:00.005+10:00

This little beauty would go with most things. Be sure to follow the instructions and peel them.

Chicken and two lemons

2025-05-13T09:49:00.001+10:00

A Marcella Hazan classic. I think it took me some time to get my head around this dish. But I love it now. It's so simple (which as Marcella reminded us, does not mean easy). My favourite dishes are those with the fewest ingredients, and Marcella points out that if the ingredients were a still life painting it would be just that: a chicken and two lemons.

Even better if you can grow your own lemons. And maybe even your chicken...

Lamb Stew with vinegar and green beans

2025-05-11T15:09:00.003+10:00

I have been cooking this dish since 2010 - 15 years! You can read my first thoughts on this blog. It is one of my favourites. Get good lamb, good vinegar, good beans, good salt and good olive oil, and a good pot, and you're set. Good pepper too! As usual, follow the instructions. Get lamb on the bone - "everyone knows it's tastier", Marcella said to me. "Speak to your butcher", she also said to me. And follow her directions. When it says to cook till tender, she means till tender. It might take half the time suggested, or double. Poke it with a fork.

As Marcella also said, "Cooking times bore me".

This dish was first published in 1973. 51 years ago. Who knows how long Marcella has been aware of this dish, and how long it has been cooked for.

She also said to me that young people like me were keeping these old dishes alive.

Young people like you now!

Spareribs Pan-Roasted with Sage and White wine, Treviso style

2025-04-14T17:29:00.005+10:00

These little beauties are well worth a go. I read somewhere else that Marcella learnt this from her assistant - probably 50 years ago. Well, they are still tasty.

It's important with recipes to read the instructions carefully. Marcella once said cooking times bored her, because it might take 3 times as long on your stove than hers. It depends on the heat, and what's being cooked, no doubt among other things.

I ended up cooking these for over an hour - maybe 70 minutes, until her description was matched and the meat came away easily from the bone.

Worth the wait.

Sautéed Fillets of Breast of Chicken with Lemon and Parsley, Siena Style

2025-04-14T17:24:00.000+10:00

I've eyed this dish off for a while. I think early on I attempted it, but the cooking time seemed really off - less than a minute for a chicken breast.

I paid more attention this time - it's filleted chicken breast, to mimic veal scallopini. So a flash in the pan more or less.

Unfortunately, I only worked that out after I filleted my breasts - and they were monstrous breasts too. Birds these days.... So the fillets were at least twice as thick as they should have been - possibly more.

I had to cook them for longer until they reached a cooked temperature (around 75C). I added some water and put the lid on to do this, then simmered the water away and continued with the recipe.

It cooled quickly - I really need the warmed serving platter for next time.

But the sauce was lovely, buttery and lemony, even if the chicken was a bit dry and chewy because of the size of it and cooking time. The presentation was beautiful.

I'll have another crack at this.

2025-04-13T19:06:00.003+10:00

Now, where was I?

Tonight we cooked Lamb Cutlets with rosemary, garlic and white wine, from Marcella's Italian Kitchen.

At least, that's what we call them. I've been asking AI about what Americans call lamb chops.

Either way. The classic parings work with whatever lamb you have.

My cutlets were a little chewy, so I'm going to try again with another butcher.

Flavour was lovely.

(je me souviens)

Succotash

2011-08-31T05:05:00.001+10:00

Marcella kindly posted this on my wall:

If you love risotto, you might like succotash, assuming you have wonderful corn and fresh young beans or peas in Brisbane. First cook the peas/beans, then puncture the corn kernels to release their milk, then scrape off the kernels too and add them to the cooked, drained peas/beans together with whipping cream, butter, salt, pepper. Cook for about 8 minutes, stirring constantly. It's delicious. Please don't add cilantro.

Scallops

2011-08-24T18:54:00.000+10:00

Celery and tomato pasta sauce

2011-08-20T19:43:00.003+10:00

I haven't checked in for a while. I have been cooking less Italian and trying to trim down.

But I haven't stopped.

Here is a celery and tomato pasta sauce from Marcella Cucina - the book, I think, that is her most physically beautiful and engagingly written.

It was a surprising and delicious sauce. Smooth but not buttery from the 3 tablespoons of butter and the tablespoon of oil. Herby and grassy (in a good way) from the celery - I use those words but really it was an intriguing flavour I find difficult to describe.

Some say it smelt like the garden......

In any event it was a fine and tasty pasta. I would like to make it again.

Another winner from Marcella Hazan.