From Micol and Dino

Spring feels like it has finally arrived, and we are so excited to usher in some warm weather cooking!

New Recipes & More

Before the weather turns too hot for hearty fare, we want to share a few new recipes we’ve filmed for the site, all of which are ideal for evenings when the temperature drops a bit and something warming is still in order.

First up, authentic risotto—yes, the one where you stir for 20 minutes straight, no microwave or shortcuts allowed. Our roasted shiitake mushroom risotto has unbelievable flavor and lends itself to infinite variations: you can use whatever vegetable you have on hand instead of mushrooms. And, if you ever wondered what to do with leftover risotto, we show you how to transform it into addictive little risotto balls as a fun finger food and a crispy-edged risotto pancake as a side dish or first course.    

Our beloved butternut squash will soon be behind us until fall comes around again, so we filmed two squash recipes for you: our favorite way to roast butternut squash with sage and parmigiano and a creamy-chunky butternut squash sauce for pasta. We also want to arm you will all the technical know-how to deal with squash, so be sure to watch our video on trimming, peeling, and cubing squash before you tackle the squash recipes.

And for something sweet, dig into our new video recipe for Marsala-Poached Fruit over Mascarpone Mousse, an incredibly delicious offering from my native city of Milano.

Free & Discounted Virtual Classes

Other than the new recipes, we’ve also added new live virtual cooking classes for May and June. On May 15, we’ll be making focaccia, lemon-glazed fish (or chicken, your choice), and apple-amaretto cake; on June 8, we have a fantastic menu for easy entertaining featuring Tuscan farro salad, savory tomato pizzette, crispy spinach puffs, and a decadent no-bake chocolate dessert.

As site members, you can buy virtual classes at 50% off, for just $24 per spot. So be sure to check out our upcoming classes and access discounted pricing here  https://video.rusticocooking.com/courses/welcome/lessons/special-offers . And if you still haven’t taken your free virtual class (it was part of your membership package), let us know which of these classes you want to attend for free.

We hope to cook with many of you in a live class and look forward to hearing which recipes you’ve cooked from the site!
Micol and Dino