Spare Spoons Kitchen
Spare Spoons Kitchen · Tavola Italiana
Tavola Italiana
The Italian table — pasta and risotto, a Sunday braise, good bread, and something crumbly and sweet to linger over.
Caprese Skewers
Cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and basil on skewers. No cooking, 15 minutes. Vegetarian, gluten-free.
Time ●○○○○
Anytime
VegGF
Fagiolini
Green beans blanched to a snap, then tossed in garlic-chili olive oil. The everyday Italian contorno.
Time ●○○○○
Anytime
VeganVegGF
Goat Cheese & Lemon Pasta
Bright lemon pasta on melted goat cheese — lighter and sharper than a cream sauce. ~20 min.
Time ●○○○○
Anytime
VegGF
Gremolata
Lemon zest, garlic, and parsley — the two-minute bright finish for anything rich.
Time ●○○○○
Anytime
VeganVegGF
★Pesto alla Genovese
The real basil pesto — basil, two cheeses, pine nuts, good oil. Keep it cold to stay bright green.
Time ●○○○○
Anytime
VegGF
★Raw Tomato & Basil Pasta
Ripe tomatoes and basil macerate in garlic oil while the pasta cooks — no heat, no cheese, nothing but summer.
Time ●○○○○
Anytime
VeganVegGF
Spinaci all'Aglio
A pound of spinach wilted down to a garlicky, glossy handful in olive oil. Five minutes, one pan.
Time ●○○○○
Anytime
VeganVegGF
Pantry Porcini Risotto
The porcini risotto stripped to shelf-stable staples — dried porcini, bouillon, rice, hands-off in the Instant Pot.
Time ●●○○○
Anytime
Instant PotVeganVegGF
Sautéed Broccoli Rabe
Bitter Italian greens blanched, then sautéed in olive oil with garlic, chili & lemon — the foil for anything rich.
Time ●○○○○
Anytime
VeganVegGF
Chicken Piccata
Cutlets in a glossy lemon-caper butter sauce.
Time ●○○○○
Anytime
GF
★Fettucine al Limone
Marcella Hazan's silky lemon-cream fettuccine — five-minute sauce, four lemons' zest.
Time ●○○○○
Anytime
VegGF
Instant Pot Risotto
Creamy risotto, no stirring — toast, deglaze, pressure-cook. Base + lemon/mushroom/Milanese variations.
Time ●○○○○
Anytime
Instant PotVeganVegGF
Risotto alla Milanese
Golden saffron risotto — creamy and glossy, the classic bed for osso buco. Stovetop or Instant Pot.
Time ●●○○○
Some Doing
Instant PotVeganVegGF
Soft Polenta
Creamy, buttery, parmesan polenta — stovetop or hands-off in the Instant Pot.
Time ●●○○○
Some Doing
Instant PotVeganVegGF
Tiramisù
Espresso-dipped savoiardi and a mascarpone cream, dusted with cocoa — cooked yolks, so it's food-safe.
Time ●●○○○
Some Doing
VegGF
★Torta Sbrisolona
Lombardy's crumbly almond-cornmeal cake — rub to crumbs, press loosely, bake gold, and shatter by hand.
Time ●●○○○
Some Doing
VegGF
Porcini Risotto
Woodsy porcini-and-mushroom risotto — deep, creamy, all'onda. Stovetop or Instant Pot.
Time ●●○○○
Some Doing
Instant PotVeganVegGF
Homemade Pasta Dough
Tender egg pasta the no-knead way — weigh the wet in the mixer bowl, let the hook knead, roll, and cut.
Time ●●●●○
A Project
Veg
Overnight Focaccia
High-hydration no-knead focaccia — crisp oily bottom, airy crumb, an easy overnight rise.
Time ●●●●○
A Project
VeganVeg
Potato Gnocchi
From-scratch potato gnocchi — baked-and-riced russets, browned butter and sage.
Time ●●●○○
A Project
Veg
Veal Osso Buco
Braised veal shanks with gremolata — the Milanese showstopper, over risotto or polenta.
Time ●●●●○
A Project
GF
Tuscan Meat Sauce
Bugialli's Tuscan ragù — porcini, lemon peel, a long slow simmer.
Time ●●●●○
A Project
GF
Bolognese Meat Sauce
Marcella Hazan's classic ragù — milk-simmered, three hours low, deeply sweet.
Time ●●●●●
A Project
GF
← Back to the kitchen · The Library · Bread · Menu Planner · Christmas Kitchen