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Italian Cuisine/Questions Answered by Expert Il Magu
| Subject | Date Asked |
| Easter and Christmas Italian Desserts | 4/19/2011 |
| Q: My mom and aunt use to make desserts at Christmas and Easter. I am looking for the recipes. ... A: Ciao!! seams to me the first recipe is the Clazoncelli (from Basilicata the reagion of Potenza). ... | |
| Pizza | 4/2/2011 |
| Q: Italian friends of mine taught us how to make a pizza today but the crust came out edible but a bit ... A: ciao David, first of all let me say that Pizza Hut or Papa John's are not pizza but, simply, an ... | |
| zampone recipe | 2/7/2010 |
| Q: I would like to know the ingredient for the meat for zampone.v A: Cioa Richard, try this explanation: Zampone of Modena is made from the front trotter of a pig. The ... | |
| A cocktail toast | 1/30/2010 |
| Q: I have the honor of giving a toast for an incoming President that has Italian heritage. I would ... A: Ciao Anne! I think "E' LA BENVENUTA TRA NOI" that is "you are welcome" in a "formal" way or "GRAZIE ... | |
| toast | 1/9/2010 |
| Q: At dinner functions or just having a wine or cocktail the simple toast Chen don is said. I ... A: Ciao Ted, the simple phrase is CHIN (CIN) CHIN (CIN (two times). CIN CIN have not a real meaning ... | |
| Pasta Sauce | 11/28/2009 |
| Q: Magu, I like simple pasta tomato sauces (not real thick gravies) yet do not know any recipes of my ... A: Ciao Jason, I love the onion in the simple tomato sauce... so I ask you to try... Look hereunder: ... | |
| number of stuffed shells per person | 11/24/2009 |
| Q: I'm making stuffed shells with a meat sauce for 25 people. We'll also have a salad and since I'm ... A: Ciao Christine, I think 4 shells (quite big in my mind) each is a good compromise. As apertizer ... | |
| Too much salt in Cannelloni filling | 10/28/2009 |
| Q: I'm making Cannelloni with meat/cheese filling and tomato sauce over the top. I've used this recipe ... A: Ciao Becky, the only suggestion is to use less salt in all the other ingredients of the recipe as, ... | |
| wine toasts | 6/5/2009 |
| Q: I recently attended a party and it was mentioned there are two standard Italian toasts with wine ... A: Ciao Martin! for the first one you are ok! for the second one is "100 di questi giorni" or "100 ... | |
| Fresh Lasagna | 5/8/2009 |
| Q: If you make fresh lasagna sheets, do you have to pre cook them before you make up your lasagna? Can ... A: Ciao Lynne, you have to cook them for 30 min. @ 250°C. the last 10 minutes you can use the hoven ... | |
| Fresh Lasagna | 5/8/2009 |
| Q: If you make fresh lasagna sheets, do you have to pre cook them before you make up your lasagna? Can ... A: Ciao Lynne, yes, when you make fresch lasagna sheets you have to cook them before use them to make ... | |
| broddo or brodo sauce | 4/8/2009 |
| Q: what is a broddo sauce,and how do you make one? A: Ciao Rich, your answer is not very clear... anyway, try the followings. If it will be of help rate ... | |
| CULINARY STUDENT | 4/2/2009 |
| Q: Yes my question is what is the actual date that chicken parmesan was invented and who invented the ... A: Ciao Christopher, This is a good question indeed as, I want to inform you, the chicken parmesan ... | |
| freezing cassata | 2/12/2009 |
| Q: I would like to bake a cassata (ricotta, pan di spagna and pasta di mandorla variety) in advance and ... A: Ciao Aaron, the followings will help you! please rate me. Ciao MagU. Ingredients 1 liter ... | |
| cookie recipe | 12/13/2008 |
| Q: I'm looking for a Italian cookie recipe that was made with anise seed ,shaped in an S and rolled in ... A: Ciao Pat, I've this simple recipe but I'm not sure this is the one... ANISE COOKIES COOKIES: ... | |
| looking for the name of a dish and recipe | 11/15/2008 |
