Every year, January 16th is International Hot and Spicy Food Day. Being an Italian restaurant, we love adding spices into our food, so we couldn’t let this holiday fall through the cracks. Here are some of the items on our menu that you might want to celebrate this hot and fiery holiday with. 

Calabrian Chili and Honey Wings: These wings probably won’t be the spiciest things you’ll ever eat, but they do have a great bite! The honey balances out the chili perfectly for an ideal combination of spicy and sweet. 

Buffalo Wings: These wings are a classic and perfect way to celebrate this day! Get ‘em bone-in or boneless -- either way they’re tasty. And with some creamy gorgonzola, they’re sure to satisfy your spicy tooth (that’s a thing, right?). 

The Shredder Pizza: This simple yet tasty pizza is sure to hit the spicy spot. Topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, honey and of course, jalapenos to give you that spicy bite! 

The Screamin’ Sicilian: This bad boy is a steak & cheese sub with a spicy twist. It’s filled with grilled steak, pepperoni, provolone, banana peppers, sauteed onions, marinara and some Calabrian chili mayo to pack that little punch. 

The Buffalo Chicken Pizza: What happens when you combine two tasty classics? You create  a masterpiece. This pie is topped with tomato sauce, aged mozzarella, feta, our juicy boneless buffalo wings and creamy gorgonzola dressing. Voila, perfection!

Our Roman style pizza case is always changing, on the daily! We may add some more spicy pies to the list to really bring the heat. A pepper and pepperoni pizza needs to happen, don’tcha think? 

When it comes to spicy, do you drench everything in hot sauce or do you stick to the mild side? Let us know in the comments below. Which of these you want to celebrate Hot and Spicy Food Day with?

Picture this: It’s 3 AM and all of the pizza places are closed. You’re craving pizza so badly, but don’t want to go through all of the effort of kneading dough to satisfy your craving. So what do you do? You’ll need to get creative. You have the sauce, cheese and maybe some toppings but what to put it on? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

English Muffin: This breakfast staple is more versatile than you think. Instead of popping them in your toaster, preheat your oven (or toaster oven) to 375 degrees. While the oven is warming up, split open your english muffin and build your mini pizza. The nooks and crannies that English muffins are famous for are perfect to hold all of the sauce. Pop it in the oven for 10 minutes and enjoy! 

Mug Pizza: Now I know we said you won’t be using dough, but this one is so easy you won’t even feel like it’s a hassle. Just mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt all together in a microwaveable mug. Then, add some milk and olive oil and stir it all together. After you’ve stirred, put your favorite marinara sauce over the surface and then top with cheese, herbs and whatever other toppings you desire. Microwave for 1 ½ minutes or until it rises up and the toppings start to bubble (every microwave is different). Give it a second to cool down before digging into your quick creation. 

French Fries: We’ve all heard of cheese fries. They’re a classic, so why not combine them with another food that stands the test of time? Take your favorite french fries (thicker cut may work better to hold all of the good stuff) and put your pizza toppings on them! To quickly melt the cheese but keep your fries crispy, we recommend popping them in the oven on broil until you see the cheese starts to melt into gooey wonderfulness. 

Naan Bread: This is a twist on the ever so popular Flatbread trend. Naan Bread is usually buttery and thick, making it a perfect base for pizza. Instead of going the classic route, try opting for a white pizza with a base of olive oil and garlic. Bake a few of these at 375 degrees until the cheese is melted and cut into pieces for a perfect party appetizer! 

Bagel: Much like English muffins, bagels are a versatile and well loved breakfast food. Using a bagel as your base makes having pizza for breakfast a lot easier and more portable! Pop the pizza bagel in your oven at 375 for 10 minutes while you’re getting ready for the day and you’ve got a perfect on the go breakfast! 

Tortillas: You have two options with this one: you can either use the tortilla the same way as naan bread and bake it into a thin crust snack or you can make pizza roll ups! Both are tasty, but how do you make the pizza roll up? You want to make sure the tortillas are warm and pliable so stick them in the microwave with a damp towel before you get to rolling. Once your tortillas are ready, put your ingredients on the bottom third of the tortilla (you don’t want them to overflow), roll it up and put them in the oven for about 12 minutes at 400 degrees. Cut each roll up in half and serve them at your next football party or just put them on a plate to enjoy for your Netflix marathon! 

Let us know if you try any of these alternatives, we love hearing from you! And if they don’t work out or you just want the real thing, you know where to find us.

It’s that time of year again. The time for fresh starts and new beginnings. To many, this means a change in their lifestyle. People want to get in shape and be healthier so they start a new diet. Some go vegan, some do Whole30, and some may go the Keto route (why anyone would give up carbs is beyond us). Whatever path you choose to take, we encourage you to be inclusive of all foods, especially pizza.

Pizza gets a bad rap for being unhealthy but in reality, it’s just misunderstood. Pizza can be very healthy depending on how you look at it. First of all, cheese packs a bunch of protein. And if you’re adding meats like pepperoni or chicken you can forget about your post workout shake! Your pie will have all the protein you need to replenish your body after that spin class. 

