The joy that comes from cooking and sharing meals is a staple of Italian daily life. During the long days of quarantine on the Amalfi Coast, time together over lunch and dinner was often the highlight of the days for many families. In fact, in the early days of quarantine the only thing you might find the stores running short on in Amalfi was flour and yeast. Suddenly, there was the time to make homemade bread and pasta where there wasn’t before.
It was during those days that I especially enjoyed the daily Instagram stories and videos from my friend Nicki in Positano – who you surely know for her great photos and her Positano Diaries video series about daily life in Positano. Along with her dear friend Elisabeth Sommer from Blue Star boat tours in Positano, they cooked up a storm and shared recipes they enjoyed with their families. After a lot of requests, they created a collection of recipes called Our Positano Cookbook.
This e-book includes some of Nicki’s favorite recipes that are a mix of English cakes and sweets with her own personal touch along with Italian favorites. During quarantine, Elisabeth’s stories on Instagram regularly included her daily pasta making experiences with her young daughters Leni and Rosi. I tuned in to see what unique shape of pasta they would be making or the more adventurous ravioli, tortellini, and lasagna – all handmade!
I had fun making Nicki’s recipe for Chocolate Orange Banana bread, which was easy to make and disappeared surprisingly quickly. Was quite a hit with my Italian husband! Although Nicki is quick to add that both she and Elisabeth are foreigners, I personally love the blend of something very non Italian like banana bread with that freshness of oranges warmed in the Amalfi Coast sun. Recipes are moments of life that can be shared from one household to another and they pick up something special with every hand that makes them.
So if you’d like to try your hand at handmade pasta with Leni & Rosi’s tips or cook some of Nicki’s favorite recipes, do check out Our Positano Cookbook by Nicki Storey and Elisabeth Sommer.
PS: Don’t forget to follow Nicki on YouTube and Instagram and you’ll find Elisabeth on Instagram here.
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