| Q: When I was a small child my mom had a friend that was a native Italian. She made a dish that was ... A: Ciao Layne, I cannot tell you this is the SAME but... its a good recipe and I hope this will help ... | |
| Italian dressing | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: I'd like a good Italian oil and vinegar salad dressing not like that stuff they sell in the stores. ... A: Ciao TJ, this depends on your personal taste. I do prefer to have 50% and 50%. There is someone ... | |
| Italian dressing | 11/5/2008 |
| Q: I'd like a good Italian oil and vinegar salad dressing not like that stuff they sell in the stores. ... A: Ciao TJ! Here in italy we use, to dress the salads, first salt then vinegar (the balsamico from ... | |
| First meat, second fish? | 10/9/2008 |
| Q: My son and I recently dined at some wonderful restaurants in Rimini. The menu listed "first meat", ... A: Ciao Bernie! Rimini is wonderful! the secret is that you see the two different choices for the ... | |
| north/south italian cuisine | 7/29/2008 |
| Q: i was wondering if you could tell me what the difference and similarities between Northern and ... A: Ciao David! I'm sure this will help: Northern Versus Southern Italian Cuisine The battle of ... | |
| Pasta Flour | 5/10/2008 |
| Q: We have used semolina to make fresh pasta at home for many years. Recently several cooking shows ... A: Ciao Tom! If you look at the link ... | |
| menu plan that includes cioppino | 4/11/2008 |
| Q: I would like to prepare a traditional several courses Italian meal. I would like to start with a ... A: Ciao Carol, when you write "cioppino" is the fish stew, isn't it? If yes, please note that the ... | |
| enquiries | 4/9/2008 |
| Q: i would like to learn how to make (diced, crushed and peeled, tomatoes, the reason being in my ... A: Ciao Liza!! you will find, more or less, everything about tomatoes on this link: ... | |
| Grano | 3/21/2008 |
| Q: I want to make Pastiera Napoletana and it says to use 500gr. di Grano. What is Grano? and where can ... A: Ciao Nadia, please see one of my previous answers at the following link: ... | |
| Brewers Yeast | 2/8/2008 |
| Q: What form does the brewers yeast come in? A: Ciao Danny! the brewers yeast is ad kind of little brick 4cm x 2,5 cm x 2 cm. Is soft at the ... | |
| Alfredo souce | 2/6/2008 |
| Q: How do i make Alfredo sauce? Thank you so much. Tahereh A: Ciao Tahereh, Try the following: 1/2 cup butter 8 ounces cream cheese 8 ounces half-and-half ... | |
| recipe from my mother's father who was from Bari | 2/1/2008 |
| Q: My mother used to make a Christmas time dessert taught to her by her Dad who came her from Italy, ... A: Wewe... ciao!! try like this... and let me know! ciao MAGU ... | |
| recipe from my mother's father who was from Bari | 2/1/2008 |
| Q: My mother used to make a Christmas time dessert taught to her by her Dad who came her from Italy, ... A: Ciao!! the typical sweet name is "Carteddate" (dialect) or "cartellate. the recipe is as follows: ... | |
| umbriaco | 1/11/2008 |
| Q: Ciao Magu, I love the umbriaco (Drunk Panattone)very much!! Pls advise what kind of wine can I use ... A: Ciao Morgen! I can indicate you which wine I love to drink with panettone or the indicate ones but, ... | |
| WINE STRUFOLI | 12/20/2007 |
| Q: Do you have a recipe for wine strufoli, my aunt used to make them years ago with red wine. A: Ciao Joseph! try this one: Wine Struffoli Ingredients 2 pounds flour 1 1/3 cups vegetable oil 1 ... | |
| Pizza | 12/6/2007 |
| Q: I was reading how to make the best pizza dough and the answer said to put yeast into a tub of warm ... A: Ciao Pat! we use a cup of warm water... I'vent idea what a tub is :D use a cup with warm water, ... | |
| Differences | 11/24/2007 |
| Q: My name is Cassara. I am enrolled in a vocational high school and my instructor, chef sansoucy, gave ... A: Ciao Cassara, Isn't really simple for me because I've not a great idea about the french way to ... | |
