Recipes

Lisa’s memories of Naples, Italy harken back to her childhood. Her parents moved to Naples in the 1950s, before she was born, and lived there for many years. Later, after she was born, Lisa would go back to Naples with her parents for summer vacations and trips her father took for his academic research. This Tomato Pie is the essence of Naples for Lisa, and of her memories with her Italian-American family! The recipe is from Menu 25 in Lisa’s cookbook This isRead More

Lisa has been on a lasagne adventure over the past few weeks. Sunday Dinner Lovers are, after all, Lasagna Lovers too! This recipe is the classic Italian-American version of lasagne. You may have loved the classic Italian version lasagne al forno, but this version, with three cheeses, is the embodiment of the plenty (abbondanza!) that Italian-Americans embraced when they came to the United States. Success means more cheese!! Everyone at Lisa’s table loves this recipe-Read More

There is a world of difference between Italian-American lasagne and lasagne in Italy (the real Italian lasagna!). Italian-American lasagne is mostly cheese: ricotta, mozzarella, and parmigiano. Although no one can be sure, presumably this is another example of Italian-Americans finding prosperity in the U.S. and translating this new found prosperity into their recipes. Cheese was (and still is today, although not as much as in the U.S.!) expensive in Italy and certainly wouldRead More

  Looking for an easy weeknight dinner? Lisa has you covered with her Pasta al Tonno- Pasta with Tomato and Tuna Sauce! Watch Lisa make the full recipe on the Lisa’s Italian Kitchen YouTube channel here. Tante belle cose, buon appetito, e tutti a tavola!Read More

Lisa‘s memories of her Nana making Pizza Rustica are vivid. The whole Franco and Caponigri family would wait with bated breath for Nana to place this hearty dish in the center of the table. Rich and creamy, it is filled with prosciutto, sausage and eggs cooked in a delicious crust. After being guests at Lisa‘s Easter table, some people make this dish all year round! Lisa likes to call this the original deep dish pizza. Watch Lisa make it on the Lisa’sRead More

This “good times” cauliflower recipe is from Lisa’s maternal great-grandmother, Grandma Franco. It’s called good times in part because this cauliflower recipe was always satisfying to Grandma Franco’s seven sons and two daughters, and so many other family and friends whom she welcomed for Sunday Dinner. Lisa likes to makes this cauliflower recipe as a contorno (Italian for side dish!) as part of one of her signature Sunday Dinner menus. One ofRead More

As some of you know, Sunday Dinner Lovers, Lisa worked in Alessandria, a post-World War II town in Northern Italy, in the early 1990s. When Lisa arrived, her mother called to ask how she was settling in. Lisa responded- “Mom, there’s no red sauce here! I don’t think I’m in Italy!” There is, in fact, a great deal of regional difference in Italian cooking. If any of you have flipped through Lisa’s cookbook, This is Sunday Dinner, you’llRead More

This recipe is an easy, relatively quick Sunday Dinner recipe. It was a staple that Lisa made for her hungry children as they were growing up. While her children loved the comfort of the chicken and the orzo, Lisa was happy because the sauce has one of her favorite ingredients- lemons! Making this recipe always reminds Lisa of her visits to Sorrento, where lemons are plentiful! You can watch Lisa make this recipe on the Lisa’s Italian Kitchen YouTube channel here.Read More

Italian-Americans love short ribs and Lisa is no exception! Short ribs are incredibly flavorful, versatile, and they are also not expensive. If you’re craving a Sunday Dinner with meat sauce, this recipe is sure to satisfy! While you’re cooking pour yourself a glass of the red wine in the recipe, and toast all those wonderful Italian-American ancestors who cooked this recipe before you did! Buon Appetito! You can watch Lisa make this recipe on the Lisa’sRead More