The only thing better than eating sea salted summer tomatoes out of hand is roasting them till they’re burst, sweet and saucy. That was a lot of S’s. Our farmers’ market tables are beginning to burst with tomatoes the size of my eight-month-old’s head. Make the most of the season’s …
Orecchiette with Sausage & Baby Broccoli
Traditionally, you’ll find this dish made with bitter broccoli rabe—though it’s tough (if impossible) to come by in Roanoke. A local farmer told me it likes cooler, Northern weather. I prefer baby broccoli, a sweeter and more accessible substitute. Use spicy Italian sausage, if you like—though you’ll want to tone …
Handmade Semolina Pasta: Orecchiette and Cavatelli
If the thought of making pasta from scratch scares you, you’re not alone. Despite how it sounds, the good news is that you can be rolling, shaping, cooking (and eating!) handmade pasta in less than an hour. And the best part? You already have all the tools you need. If …
Nettle Fettuccine
Never heard of stinging nettle? You’re not alone. In fact, the first time I learned about it was in my former life as an interior designer. A company named Camira Fabrics created a textile made of a wool/nettle blend. In the same way other natural fibers are used to create textiles, …
Hand Rolled Rigatoni with Pork Ragu
Maybe, like me, you’ve found yourself in this situation once or twice: mindlessly, you scroll through your Instagram discover feed only to stumble upon a video of tubular dough pressing through a die-cut pasta machine in a seemingly infinite stream. Rigatoni! Mesmerized, you can’t tear your eyes away. You wonder: …
Agnolotti with Sweet Corn and Three Cheeses
Before you dive head-first into all things pumpkin and knee-high boots, let’s take a moment to relish in peak season tomatoes and corn, shall we? It’s Labor Day and I hope you relaxed accordingly. Lest we forget, tomatoes and corn are at their ultimate right now. On deck for this …
Dried Pasta 101: 5 Tips for Cooking Better Boxed Noodles
Allow me to preface this by saying that fresh pasta is a wonderful thing. It’s hard to beat the al dente chew of a fresh, handmade ravioli– the way it bursts open in your mouth almost effortlessly. You’ll easily get lost in a bowl of it, taking sips of a …
Spaghetti with Lemon-Parmigiano Sauce
For real: you are 4 ingredients and 30 minutes away from rolling out fresh pasta. Lately, I’ve been using Bon Appetit’s pasta dough recipe. It’s versatile enough for lasagna, fettuccini, spaghetti or stuffed shapes like ravioli (it would work wonderfully for these fluffy little cheese pillows). I like to think …
Fazzoletti Pesto with Asparagus and Burrata
Photo Credit: Liz Cuadrado Photography I started this blog almost immediately after a close friend of mine suggested it a year and a half ago. That same evening I came up with the name Cuoco Contento. For those who don’t know, Cuoco is my married name. It translates to the noun …
Three Cheese Ravioli
I’d like to go out on a limb here and say that homemade ravioli is the ultimate comfort food. Here’s my argument: You’ve had a glass of wine. You’ve made it through the labor of pasta making (albeit quite easy). You use your fork to break open a soft, delicate …