| "Ragu" sauce | 10/17/2007 |
| Q: I'm am trying to duplicate a "Ragu" sauce we had recently. It is made with ground tuna and ... A: Ciao Linda! In Italy we use to call ragù the sauce made with the meat and the tomatoes. I love to ... | |
| cannelloni | 10/2/2007 |
| Q: Is there an Italian dessert with a name similar to cannelloni? Thank you. A: Ciao Clay, Cannelloni is a kind of pasta stuffed with a mixture of spinach and ricotta (kind of ... | |
| Italian Cuisine | 8/23/2007 |
| Q: I have an international foods assignment and i hane a question that asks, "What are the special ... A: Ciao KB, I've answered to your questions other 2 times (or more...) but all the times I wasn't sure ... | |
| Italian equipment | 8/21/2007 |
| Q: hey, im doing an assignment on italian foods and i need to know what types of equipment the italians ... A: Ciao KB, I've answered to your questions other 2 times (or more...) but all the times I wasn't sure ... | |
| foods | 7/24/2007 |
| Q: what are some cooking equipment used in your cooking? A: Ciao Staffy! see the followings: - ladle - some aluminum pans - wooden spoon and fork (when I make ... | |
| Risotto and Orzo | 7/23/2007 |
| Q: I watch foodnetwork a lot and am a huge fan of "Everyday Italian." My question is, she uses risotto ... A: Ciao Andrea, Here in Italy (i.e.: in the supermarket) the rice and the orzo are in different ... | |
| fresh pastas (packaged) | 7/19/2007 |
| Q: I noticed on a recent trip to Sicily and Italy, that the noodles (spaghetti, linguini, etc.) when ... A: Ciao! the reason is, probably the time of cooking. The dry have i.e. from 5 up to 11 minutes and ... | |
| fresh pastas (packaged) | 7/19/2007 |
| Q: I noticed on a recent trip to Sicily and Italy, that the noodles (spaghetti, linguini, etc.) when ... A: Ciao John! The spaghetti (or the linguine) HAVE TO BE separated... no way! If not is a disaster... ... | |
| polenta cake | 7/9/2007 |
| Q: What's the secret to making a dense, crumbly polenta cake? I've tried 2, both of which have come ... A: Ciao Judy, the only way to give a shape to the polenta is to cool the polenta into a mould at ... | |
| polenta cake | 7/8/2007 |
| Q: What's the secret to making a dense, crumbly polenta cake? I've tried 2, both of which have come ... A: Ciao Judy, it is a simple recipe... but you have to follow strictly the following simply steps... ... | |
| pizza base | 7/1/2007 |
| Q: having read your article regarding pizza base, you mentioned putting water in the flour mix. the ... A: Ciao Pasquale!! the difference is that when you put the flour as per my suggestion (in the water ... | |
| Greek Marinara Sauce | 6/28/2007 |
| Q: I had this sauce in pasta dish. It had a sweet flavor that was sooooo great. This was with lamb ... A: Ciao Carol... mmhhh Marinara, here in Italy, is completely different and, for sure, is without lamb ... | |
| meals for visitors from Northern Italy | 5/25/2007 |
| Q: Magu, we will have a family from Milan visit us in a few weeks. They have two pre teen girls and I ... A: Ciao and sorry for the late reply... So when I visit foreign countries I'm so curious about all the ... | |
| fried meat balls | 5/18/2007 |
| Q: My husband has a aunt who makes a fried meatball and they serve it cold.I can not find the correct ... A: Ciao Mary! It sound really strange... The fried meatballs, here in Italy, are called POLPETTE. The ... | |
| Manicotti and Canelloni | 5/17/2007 |
| Q: Hey there! We were serving canelloni the other day at work. A question came up and then we argued ... A: Ciao Dominique! here we called CRESPELLE the one you are telling me your father call MANICOTTI. ... | |
| Manicotti and Canelloni | 5/16/2007 |
| Q: Hey there! We were serving canelloni the other day at work. A question came up and then we argued ... A: Ciao Dominique! Manicotti isn't a common name for a kind of pasta... If you look at the link ... | |
