Spinach Pizza

Spinach Pizza

I first enjoyed this focaccia thirty years ago while I was staying with friends after I moved back east from California and started to look for a house. Since my search took far longer than expected, I enjoyed many dinners with them and their two children, both of whom often requested what they called “Spinach Pizza” from a local deli, aptly named “The Best of Everything.” We enjoyed one at least every other week. It was a thick rectangular pizza, with a layer of melted mozzarella covered with garlicy sautéed spinach and topped with marinated artichoke hearts and marinated roasted red pepper.

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Italian Plum Torte

Italian Plum Torte

When I started to cook almost 50 years ago, I would occasionally bake desserts or savory pastries. Fruit tarts and quiches were my specialties, and I even remember making French baguettes. But for some reason, aside from making pizza, I stopped baking in the early 90s. It wasn’t until last Christmas and Easter when I started baking again and prepared a Neapolitan struffoli and an Italian wheat pie, pizza grana, both of which brought back fond childhood memories of my aunt, who excelled at making all types of pastries and desserts.

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