What are Italian rentals really about? It's all about cultural immersion. Sure we have a great choice of affordable rentals to choose from, but its about a lifestyle that is shared by a small niche of society. "Slow Travel" and Slow Food" is what we all share that come here to this site and click on the recipe link.

We all share and appreciating the Southern European and that is best represented by good food using fresh ingredients; good wine to accompany the meal; music (which I think is important to accompany both the food and wine, along with stimulating conversation) and of course villa rentals that are largely outside the usual well-grooved tourist path.

And so to this end, we invite you to For the latter decision, we have been collecting some recipes that are particularly well suited for cooking at home - whether that's where you sit right now, or during your stay in Italy. Have a look and as your waitress would say in the local diner, "enjoy!"

Antipasti

• Bruschetta Great for hungry kids cranky from the road. "All that art mom!" they whine. Feed them this and they'll stop complaining.
• Palermo's Panelle From the lowly chickpea comes a slice of heaven. It's like polenta but better...it's deep fried.
• Zuppa di Lucca Aahh..Lucca. They know very well about three things - opera, olive oil and Zuppa di Lucca.
• Fagiole di Lucca Call us crazy, but we have spent a lot of time in Lucca. Eating beans and sausage.
• Luisa's Ceci, Shabby - Chic From the lowly chickpea and the haute cuisine truffle paste comes a truly shabby-chic recipe. Haute cuisine and naught cuisine.
• Salad via Pantelleria Easy to do at home if you can get some capers.
• Cheese Fritters A medieval recipe fit for a king...no, really.
• Jack Fry's Grits Amazingly yummy, and southern.

Pasta

• Cavatelli alla Puglia: Wonderful, simple, Southern Italian.
• Kennebunkport Pasta: Let's say you're in Kennebunkport and want some pasta. Well what are ya gonna do? Right, get some lobster.
• Our One Pot Pasta: Let's say you didn't do any dishes and have only one pot to work with...what do ya do? Yep. You make out one pot pasta.
• Pantelleria PastaOn this exotic little island we have a unique recipe - pasta, capers and almonds. Yum!
• Spaghetti Con Gamberi alla Pantelleria
• Our Lasagne We don't profess to be culinary kings around here, but we do make a mean Lasagne.
• Polenta that even the beautiful people of Manhattan would think twice about.
• Palermo Style Pasta Straight from the streets of Palermo comes this simple hot sauce.
• Saggio con Rigatoni: Simple, elegant, refreshing, nutritious.
• Lemon Pasta Life hands you lemons? Make some pasta.
• Gnocci della Vallerosa: Spectacular results can be found from a slotted spoon, pot, pan and a thin slice of gorgonzola.