Now, we’re not gonna ignore the obvious reason you might be giving up pizza: carbs. Carbs are often painted as the villain of the food pyramid, whereas in reality, they’re the unsung hero. Carbs are fuel. If you find yourself feeling sluggish during your workouts, it may be because you didn’t eat enough to fuel your body beforehand. However, you don’t want to eat immediately before your workout, give your body about 2 hours to digest and turn the carbs into energy. Before your next workout, try having a slice of pizza topped with veggies for some extra nutrients. 

Cutting pizza out of your diet completely might be doing yourself more harm than good. Very often when people go on diets, they start deeming certain foods as “bad” or “good”. However, as humans we all know when something is deemed as off limits, it makes us want it  more. Instead of cutting out the foods you love because they’re “bad” allow yourself to have them in moderation. Not only will it prevent you from going overboard in the future, but this mindset leads to a balanced lifestyle which is what health is really all about. So go ahead and keep that pizza in your diet and stick to your (realistic) goals, we’ll be cheering for you at the finish line! 

Ingredients

4 bunches of broccoli rabe

2 tablespoons of minced fresh garlic

1 tablespoon of salt

1 tablespoon black pepper

4 tablespoons grated Romano cheese

1/2 cup olive oil

Directions

Wash and dry broccoli rabe. Cut ¼ inch off the ends of broccoli rabe stems and discard them. Cut remainder of broccoli rabe, leaves and stems, into 1 inch pieces. Place cut broccoli rabe into large mixing bowl. Add garlic, salt, pepper, Romano cheese and oil to bowl. Mix well with hands massaging all ingredients into the broccoli rabe.  Be sure all rabe gets coated with ingredients. Transfer broccoli rabe to a large sheet pan and spread it evenly across pan. Place sheet pan in a 400 degree pre-heated oven for 6 minutes. Remove from oven and allow it to cool. I like it served at room temperature with a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy!

Italian Desserts 101

We previously taught you that dessert can be an all-day affair in Italy. From breakfast to dinner, you have plenty of options to get your daily treat. But how will you choose from the vast array of sweets you’re presented with? Today we’re breaking down some typical Italian desserts so you know just exactly what to order the next time your sweet tooth starts ringing.

Cannoli - Quite possibly the most recognized Italian dessert in the US, a cannoli is properly known as a “cannoli siciliani” in Italy. A cannoli is a tube-shaped, fried pastry dough that is filled with a sweet ricotta cream. It can be garnished with chocolate chips, pistachios, or candied fruit.

Cassata - Another Sicilian dessert, cassata is originally from the Palermo area of Italy. This dessert is a sponge cake that has been soaked in rum or fruit juices, with layers of ricotta cream filling and candied fruits. The entire cake is covered by a thick layer of marzipan and colorful sugar icing. It’s a real treat!

Gelato - Tourists in Italy go nuts for this ice-cream like treat. Though it is similar, gelato tends to be lighter than ice cream. The lighter consistency comes from a minimum of 3.5% butterfat and less air than regular ice cream. The texture is smooth, and delicate, and simply delicious.

Granita - Did you grow up with slushy treats? So did the Italians. Granita, another Sicilian favorite, is a semi-frozen slush made from sugar, water, and a variety of flavors. Favorite include lemon, orange, mint, and coffee.

Marzipan - By far the most artistic dessert, marzipan is a brightly colored, fruit-shaped sweet, particularly eaten during the Christmas season. It is made from sugar, honey, and almond paste.

Panettone - Another holiday favorite, panettone is a sweet yeast bread studded with candied fruits and reasons. The bread has a round dome shape and weighs around two pounds! Got leftovers after Christmas? Use it for bread pudding!

Panna Cotta - In the mood for something creamy? Panna Cotta will be your go-to dessert. A mixture of cream, egg whites, and gelatin is cooked at a very low temperature. Literally meaning “cooked cream,” it is often served with macerated berries, a chocolate drizzle, or a caramel sauce.

Pizzelle - If you’re a waffle lover, you’ll go nuts for these Italian cookie. They’re made from flour, eggs, and butter and flavored with vanilla, orange, lemon, or anise. They are often made to look like snowflakes and dusted with powder sugar.

Spumoni - This Italian dessert is made of  three flavors of ice cream -- strawberry, pistachio, and chocolate -- with chopped cherries and nuts mixed in. Sometimes the chocolate ice cream is replaced by vanilla, simulating the Italian flag colors of red, white, and green.

Tiramisu - Literally meaning “pick me up,” - tiramisu consists of Ladyfingers that have been soaked in espresso and layered with a mixture of mascarpone cheese, eggs, and sugar. The entire dessert is covered with powdered cocoa, so those in need of a chocolate fix will love this too. Eat your tiramisu with a spoon!

Zabaglione- This Italian dessert is made from egg yolks, sugar, and Marsala wine. The ingredients are whipped over a low flame until very light and fluffy. While it can be eaten on its own, we surely recommend zabaglione served over a cake or with fresh berries.

Zeppole - Deep-fried dough topped with powdered sugar? Yes, please. Zeppole is a staple for fairs and celebrations in Italy. They can also be served with custard cream for an even more delectable delight.