CIAO ITALIA

#3001 Classic Ragu’ alla Bolgnese
Mary Ann and cooking school owner Joe Faro celebrate her new teaching series by preparing a classic, mouthwatering Tagliatelle alla Bolognese. While the sauce slowly simmers down to become dark, rich, and complex, Joe makes fresh tagliatelle pasta from scratch, first taught to him by his grandmother. When the moment arrives to combine the two, a marriage made in heaven is the only way to describe how it looks and what’s more, how it tastes!

#3002 Calling All Cauliflower Lovers
Mary Ann starts off her cooking class by preparing a colossal Cauliflower Casserole packed with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and crispy bread crumbs. Then she invites student Lisa to joins her and learn the fine art of creating a crunchy Cauliflower Salad with Tuna and Chickpeas that goes with anything, anytime. The secret ingredients that sends this dish high above the competition? Oil-packed tuna fish, tomatoes in olive oil, and dried oregano.

#3003 Focaccia: One Sweet and One Savory
Cooking student Erica learns the inns and outs of making a mouth-watering Cherry Focaccia from start to finish. From making a sweet dough from scratch to topping it with slow-cooked Bing Cherries, it’s the perfect indulgence for a special day—or any day. Next up, Mary Ann shifts gears from sweet to savory with a Focaccia Barese, topped with fresh cherry tomatoes and Castelvetrano olives. Focaccia? Gotcha!

#3004 Crepes Plus Broth...Abruzzo Style
Mary Ann reveals the secret to Crepes in Chicken Broth is to make the savory broth from scratch with fresh ingredients, and by doing so, she elevates the very versatile crepe to new heights. Then...never heard of Tomato Marmelade? Mary Ann show her students how tomatoes, grated ginger, a clove-dotted onion, sugar, and—surprise!—balsamic vinegar—slow-cooked together make a terrific topping for fresh ricotta, bruschetta, or cheese.

#3005 When is a Plum Cake a Pound Cake?
Mary Ann clears up Italian spelling confusion (no “plums” in it, just the way Italians describe a “pound cake”) Then she proceeds to teach her Scuola Culinaria students how to make a beyond-moist-and-tender Apricot Yogurt Pound Cake. Next up, she prepares a classic Italian Pound Cake with a sweet/tart taste of lemon zest and lemon juice. In for a penny, in for a pound with two great dessert cakes fit for any occasion, including fit for a king.

#3006 Pesto Pairings
Mary Ann teams up with Executive Chef David Crinieri to wow her cooking students by exploring the world of perfect pestos. Chef David leads off with a delicate Watercress Pesto tossed with Fresh Spinach Linguine and topped with an Artichoke Crudo. Mary Ann’s up next with her signature Broccolini and Artichoke Pesto tossed with Fusilli. Want perfect pesto every time? Try either one—or both!

#3007 Make Pizza with a Friend
Pizza takes center stage when Mary Ann and eager Scuola Culinaria student John roll up their sleeves and dive into the essential steps need to create an all-time favorite of favorites, Pizza Margherita. Step by step, sauce by sauce, cheese by cheese (fresh mozzarella) you’ll learn how to take your pizza all the way from yeast to “Yay!” And they’re not done yet, not until they make Fried Dough with Cinnamon and Sugar from yeast to “Yum!”

#3008 Celebration Cake
Mary Ann re-creates shows her students how to prepare this traditional rustic cake from the Abruzzo region of Italy. She first makes the pastry dough, chills it, rolls it out, and drapes it into a tube pan. Then she combines sugared ricotta cheese, lemon zest and vanilla extract with beaten egg whites to create a pillowy cloud that goes inside. The Abruzzese Ricotta Cake is a traditional Easter time specialty, but a joy to enjoy all year long.

#3009 Low and Slow
Mary Ann reminds her students that “a good cook loves a low flame.” Especially when it comes to preparing a southern Italian favorite, Oven Roasted Lamb Shanks. After searing to seal in the juices, she adds a red wine and beef broth sauce along with carrots and onions for a long, low, slow cook. While that’s in the oven Mary Ann prepares a perfect side of Roasted Fennel and Beans. Don’t have time to cook? Make time for this!

#3010 Crazy Water!
“Acqua Pazza” in Italian. And even though Mary Ann may not know the origin of the name of this Neapolitan favorite, she knows exactly how to show her students how to simmer fresh codfish over a tomato based bed of sliced fennel, Castelvetrano olives, capers, garlic, and hot red pepper flakes. While that’s cooking away, Mary Ann and student Mary Ellen prepare shrimp-filled Seafood with Fregola. Enough to go crazy for, right?

#3011 Gaetano’s Easy Chicken Casserole
Mary Ann’s husband Guy comes up with a quick and simple chicken dish, Guy’s Chicken with Olives and Turmeric that you’ll make often. In a matter of minutes Mary Ann combines sliced chicken breasts with onions, garlic, and turmeric and into the oven it goes. There’s enough time for her to make another favorite, Meatballs Milan Style. Stuffed with filled with mortadella, beef, and ham and fried to a crunch crisp, you’ll want seconds, thirds, fourths!

#3012 Got Lemons, Make Gnocchi
Gnocchi’s not hard to make, when Mary Ann shows her Scuola Culinaria student, Karen, the traditional Italian culinary secrets of creating soft-as-a-cloud, pillowy gnocchi every time. When they’re as perfect as these Amalfi-style gnocchi, all that’s needed is a buttery, heavy cream sauce of asparagus tips and lemon zest, to make you close your eyes, take one taste and swear you’re in Amalfi.