Homemade Ravioli and the 4th of July...

...not at the same time, but they seemed appropriate for a July post from Italy. I guess because of all the time we've devoted to photographing food for realwomenstoregrub.com, we just can't seem to get out of the habit of taking pictures of our food. Here are the latest things we've cooked up.

Ferrara is known for it's cappellacci di zucca -- basically pasta in the shape of little hats filled with pumpkin or squash. We LOVE it and eat it at every opportunity. Recently I purchased a cookbook by an Italian American chef who grew up in Florence (just over an hour from here). I couldn't resist trying his ravioli di zucca with a sauce made from burro e salvia (butter and sage). My attempt at pasta was a terrible failure, but the filling was divine! I think it might be the best in Ferrara!

My pasta was WAY to thick and totally drowned out the zucca flavor. Next I need a pasta maker! Since I had a lot of filling left over, we made a zucca "lasagna" with it. It was heavenly!

This is not Italian food, but we sure love these cookies anyway!

Trying out a new, healthier dessert after all the cookies -- this is layered fruit with a whipped cream/lime/cream cheese layer in the middle. 

I found the recipe for the most clever 4th of July cake ever and had to make it.

Missionaries are always willing to try food experiments, so we invited them over for a slice...

Is it not the coolest 4th of July cake ever? It even tasted good, and I'm no lover of cake! Who thinks of these clever things?