Italian-Canadian

Light, fragrant, and a little unexpected, these savory madeleines pair the nuttiness of brown butter with the gentle pine of fresh sage. They’re elegant beside a summer soup like gazpacho, lovely with cheese and olives, and just as good warm from the tin with a sprinkle of sea salt.

Beef carpaccio may have originated in Italy, but it feels equally at home in Canada, where great beef is an integral part of our culinary identity. Thin slices of tender beef, paired with peppery greens, shaved cheese, and a drizzle of dressing, turn simple ingredients into something luxurious. It captures the elegance of Italian dining while showcasing the quality of Canadian beef — proof that restraint and balance can be just as impressive as complexity.

These simple plates remind me of my Aunt Carmel, who always believed the best dishes came from what was fresh and seasonal. Inspired by Italian flavours but adapted for Canadian kitchens, they celebrate the way we eat here: greenhouse tomatoes in spring, melons in summer, or figs in early fall. Fresh mozzarella, basil, and olive oil tie them all together — timeless, elegant, and always seasonal.

The Caesar salad was first tossed together in 1924 by Caesar Cardini, an Italian immigrant in Tijuana, Mexico. What started as a resourceful mix of lettuce, egg, cheese, and croutons quickly spread across North America. In Canada, it became a favourite during the steakhouse boom of the 1950s–60s and never left our tables. This lighter version keeps the bold, garlicky flavour but adds chicken, crisp Parma ham, and eggs to turn it into a meal.

Risotto is the kind of dish that slows you down — demanding patience and rewarding it with creamy, comforting perfection. For me, it carries the memory of crisp Canadian autumns spent mushroom picking, baskets filled with chanterelles or morels, the forest floor alive with colour and scent. Across Canada, mushroom foraging has become both tradition and passion, from BC’s golden chanterelles to Quebec’s prized morels. This dish brings that wild bounty into the kitchen, pairing Italian technique with Canadian harvests for a bowl that feels rustic, seasonal, and deeply comforting.

Bolognese, or ragù alla bolognese, is the heart of Italian comfort cooking — a sauce that rewards patience, slowly simmered until rich, silky, and full of depth. When Italian immigrants arrived in Canada, they brought this tradition with them, adapting it with local beef, pork, and pantry staples. Over time, Bolognese became a family favourite from coast to coast — whether ladled over spaghetti, layered into lasagna, or even spooned onto a baked potato on a snowy Prairie evening. It’s a dish that bridges old-world heritage with Canadian warmth and practicality.

There’s something magical about making pasta from scratch — the feel of the dough under your hands, the rhythm of rolling, and the joy of sealing each little pillow of filling. This version, with sausage, ricotta, and spinach, has the heart of Italian tradition but feels perfectly Canadian when made with artisan ricotta and market-fresh greens. In Toronto’s Little Italy or Montreal’s Jean-Talon Market, dishes like this became part of Canada’s food story, bridging family kitchens and community tables with a sense of both heritage and home.

Golden, crisp on the outside and molten inside, arancini are the ultimate comfort bite. Born in Sicily as a thrifty way to use leftover risotto, they’ve travelled the world — and in Canada, they’ve found a home at kitchens and gatherings where thrift meets indulgence. Stuffed with gooey mozzarella (or even smoky cheddar for a Canadian twist), they’re the kind of dish that turns “leftovers” into something worth celebrating.

Pizza night in Canada is more than dinner — it’s tradition. From Friday nights to birthday parties, homemade pizza means family gathered around the table, kids stretching dough with flour-dusted hands, and everyone claiming a corner or slice with their favourite toppings. While Italian immigrants first brought pizza here, Canadians made it their own — from Ontario’s world-famous Hawaiian invention in 1962 to the bacon-mushroom-pepper “Canadian classic.” It’s a dish that feels homemade, celebratory, and endlessly adaptable.