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Lasagne al Pesto: easy Italian pesto lasagna from Liguria
A delicious and easy Lasagne al Pesto made with fresh pasta, creamy béchamel and plenty of basil pesto. A simple, comforting Italian baked pasta everyone loves. Lasagne al pesto is one of those wonderful Italian dishes that feels special but is incredibly easy to make. Popular in Liguria — , the region of Genova, the home of basil pesto — this baked pasta is creamy, fragrant and much easier to make than a traditional meat lasagne, which makes it perfect for family dinners, summer meals or festive Italian menus when you want something comforting but not too laborious to prepare. It’s indeed one of the quickest lasagne recipes you can…
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10 Easy Edible Christmas Wreaths to Impress Your Guests
These easy edible wreath recipes are perfect for Christmas! From puff-pastry appetizers to sweet Nutella stars, discover simple, beautiful easy edible Christmas wreaths ideas to decorate your table, and eat it too. Edible Christmas wreaths are all the rage right now. Open any social media platform and you’ll be hard pressed not find a reel with someone making a beautiful looking, out-of-a-picture-book perfect food wreath made of puff pastry, cookie dough, charcuterie or anything in between. It is easy to see why! There’s something instantly festive about anything shaped like a wreath: that classic circle of warmth and welcome. And when it’s edible? Even better. Also, they are easy to make…
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Italian pastry cream recipe: step-by-step recipe for a perfect result every time
Easy to follow Italian pastry cream recipe, from my Italian kitchen! Perfect Italian custard recipe for pastry filling, cakes and to serve on its own. If you love Italian desserts, you’ve probably tasted Italian pastry cream, or crema pasticcera: that silky, dreamy custard you find in cornetti for breakfast, delicate pastarelle, and countless Italian cakes. Light, creamy, and utterly irresistible, it’s one of those classic recipes that’s easier to make at home than you might think. This is my tried-and-tested version: simple, kid-friendly, and perfect for everything from filling pastries to enjoying on its own with fresh fruit! Italian pastry cream essential kitchen gear Before you start, make sure you have:…
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Festive Soft Almond Cookies with Chocolate Chips – a naturally gluten and lactose free treat
Soft almond cookies with chocolate chips: naturally gluten free and dairy free. Easy, festive, and melt-in-the-mouth, perfect for Christmas baking and a treat for the whole family There’s something magical about the smell of almonds and chocolate filling the kitchen at Christmas time. These soft almond cookies with dark chocolate chips are simple to make, naturally gluten free and dairy free, and utterly delicious — a festive twist on a classic Italian favourite. They’re inspired by Sicilian almond paste cookies, but unlike the traditional version, which often uses bitter almonds, these are made only with sweet almonds. The result is a gentler, more family-friendly flavour that adults and kids both…
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Italian Christmas Appetizers: 20 Easy Ideas Kids & Adults Will Love
Easy, colorful Italian Christmas appetizers to make your holiday table feel festive and welcoming. From Caprese wreaths to puff-pastry bites and smoked salmon crostini, these simple ideas add an Italian touch to any Christmas gathering. Appetizers are, for me, the star of the show when it comes to a Christmas party. Sure, a main that feeds a crowd is a must have, but nothing sets the festive tone more than a beautifully laid out appetizers table, with colorful bites to suits all tastes and needs. The great things boys appetizers is that they are easy to make and since they are about presentation as much as about taste, which means…
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Magical Meringues: Easy to Follow Family Recipe Perfect for Christmas
There are recipes that belong to places, and then there are recipes that belong to people. This one comes from my English mother-in-law, who makes the most wonderful meringues: crisp on the outside, soft inside, and always served with a generous dollop of clotted cream and fresh berries. It’s one of those simple desserts that feels special without any fuss and I love that they work in all summer and winter alike: in summer, we make them with strawberries for a burst of summer sun and in winter, at Christmas especially, I love them with mixed berries, which make them delicious and look super festive with no effort! I like…
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Deliciously soft almond cookies: naturally gluten free and dairy free bites for all occasions
