"Sinking a knife or spoon into robiolina is like dipping into lightly whipped cream. " [Photographs: Gina DePalma] Previously Broccoli Romanesco » All Seriously Italian recipes » On my last visit to Italy this past November, I was surprised to see the number of American products popping up with regularity in Italian supermarkets. Only a few years ago Roman expats yearning for Bisquick or maple syrup had to cross the Tiber to visit the so-called "American aisle" at Castroni, the beloved specialty store that carries just about every food product a non-Italian could yearn for. But there it was, staring out at me from the dairy case of my old neighborhood supermercato: Philadelphia brand cream cheese. For a split second,... More

Our own Seriously Italian correspondent and Babbo executive pastry chef Gina DePalma appeared on The Dairy Show, a web show devoted to responsibly-made milk products. She whips up some savory fritters (or fritelli in Italian) using the Tuscan-style rustic farmhouse cheese caciotta from Dancing Ewe Farm. The little fried dough balls then get garnished with farm honey and fresh thyme from Gina's mom's garden. Watch the fritter-making after the jump.... More

"Dark and spicy, with touches of smoke and leather, chestnut honey is complex, mysterious, and nuanced." Previously Fig and Almond Cookies » All Seriously Italian recipes » Autumn in Italy means chestnuts are everywhere, and I do mean everywhere. Chestnut trees observe no regional boundaries in Italy, and at this time of year, outdoor markets are piled high with the local crop and the smell of roasted chestnuts fills the air. And where chestnut trees abound, so does chestnut honey. The gift of chestnut honey arrives a bit earlier than the chestnuts themselves; mid to late summer is the time for chestnut honey to be harvested. But the chill of autumn is always the time that I crave chestnut honey,... More

Ricotta salata is riding a wave of new popularity. I like to think of it as a punctuation mark for both the eye and the palate. Position it strategically to call attention to the juicy sweetness of peas, shallots, watermelon and tomato, or the syrupy, honey-like quality of raisins, roasted butternut squash and parsnips. More

Editor's note: On Thursdays, Babbo pastry chef Gina DePalma checks in with Seriously Italian. After a stint in Rome, she's back in the States, channeling her inner Italian spirit via recipes and intel on delicious Italian eats. Take it away, Gina! Photo from effe8 on Flickr I couldn’t help it. They were calling to me: black, shiny, bulgingly beautiful eggplants, piled high at the market. Magnifica! The skin was so smooth and glossy, I could have reapplied my lip gloss in its reflection. Sometimes a vegetable beckons in unexpected ways, compelling and beguiling. I lost my head and loaded up. Mom rolled her eyes when I got home. “That’s a lot of eggplant.” She was right; I went overboard, and... More

Editor's note: On Thursdays, Babbo pastry chef Gina DePalma checks in with Seriously Italian. After a stint in Rome, she's back in the States, channeling her inner Italian spirit via recipes and intel on delicious Italian eats. Take it away, Gina! Fregola is a unique, rolled semolina pasta from the Sardinian region of Cagliari. It is most often compared to the large, pearly Israeli couscous, but I see it as way more exciting. Made with coarse semolina, fregola—or fregula—lacks the polished finish of Israeli couscous; it is misshapen and has a nubby, rough texture that makes it perfect for sopping up and conducting the flavors of sauce and broth. Another key flavor element is the toasting. After the simple dough... More

Editor's note: On Thursdays, Babbo pastry chef Gina DePalma checks in with Seriously Italian. After a stint in Rome, she's back in the States, channeling her inner Italian spirit via recipes and intel on delicious Italian eats. Take it away, Gina! Alto Adige is Italy’s northern-most province, anchored by the cosmopolitan city of Bolzano, sharing a long border and a powerful cultural connection with neighboring Austria. Also known as Südtirol, or South Tyrol, the land fluctuated between Austrian and Italian control at the turn of the last century, finally becoming part of Italy after World War I. Speck is the most treasured food product of the Südtirol, a distinctly flavored, smoked, cured ham that represents well the character of Alto... More

Editor's note: On Thursdays, Babbo pastry chef Gina DePalma checks in with Seriously Italian. After a stint in Rome, she's back in the States, channeling her inner Italian spirit via recipes and intel on delicious Italian eats. Take it away, Gina! Any serious student of Italian cuisine understands the relationship that Italians have with leafy greens. I can’t remember an evening meal, with my family or when I lived in Italy, without a pile of garlicky greens on the side; it could be dandelion, swiss chard, escarole, chicory, or my very favorite, spinach. Spinach in Italy is beautiful: deep green, with an almost velvety appearance, and a distinctive, mineral-rich flavor. It only needs a minimalist approach to make it completely... More

One of my favorite Mulino Bianco treats are Abbracci. Translated as an embrace or hug, these cookies are a variation on the vanilla-on-chocolate theme; little crescents of vanilla and chocolate dough are clasped together in a passionate cuddle. More

Note: On Thursdays, Babbo pastry chef Gina DePalma checks in with Seriously Italian. After a stint in Rome, she's back in the States, channeling her inner Italian spirit via recipes and intel on delicious Italian eats. Take it away, Gina! Last week, there was some scuttle on my Twitter timeline about fresh mint. It all started when @ruthreichl tweeted something she picked up from my friend Chris Cosentino of Incanto Restaurant in San Francisco; @offalchris told her that mint was the most widely used herb in Italy. How could that be true? The consensus was that surely basil or rosemary must hold that crown. I’m solidly with Chris on this one. Mint is indeed a universal ingredient in Italian cooking,... More