Made from the heart.
As an Italian mother, I strive to make each loaf and batch of pasta with the same love and care I put into feeding my own family.
The Methodology
Ingredients
Organic, fresh, seasonal, sustainable and local are all words that describe our ingredients list. But the most important to me would certainly be: quality. When it comes to Italian baking/cooking, the key to success is always in the quality of the inputs. There are no special techniques or exotic flavors; it’s simply a combination of premium ingredients put together with love. That’s it y’all…the secret to Italian cooking!
Technique
As I made my way into the kitchen as an adult, my grandmother (Nonna Flora) would share her ‘recipes’ with me holding out the palm of her hand, throwing salt in and saying “This is how much salt you add.” Precise…indeed. It’s from those lessons that I’ve crafted my own methodology and technique on recreating Italian baked classics with a twist - specifically: without dairy or eggs (i.e. no cow’s milk, eggs, creams, cheeses, etc).
While I’ll never turn down a heap of pecorino cheese topping on my noodles (we all have our exceptions!), I’ve chosen to focus on dairy and egg-free items to offer more allergen-friendly options to the community.
It’s taken time, effort and many many many recipe tests to find the perfect blend of premium ingredients, but I like to think I’ve finally crafted the baked goods and pastas that make my heart (and tastebuds) sing!
Health
I didn’t always have trouble with egg protein - it’s been an unfortunate development in my adult years. In learning more about this intolerance, I’ve come to find a real joy and passion in crafting traditionally ‘eggy’ and cheesy treats without them. I’ve been able to transform just about every egg-full favorite into an eggless delight without losing any of the flavor and I’ve found wonderful alternatives to cheese that I don’t even miss it - I tell you it’s true!
But ingredient swapping isn’t the only allergen-aware method in my kitchen. Since finding a sincere passion for sourdough baking a few years back, I’ve learned so much more about the benefits of feasting on wild fermented loaves. And to double down on the effects, I also mill the flour used in the breads the very same day as crafting the dough in order to capture the most bioavailable nutrients of the wheat. (Food science nerd alert!)
“You know what I taste most in this, mama? It’s the love.”
— Alonzo, age 4