Ciao Italia

Mary Ann travels to Ellis Island National Park to retrace the footsteps of her immigrant Italian grandparents.

Mary Ann cooks with her friend Maria Iapichino in her summer kitchen that overlooks the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea near Cefalu, Sicily.

Mary Ann and her friends, Donna, Ruth, and Connie, race against the clock to create an Italian wedding "cookie cake" as a gift to celebrate the marriage of two good friends.

Mary Ann visits the New York Academy of Medicine's collection of rare Italian cookbooks.

Mary Ann spends the day in a California forest with professional mushroom gatherer, Connie Green, in search of the elusive porcino mushroom, beloved by Italian cooks.

Mary Ann visits good friend Lorenza Iori at her home in Reggio Emilia for Sunday dinner.

Mary Ann travels to the Robert Pepi Winery in Napa, California to visit vintner, Marco Di Giulio who shows her how they make San Giovese wine just like they do in Italy.

Peter Scognamillo is one great baker and he's just a kid!

Father Jonathan DeFelice is a college president who loves to cook.

Chef, cookbook author and radio talk show personality Arthur Schwartz, leaves his New York City microphone to travel to Mary Ann's kitchen where they prepare a bountiful Neapolitan meal together starting with Zucchini "Pyramids", then a Cod Fish and Potato Casserole to warm your soul and a finally a dessert called Baba to soothe your sweet tooth.

The crowned king of cheese is featured when food educator Nancy Radke joins Mary Ann nella cucina to create a table filled with delicious antipasti featuring Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Prosciutto di Parma ham, starting with Prosciutto di Parma Wrapped Fruit with Parmigiano Reggiano, Parmesan Cheese and Almond Wafers, and Spicy Fava Bean Spread.

Mary Ann's in a meatball mood and creates Polpette Toscane (Tuscan Meatballs) that calls for meat, mushrooms, parsley and - surprise - deep-frying.

Mary Ann visits good friend and great cook, Maria Pia in the land of the leaning tower - Pisa, Italy.

There are cakes and there are CAKES. Paul and Anna Ciramitaro of Caffe Sicilia in Gloucester, Massachusetts, prepare an eye-popping Cassata guaranteed to satisfy the sweetest of sweet teeth.

Mary Ann invites good friend, Dr. Kenneth Ciongoli nella cucina and together they prepare favorite foods they serve when having friends over for dinner.

Mary Ann visits Silvia and Anna Imperato, two dynamic sisters in Montevetrano, Italy.

It isn't a holiday unless you're eating Torrone, a nut-filled, nougat candy that's hell on earth when it's not made right, but heaven on earth when it is.

Pastry baker and cookbook author, Jim Dodge, brings his talents -- and almonds -- nella cucina to create his famous Almond Lemon Torta with Strawberries.

Mary Ann returns to Azienda di Majo in Italy where vintner Alessio di Majo gives her quick tour of his farm's thousand acre field that's filled with tens of thousands of asparagus spears ready for harvest.

Public television celebrity Chef Martin Yan joins Mary Ann nella cucina in a salute to rice.

The medieval town of Gubbio, Italy is the site of Taverna del Lupo, the signature restaurant of master chef and hotel owner Rudolfo Mencarelli who prepares an elegant guinea hen dish with Mary Ann which inspires her to go nella cucina and add to the feast by creating a traditional Umbrian Spiedo Misto (Mixed Grill) of meat, poultry and pork perfect for the grill or right in the broiler.

Food writer and book author Laura Schenone brings a unique Ligurian recipe to Mary Ann's kitchen, where together they prepare delicate pasta wafers called Corzetti served in a delicate garlic and olive oil sauce.

Mary Ann takes to the stage before a live audience with FoodTV Celebrity chef Robert Irvine and pastry wizard Chef Lynn Mansel to create an autumn-themed program.

Mayor of Boston, the late (and great) Thomas M. Menino and Mary Ann celebrate their Italian American heritage by preparing a Christmas Eve banquet called "The Feast of the Seven Fishes.

Good friend an attorney Ciro Poppiti visits Mary Ann nella cucina, with an ample supply of freshly made ricotta.

It's Sunday when Mary Ann visits Christina and Carla Pallotta, two sisters who are the driving force behind Nebo Restaurant in Boston, MA, where they're preparing their mom's favorite recipes for visiting friends.

Seafood Super Chef Jasper White brings enough freshly-caught clams to make two fantastic dishes, starting with Mary Ann's Spaghetti with Clams and ending with Jasper's unique and unforgettable, Clams Minestrone - yes, you heard right.

Mary Ann travels to La Sosta del Rosselino, a small restaurant near Florence, Italy to discover the secret of chef/owner Damiano's signature Potato gnocchi; simple to make, soft as clouds, drifting in a butter sauce and utterly unforgettable.

When life hands Mary Ann lemons, she doesn't make lemonade, she makes a luxurious Sicilian Almond Lemon Cake instead, that comes from the heart and soul of Sicily; the home of fantastic citrus fruit, and Mary Ann's ancestral home as well, in Caltanissetta.