| what can i make to go with my lasagne for a party of 6 | 4/12/2007 |
| Q: I'm planning on having an Italian theme party and decided a lasagna would be quick and easy to make ... A: Ciao Amy!! ok for the bbq... the bbq is more or less the same everywhere... no way to do mistakes ... | |
| Easter Breakfast in Naples | 3/24/2007 |
| Q: I am looking for recipe or name of a dish served on Easter Sunday for breafast with veal, light ... A: Ciao Angela! Here we are... so... For Easter in Naples no breakfast (sweet or salted) recipe with ... | |
| Olive Oil | 3/15/2007 |
| Q: I bought a yet unopened bottle of this Extra Virgin Olive Oil from a store called Trader Joe's. It ... A: Ciao Dave, I really love olive oil!! When I taste it, for example when I buy some new bottle, a use ... | |
| italian foods | 2/23/2007 |
| Q: what type of foods are eaten at each meal? what two dishes are served daily and at special ... A: Ciao!! We start from the daily routine as follows: 1) fist dish usually pasta with a very ... | |
| italian methods of cooking | 2/7/2007 |
| Q: i was wondering what the methods of cooking are in Italy. it is for a Tafe assignment that i have to ... A: Ciao Sam!! I have some Ideas and I really hope that this can help you as follows: - FRYING the ... | |
| Italian Dinner | 1/31/2007 |
| Q: I don't know if you got my earlier message, but I am an experienced cook of over 30 years. Hope that ... A: Ciao Elaine, first of all some indication about the table setting (nothing new I think) as follows: ... | |
| Italian Dinner | 1/9/2007 |
| Q: We are hosting an "authentic" 5 course Italian dinner as a result of an auction. I just need some ... A: Ciao!! what about my previous message? have you an answer for me? Thanks and ciao MAGU Ciao ... | |
| italian cookies | 12/21/2006 |
| Q: my great grandmother made these cookies and i love them but now i cant get the recipe and i dont ... A: Ciao!! I've tried to guess what type of biscuits you are talking about and the most similar name ... | |
| Italian meal traditions | 11/30/2006 |
| Q: I have 2 questions: 1. Where does italian families eat their meals? 2. At what times are meals ... A: Ciao Latoya! first answer: there are different ways but, usually, if the kitchen is large enough ... | |
| italian Ways | 11/25/2006 |
| Q: I have three questions. (1)What types of food are acceptable to eat for Italians? (2)What types of ... A: Ciao Kimberly! I'll try to answer your questions as following: (1)What types of food are acceptable ... | |
| Italian fried wine cookies | 11/19/2006 |
| Q: My uncle use to make a fried wine cookie that had a jelly nut wine filling. It was then fried and ... A: Ciao Cathy, I really doesn't know any "fried & wine" recipe for cookies... anyway I send to you ... | |
| italian cooking equipments | 11/15/2006 |
| Q: i'm struggling to find about the italian tradional and modern cooking tools or equipments they use. ... A: Ok... try this links hereunder... I really hope can help you a little... Il MagU ... | |
| Extended Recipe | 9/26/2006 |
| Q: I am a first generation Italian and my Grandfather gave me an excellent recipe for his Marinara ... A: Ciao Ken, your problem s a diffused problem… and also my wife and I are facing it… We use to make ... | |
| WWII | 7/28/2006 |
| Q: What types of foods were eaten by Italians in Rome during WWII? On both special occassions and a ... A: Ciao Laura! During the ww2 the situation of the food in the big cities was very critical. In the ... | |
| Food | 7/23/2006 |
| Q: What is the main meal that you eat A: Ciao Amelia, If I’ve understand well, your question is referred at the main meal between breakfast, ... | |
| thinnest pizza base | 2/19/2006 |
| Q: Please help if you can! I will be eternally grateful! My husband and I like to visit a Pizza ... A: Ciao Jennifer! You love Piazza? So follow this points and you will prepare the best Italian pizza! ... | |
