Spinach Arancini

To start our meal, we created some amazing Spinach Arancini. Arancini are sold all over Sicily, from bars, cafes, high end restaurants, fish stalls, to little carts on the side of the street or in markets. They are an institution. I have seen Arancini in other parts of Italy, but I have never seen the Sicilian Arancini, which sometimes grows to the size of a baby’s head.  The tradition of making these dishes, like many other culture’s quintessential dishes, came out of reusing leftovers. The best Arancini are made from day old risotto, so I recommend making the risotto a day in advance and letting it absorb all of the flavors of the spinach and wine overnight for best results. You can also make the Arancini themselves up to a day before, but make sure you fry them the moment before you are ready to serve.

Homegrown Chard, Sausage and Ricotta Pizza

I have been growing a beautiful little patch of chard in my garden this year, and with my first harvest coming in, have been looking forward to turning it into a delicious dish. I wanted something flavorful and beautiful, but a little different than what I have been cooking recently. This weekend, I went to…