When Laura Vitale moved to the United States from her native Italy as a teenager, she was homesick—not just for her family, but for her beloved nonna’s cooking. Thus began a quest to re-create Nonna’s delicious legacy in Laura’s New Jersey kitchen. Ever since, Laura has spent countless hours on the phone with Nonna to learn her secrets for the crispiest fried Cacio e Pepe Aranini, Zia Mimma’s Focaccia Barese, decadent four-cheese baked ziti, a Sunday supper go-to of Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Herby Lemon Salsa, and a semolina cake to end all yellow cakes, topped with heaps of limoncello-soaked strawberries. Decades of Sunday suppers, holiday meals, and get-it-done-fast weeknight dinners have perfected the flavors and techniques that represent the essence of Laura’s Italy.
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