Mary Ann takes inspiration from the region of Molise to create a crispy, double-crust Focaccia stuffed with escarole and Pecorino Romano cheese, guaranteed to satisfy the heartiest of appetites.

Mary Ann says, don't be chicken when it comes to making your own Homemade Chicken Broth.

Gelato genius and entrepreneur owner Morgan Morano invites Mary Ann to her popular Boston gelateria to show the secrets behind her gelato made with a Sicilian twist, from vivacious vanilla to paradisiacal pistachio, and all sorts of flavors in between.

Mary Ann features Canederli with Speck, a fantastic dumpling-like recipe from the little-known Italian region of Trentino Aldo Adige.

The higher you climb the hungrier you get. The mountains of Friuli Venezia Giulia region make you hungry for a plateful of deep-fried Cheese Fritters filled with crisp prosciutto di Parma and Montasio cheese.

Mary Ann sends artichokes to new heights by stuffing them with farro, chopped parsley, mint, and lots of pecorino Romano cheese.

The only thing more beautiful than a Jersey cow is the milk she gives to make fresh Mozzarella and buttery, curd-filled Burrata cheese.

Mary Ann tracks down the tallest pasta you've ever seen to prepare an authentic recipe from the region of Basilicata; Eggplant with Candle Pasta.

Often lost in the shadow of Tuscany, much is hidden in Umbria, the "Green Jewel" of Italy, especially this region's wonderful recipes.

The region of Emilia Romagna is the "go to" region for some of the best comfort food in Italy.

Founder of "Tuscan Brands" and entrepreneur par excellence Joe Faro shows Mary Ann the ins and outs of one of his Italy-themed "Tuscan Markets" An accomplished cook in his own right, and Mary Ann joining in the adventure, Joe uses succulent chunks of fresh-caught and steamed Maine lobster to create one of his Tuscan Restaurant's signature dish, Lobster Ravioli in Butter Sauce.

An Ascolana olive is just an olive, until Mary Ann gives it the Marche regional touch by stuffing it with a savory combination of ground beef and pork, combined with chopped walnuts, thyme and lemon zest.

It's summertime at Mary Ann's, and time to head outdoors to do some serious grilling, starting with Grilled Chicken with Herbs, surrounded on all sides by clever Grilled Veggie Kabobs, of zucchini, onions, and red and yellow peppers.

Mary Ann heads to Guy's Garden to harvest a whopping-huge handful of aromatic basil leaves for making pesto in her marble mortar and pestle, using olive oil, pine nuts and a LOT of elbow grease.

Patti Fortuna-Stannard of Fortuna Sausage Company invites Mary Ann to her kitchen for a salami party that includes Patti's salumi and sausage family-favorite, Casalinga with Fettucine.

Sardinia is home to a deep-fried, honey-drizzled, ravioli-like delight called Sebadas.

The deep, dark forest surrenders its mushroom secrets to Mary Ann, when Dennis Chesley of NH Mushroom Company takes her to many of his hideaway havens to harvest a host of fungi for a brace of recipes.

The secret to Sunday Sauce is the sauce, of course, and Mary Ann starts hers off with garden-fresh plum tomatoes, planted, weeded, and harvested from Guy's garden.

You can't beat shaping pasta by hand, unless you're making curvy, twisting, tricky-to-shape cavatelli (little caves) from Puglia, and are lucky enough to have a crazy-looking machine that cranks them by the dozens.

If music be the food of life, play on, and Mary Ann does just that with her grandmother's wire-stringed Chittara, that makes music - and short work - of freshly-rolled sheets of pasta, transforming them into fabulous spaghetti.

Sicilian-born, Rose Faro knows a thing or two about her native, Catania cooking, and invites Mary Ann to her home kitchen where they prepare a family feast, starting with Asparagus Fritters, then a hearty Sicilian Eggplant Parmesan, and finish things off with creating the main course of Oven-Roasted Lamb Stew.

Mary Ann chooses the little known Val d'Aosta region of Italy to create one of its classic dishes, Beef Stew with Polenta.

Mary Ann's "on the wave" with her Venetian seafood extravaganza of calamari, clams, and scallops, seared and baked to a golden-brown, then zested with lemon and fresh parsley; perfect for the Risotto she stirs up until it becomes a creamy "wave" of al dente rice that's ready for the many gifts from the sea.

Bring your appetite to Mary Ann's full course meal inspired by Lombarda favorites, starting with a "primo" of Tomato Risotto made with Guy's Garden-fresh tomatoes.

Beloved children's book author and artist, Tomie dePaolo invites Mary Ann to his studio to choose a favorite recipe of one of his most famous characters, "Strega Nona.

East meets West when Mary Ann prepares an Italianized version of this classic Asian vegetable by making Bok Choy with Speck Alto Adige and Asiago Cheese.

Mary Ann reels in the perfect recipe for Neapolitan Fish Soup, chock full of clams, squid, scallops, shrimp, tomatoes and much, much more.