Soft almond cookies recipe: these soft almond cookies are naturally gluten free and dairy free, made with just three ingredients! Inspired by Sicilian almond paste, they’re a lovely, delicate treat for both kids and adults. Some recipes are so simple and satisfying, they become instant family favourites and these soft almond cookies are exactly that. Made with just three ingredients, they’re naturally gluten free and dairy free, yet they taste wonderfully rich and delicate, with that unmistakable almond aroma that feels both homely and a little luxurious. These little cookies are inspired by Sicilian almond paste sweets, which you’ll find piled high in bakeries across the island (you can read more about Sicily in…
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Thumbprint Cookies Recipe: a simple and elegant classic cookie perfect for any occasion
Simple and delicious thumbprint cookie recipe: soft, buttery, and filled with jam, thumbprint cookies are a classic cookie perfect for any occasion. If you love buttery, melt-in-your-mouth cookies with a touch of fruit sweetness, these thumbprint cookies are for you. They’re made with the same rich, crumbly dough as my Dunkable Christmas Cookies — a traditional Italian pasta frolla-style base — but instead of rolling and cutting, you simply shape the dough into small balls and press the center with your thumb to create a little “well.” Fill it with your favorite jam or preserve, and after just ten minutes in the oven, you have soft, golden cookies that are every bit as pretty as they are delicious.…
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Christmas Frittata Bites: A fun and festive way to serve Italian frittata for your holiday table
Make your holidays sparkle with these Christmas Frittata Bites: baked Italian frittata cut into festive shapes. A fun, easy Christmas appetizer idea for your holiday table or aperitivo If you’ve been following my recipes for a while, you’ll know that I love easy Italian appetizers that bring a touch of creativity and color to the table, especially at Christmas (you may have seen my Christmas bruschetta already!). These Christmas Frittata Bites are not so much a new recipe as a presentation idea: simple, delicious baked frittata (the Italian omelette) cut into fun festive shapes, like stars, to make your holiday spread instantly cheerful and elegant. It’s an easy trick that turns any frittata — vegetable, cheese, or even…
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Christmas Bruschetta: a fun, Christmas Appetizer for your festive table
Christmas bruschetta: A fun and festive Italian appetizer with mozzarella stars, cherry tomatoes, and basil — simple, colorful, and full of Mediterranean cheer Bruschetta for Christmas? Absolutely! As an Italian, bruschetta is something I make often and know well: it’s one of those simple dishes that always brings people together around the table and bursts with flavor without any big coooking effort (pretty much none, actually!) Usually, we think of bruschetta as a summer appetizer, with juicy tomatoes, basil, and good olive oil. But with its red, white, and green colors, it actually looks perfectly at home on a Christmas table, too! This Christmas Bruschetta is my festive twist on the classic: the same Mediterranean flavors, just…
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Deliciously Melt-in-the-Mouth Apricot Jam Tart (Crostata)
This classic Italian crostata (jam tart) is buttery, tender, and filled with sweet apricot jam. A deliciously melt-in-the-mouth tart that’s perfect for everyday baking — and yes, it works beautifully for Christmas too! There’s something wonderfully comforting about the smell of a freshly baked tart wafting through the kitchen. This deliciously melt-in-the-mouth apricot jam tart, or crostata di marmellata, is one of those classic Italian bakes that never goes out of style: simple, buttery, and filled with sweet, golden jam that tastes like sunshine on a plate. And while it isn’t strictly a Christmas recipe, I promise you — it absolutely works for the holidays too. Add a light dusting of icing sugar, a…
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Deliciously Dunkable Christmas Cookies to bake this holiday season
Buttery, melt-in-the-mouth Christmas cookies that are deliciously dunkable and perfect for tea or hot chocolate. An easy, traditional Christmas cookie recipe the whole family will love baking together. There’s something truly magical about the smell of freshly baked Christmas cookies wafting through the house in December. It’s one of those scents that instantly says Christmas is here! with its coterie of cozy evenings, fairy lights twinkling, maybe a little flour on your jumper, and everyone stealing a cookie (or two) straight from the tray before they’ve even cooled. These simple, buttery and deliciously dunkable Christmas cookies are my go-to recipe for the festive season. They buttery, gently sweet, and perfect for dunking into tea…
