Author name: Corrado Santacroce

Corrado Santacroce, a culinary school graduate, brings his passion for Italian and international recipes to Mangia with Corrado, sharing creative dishes and cooking tips.

Traditional Sicilian Cassata Pie (Ricotta Cake)

Traditional Sicilian Cassata Pie (Ricotta Cake)

This Sicilian ricotta pie, distinct from the more elaborate cassata cake, showcases creamy ricotta filling infused with warm spices, citrus, and a hint of Kahlúa, all encased in tender, orange-scented pastry. The dish represents southern Italian baking at its most comforting: a simple yet elegant preparation that transforms everyday ricotta into a celebration dessert. Unlike […]

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Lentil & Baby Shell Pasta Image

Italian Lentil and Pasta Soup (Pasta e Lenticchie)

This Italian Lentil and Pasta Soup is a rustic comfort dish that combines earthy lentils with tender baby shell pasta in a hearty, flavorful broth enriched by bacon, aromatic vegetables, and tomatoes. The preparation represents cucina povera (peasant cooking) at its finest: humble ingredients transformed through patient technique into something deeply satisfying and nourishing. Unlike

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Whole Sea Bass with Lemon, Garlic & Parsley (Oven-Roasted)

Whole Sea Bass with Lemon, Garlic & Parsley (Oven-Roasted)

This Mediterranean preparation showcases whole sea bass at its finest: the fish roasted with aromatic lemon, garlic, and fresh parsley that infuse the delicate flesh with bright, herbaceous flavor. Cooking fish whole, rather than filleting it first, preserves maximum moisture and creates superior texture, as the skin and bones protect the meat from drying while

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Chicken Parmigiana on a platter on my countertop.

Chicken Parmigiana: The Only Recipe You Need for Sunday Dinner

This Italian-American classic layers crispy breaded chicken cutlets with tangy tomato sauce and melted mozzarella, finished with a generous shower of Parmesan cheese. The dish represents the evolution of Italian cooking in America, where cotoletta (breaded cutlet) merged with parmigiana (a preparation style involving tomato sauce and cheese) to create one of red-sauce cuisine’s most

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A plate with chicken cutlets and a lemon wedge, placed on a countertop.

Italian Style Breaded Chicken Cutlets

These Italian style breaded chicken cutlets deliver crispy, golden exteriors and tender, juicy interiors through a classic three-step breading process. The technique, fundamental to Italian and European cooking, creates a protective coating that seals in moisture while developing satisfying crunch during frying. Fresh parsley and Parmesan mixed into the breadcrumbs elevate the coating beyond plain

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A plate of BBQ Grilled Asparagus.

The Best BBQ Grilled Asparagus Recipe (Perfect & Smoky)

This Perfect BBQ Grilled Asparagus Recipe showcases the vegetable at its best: tender spears with slightly charred exteriors, enhanced by garlic, lemon, and quality olive oil. Grilling asparagus over direct heat caramelizes its natural sugars while maintaining the interior’s crisp-tender texture, creating depth of flavor that steaming or boiling cannot achieve. This method requires minimal ingredients and

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Homemade Lasagna with Mini Meatballs and Pork Sauce on a plate.

Homemade Lasagna with Mini Meatballs and Pork Sauce

This Homemade Lasagna with Mini Meatballs and Pork Sauce transcends the standard version through layers of complexity: a rich pork bone tomato sauce, tender mini meatballs, sweet green peas, diced hard-boiled eggs, and generous amounts of mozzarella and Parmesan, all stacked between pasta sheets and baked until bubbling and golden. The dish represents southern Italian

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An Italian Fennel Sausage Ciabatta with Caramelized Onions on a cutting board.

Italian Fennel Sausage Ciabatta with Caramelized Onions

This Italian fennel sausage ciabatta transforms simple ingredients into something deeply satisfying through patient technique: fennel-scented sausages paired with sweet, jammy caramelized onions, all piled into crispy-crusted bread. The dish exemplifies how proper execution of fundamental techniques elevates everyday components. Caramelizing onions properly requires time and restraint, allowing natural sugars to develop rich, complex sweetness without burning.

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A plate with three zeppole di san giuseppe, on the countertop.

Zeppole di San Giuseppe with Lemon Vanilla Custard

These traditional Italian pastries, known as zeppole di San Giuseppe, represent one of Italy’s most beloved sweets, particularly associated with Father’s Day (March 19th) celebrations. The pastry consists of light, crispy choux dough baked into rings, filled with smooth lemon-scented vanilla custard, and topped with a bright red cherry. Despite their elegant appearance and delicate

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My Shrimp Linguine with Tomato, White Wine & Capers recipe.

Shrimp Linguine with Tomato, White Wine & Capers

This Italian-inspired Shrimp Linguine with Tomato, White Wine & Capers recipe combines sweet, tender shrimp with a vibrant tomato sauce enriched by white wine, garlic, capers, and a touch of heat from chili flakes. The dish exemplifies the southern Italian approach to seafood pasta: quick-cooking shrimp are briefly seared to preserve their delicate texture, then

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