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Ale Gambini

Alessandra “Ale” Gambini is a LA-based Italian food writer, cookbook author, recipe developer, host chef in web series, Italian food advocate, cooking instructor, IICCT chocolate taster and WACS Accredited Tea Master. Born and raised in Milan, she learned how to cook and love good food from her beloved grandmother Nonna Fernanda. Her web cooking series “A World Of Sweets”, “Baking Bread” and “A Queen In the Kitchen” are the Award Recipient(s) of the prestigious “The Taste Awards” in Hollywood. Her last book is “No Ketchup on Spaghetti” (The complete guide on how to shop, eat, and cook like an Italian).

Let’s welcome the summer of 2022 with a creative version of Tiramisù, the king of Italian desserts. As an Italian Food specialist and brand ambassador for Matilde Vicenzi, it is always a pleasure to experiment with new recipes, new ingredients, and flavors. I named this tiramisù Estate Italiana (Italian Summer) because it reminds me of a summer day...

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Biscottini di Novara are lightweight cookies from Novara (Piedmont, Italy). They have an airy and crumbly texture, a rectangular shape with rounded corners, and a golden color. The only three ingredients used to prepare these delicious cookies are wheat flour, sugar, and eggs. Biscottini di Novara are extremely light and easy to digest because ther...

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Torta Pasqualina is a traditional Ligurian savory pie made with pastry, spinach or greens, ricotta, and eggs. We know that the recipe for this savory pie dates back to the Middle Ages by Ortensio Lando, who called it "gattafura". Traditionally the pastry consisted of 33 thin layers of pastry dough to represent the years of Jesus.  Its name derives...

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The recipe for pesto, as we know it, dates back to the mid-nineteenth century. But this condiment was born from the fact that Liguria is traditionally the cradle of aromatic herbs. The use of aromatic herbs for Ligurians is a tradition which has its origins in the Middle Ages, with different habits, according to social categories: rich people used...

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In Italy, Carnevale is the most colorful and playful period of the year before the Lenten season. It is celebrated with costumes, festive parades, allegoric floats, coriandoli (paper confetti), stelle filanti (paper streamers), and delicious sweet treats such as Chiacchiere. Chiacchiere are sweet crisp fried (or baked) dough that are known by diffe...

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Latteruolo is a nutritious milk-based Italian dessert typical from Emilia Romagna, Marche and Tuscany regions. Latteruolo is also known as lattaciolo or casadello and basically is a pudding cake made with milk, eggs, sugar, a little bit of flour and variously flavored with vanilla pod or lemon peel or ground nutmeg. Another simple and delicious rec...

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These delicious shortbread cookies are a must for the Italian Holiday season and cold winter days. The whipped shortbread pastry, in Italian FROLLA MONTATA, is a buttery pastry used for the preparation of desserts that require a cookie press or a pastry bag. Enjoy these melt-in-your-mouth cookies with a warm cup of tea, espresso, or cappuccino. Mer...

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Taròz is a traditional dish from Valtellina (Lombardy region), made with green beans, potatoes, onion, and Valtellina Casera PDO cheese. The word Taroz in dialect means blend (tarare = to blend). Taròz is usually served as an appetizer or as a side dish alongside local salumi such as Bresaola from Valtellina PGI.  INGREDIENTS  2 medium potatoes 10...

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Let's celebrate the Fall season by baking a decadent chocolate pumpkin cake. This cake has a super moist texture and a chocolatey and nutty aroma. It can be prepared by using fresh or canned pumpkins with the addition of any kind of nuts. I highly recommend using natural cocoa powder and the best quality ingredients because good food depends almost...

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