| What's the best wine to use... | 11/4/2005 |
| Q: What's the best wine to use in cooking red sauce? My other ingredients: Olive oil, salt, pepper, ... A: Ciao Vincent, The answer is a DRY RED WINE like the Bardolino or the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. with ... | |
| spaghetti and meatballs | 5/24/2005 |
| Q: -Magu, your english is just fine.it's just that every meatball that i've ever had has ... A: here in Italy we doesn't use to make the meatball with the tomato sauce with the ingredients you ... | |
| spaghetti and meatballs | 5/24/2005 |
| Q: i would like to make spaghetti and meatballs like my grandmother used to make. would you happen to ... A: Ciao Lisbeth The recipe we use here in Italy is the tomato sauce with meatball… Do you want to make ... | |
| spaghetti and meatballs | 5/23/2005 |
| Q: i would like to make spaghetti and meatballs like my grandmother used to make. would you happen to ... A: Ciao Lisbeth! How are you doing? I hope all is going well... so try this recipe for your “MEAT ... | |
| balsamic vinegar | 5/11/2005 |
| Q: I received a very nice gift from my sister-in-law who knows I love Italian food and great ... A: Ciao Dick You are a lucky man! Fantastic thing the ACETO BALSAMICO… the original one from Modena ... | |
| Italian Cheese Question | 2/23/2005 |
| Q: About 4 years ago I dated a guy whos WHOLE family came from Italy.... once a month, as a treat, they ... A: Ciao Amanda, here in Italy we ha a lot of different type of cheese but, I think, that you are ... | |
| Homemade wine vinegar | 2/12/2005 |
| Q: What do you know about making red wine vinegar using a "mother culture"? My mom used to have a large ... A: Ciao Linda, In order to make in you house red Wine or (white) vinegar, use 10 degrees and not ... | |
| Wine and vinegar | 11/29/2004 |
| Q: Magu,Please could you give me a recipe to make vinegar and how to make aromatic olive oil. Thank you ... A: Ciao Satish, ... every time someone write to me I'm very curious to know the place he/she come from ... | |
| Dessert | 10/28/2004 |
| Q: I once made a cake the two main ingredients of which were semolina flour and white wine and now I ... A: Ciao Barbara, I know only a recipe with semolino and white wine... not sweet but, in my opinion, ... | |
| Italian Food | 10/16/2004 |
| Q: Could you please assist me and translate into Italian language, if possible. 1. Tortellini, Cherry ... A: I'll try to help you as follows: 1) Spiedini di tortellini al pomodoro e mozzarella con ciliegia 2) ... | |
| Biscotti | 9/16/2004 |
| Q: I am looking for a recipe for authentic Italian Biscotti without nuts. Thank you so much. A: I suggest you to try this biscotti recipes that I love so much: BISCOTTI AL CACAO: INGREDIENTS: ... | |
| meaning of spaghetti numbers | 9/10/2004 |
| Q: when i look for pasta , i see many different names like linquini, cappeletti, etc and many numbers. ... A: you are right about the different type of pasta but, the different n° are exiting only for the ... | |
| dinner | 9/1/2004 |
| Q: she has told me that you have helped her a lot …I have a similar problem she has told me that the ... A: no problem in helping you but, please, find my consideration as follows: - I assumed that the fiend ... | |
| cena con scognociuto | 8/26/2004 |
| Q: Ciao ilMagu, mi chiamo Jenna sono dei Stati Uniti e adesso vivo a Milano per lavoro, domani o ... A: Ciao Jenna, proverò a darti una mano nella speranza che non abbiate gusti particolari (nel senso ... | |
| Piadina? | 8/26/2004 |
| Q: I would like to know the recipe for real traditional ‘piadina'. Would you mind to help me? Thank you ... A: Ciao Francesca, Firs of all a little bit of history: The merchants and the Fenici sailors who ... | |
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