The Italian Chef

Pasta e Fagioli

Phil Torre — Thu, 05 Nov 2026 05:00:41 +0000

This is another recipe from my mom, just like the manicotti. I would like to tell you a nice nostalgic story of how my mom made this when I was growing up and how much I looked forward to Pasta e Fagioli night. But, alas, when I was young I rarely ate soup when it...

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Homemade Manicotti (With Crepes)

Phil Torre — Thu, 29 Oct 2026 02:41:37 +0000

While most of the recipes on this site come from my father and his restaurant, my mom, Frances, was a great home cook in her own right. This manicotti recipe comes from her. My mom is an amazing woman. She worked very hard at the restaurant, wearing multiple hats, hostess, bartender, bookkeeper and general all...

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Shrimp Scampi

Phil Torre — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 02:58:45 +0000

I am extremely allergic to shellfish, which would not be a problem if had this condition my whole life and I really didn’t know what I was missing out on. Unfortunately, this is not the case; I developed it as an adult, long after Shrimp and Lobster were entrenched near the top of my favorite...

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Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage

Phil Torre — Thu, 08 Oct 2026 00:06:02 +0000

Fall is the perfect time for butternut squash stuffed ravioli, it is the pumpkin spice latte of ravioli. I love any ravioli tossed in brown butter and sage, but butternut squash makes a sublime partner for it. You don’t have to make your own ravioli at home (I didn’t), store bought ones are completely acceptable,...

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Sunday Sauce

Phil Torre — Thu, 01 Oct 2026 02:37:30 +0000

Big nor’easter this weekend, so it seemed like a good time to make a nice Sunday Sauce. What is a Sunday Sauce, you may ask? A Sunday Sauce, also known in Italian as a ragù, is a slow-cooked, meat-based sauce made by Italian families. Typically made with whole cuts of meat that are then served...

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Linguine with White Clam Sauce

Phil Torre — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 20:40:27 +0000

Linguine with White Clam Sauce is the dish that taught me the unwritten Italian rule of no cheese on seafood. When I first started working at my father’s restaurant as a busboy, we would bring cheese to the table and offer to sprinkle it on the pasta dishes. I was told early on not to...

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Clams Oreganato

Phil Torre — Sun, 13 Sep 2026 12:52:58 +0000

Clams Oreganato. Baked Clams. Stuffed Clams. No matter what you call them, they are a great appetizer and a perfect starter for your Christmas Eve fish dinner. It is very important that the stuffing stays moist and does not become dried out. If the bread crumb mixture feels too dry, you may have to add...

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Pasta Pomodoro

Phil Torre — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 02:02:54 +0000

Our cousins Paul and Dee can tomatoes every year. They usually give me a few jars, and I use them mostly for my pizza sauce, which comes out great. This year Paul invited me to his aunt’s house in Mineaola, NY to participate in the canning. Oddly enough, even though it is a tradition among...

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Pork Chops with Vinegar Peppers

Phil Torre — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 23:39:35 +0000

There may not seem like a lot to this dish, but boy is it tasty. Pork chops with vinegar peppers is an old Italian-American stand-by. I have always made this with sweet vinegar peppers, but if you prefer you can use hot, or a mix. For a different variation on this dish you can home...

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Lingue di Pizza (Roman Pizza Tongues)

Phil Torre — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 20:03:09 +0000

Lingue di Pizza are a street food snack that can be found in bakeries all over Rome. The word lingue means tongue, which describes the elongated shape. I have been seeing videos from Italy of people making these all over my social feeds, and I decided I had to try making them. My first question...

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