Mary Ann "deconstructs" the classic cannoli into a deep-fried saucer-shaped circle that she stacks three-high, and pipes in a chocolaty, cinnamon-toasty, pistachio nut-packed, fresh ricotta filling.

Chowder isn't chowder when Francesca Marconi makes it at Geno's Chowder and Sandwich \shop in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

What's pasta without tomato sauce? Fantastic, providing you're making the classic Neapolitan Meat and Onion Sauce.

When Renee Plummer makes Sunday Supper at her house, the whole family shows up-and not just the immediate one.

Mary Ann harvests a bountiful lettuce crop from her husband Gaetano's garden.

Mary Ann re-creates a traditional Sicilian pasta recipe called Pasta Trapanese.

Mary Ann heads to Alto Adige, the northernmost region of Italy to recreate some unique spaetzle (dumpling) recipes unique to this area, including a bright, spring-green, nutmeg-sprinkled Spinach Spaetzle tossed in a sauteed onion and speck sauce.

Mary Ann elevates the humble potato to celestial heights when she combines them with beans, carrots, onion, garlic, and zucchini and bakes them into a hearty Ligurian Potato Loaf.

Shhhh.... Mary Ann's got a secret that she's about to reveal that gives Modica's Chocolate Cookies their unforgettable taste.

Executive Chef Paolo Laboa shares his favorite Ligurian regional recipes with Mary Ann at Solo Italiano Restaurant in Portland, Maine.

Mary Ann picks tender artichokes from Guy's garden, then goes nella cucina to create Neapolitan Stuffed Artichokes, with a hearty filling of Fior di Latte cheese, pecorino cheese, anchovies and lemon zest.

The mimosa tree with its bright yellow flowers is the symbol for International Women's Day celebrated around the world on March 8th.

Nothing beats homemade... especially when Mary Ann shows how to make delicate, rich-tasting Mascarpone cheese This versatile soft cheese pairs perfectly with many recipes, including Mary Ann's light-as-a-cloud Mascarpone and Blackberry Cake, and her unforgettable Mascarpone and Plum Sundae.

Chef/owner Jay Curzio invites Mary Ann to visit White Apron's busy catering kitchen to help him prepare his fork-tender, falling-off-the-bone, rich and hearty Osso Buco with Polenta.

Mary Ann harvests a happy crop of tomatoes in Guy's Garden, then goes nella cucina to prepare two of her favorite recipes, starting with Tomato Gratin; a hearty medley of cheese-melty bread cubes and cherry tomatoes baked to perfection.

Mary Ann adds to the endless ways you can enjoy shrimp by opening a bottle of fizzy Peroni beer to create Shrimp with Beer.

A memorable meal is yours for the making, when Mary Ann combines a cavalcade of fresh thyme and tarragon, and chickpeas and lemon juice for her Tuna-Stuffed Red Peppers.

Mary Ann captures the unique cuisine of Sicily by preparing three classic recipes, starting with an appetizer, Roasted Squash Salad.

Seafood super chef Jasper White invites Mary Ann to lend a hand preparing two of his signature dishes; Golden yellow Fettucine with Mussels, Saffron, and Cherry Tomatoes, followed by crispy, crunchy Almond-Crusted Fish.

Pizza dough takes on new meaning when Mary Ann layers it with tomato sauce and sliced caciocavallo cheese, then folds it.

Restaurant co-owner and chef Ryan (RJ) Joyce has come a long way from washing dishes in the Ciao Italia television studio twenty years ago.

Mary Ann champions the humble cauliflower by showing creative ways to change it from ho-hum to Wow!

Cheese is more than cheese when it's Burrata. This fist-sized nugget of fresh mozzarella filled with cheese shreds and rich cream is the starting point for Mary Ann's kitchen creations.

Mary Ann rolls out the red carpet when she rolls up her favorite Stuffed Veal Rolls, Sicilian Style.

Mary Ann sets sail for seafood shores and reels in three easy-to prepare and great to eat recipes: Fish Chowder, Scallops with Spinach and heads to the oven with a casserole dish filled with the makings of Baked Fish with Lemon and Olives that's a breeze to make and a joy to serve.

Simple is best. As proof, Mary Ann's recipe for Tuscany-inspired Prato Almond Cake is as simple to prepare as it is delicious to eat.

Mary Ann goes back in time to prepare a childhood favorite: Nonna Galasso's Fried Ricotta with Salad Tomatoes on Crostini.

Mary Ann travels to Tuscany to cook with Chef Michele Rabazzi, who takes the humble tomato and a loaf of classic Tuscan bread and turns them into the peasant-simple but deeply satisfying Pappa al Pomodoro.

Say what? Cauliflower Crust Pizza? Mary Ann does more than say it, she makes her deeply satisfying, low-cal classic.

Nothing better than generous squares of fresh pasta "Handkerchiefs" tossed with a classic Ligurian Pesto Sauce.

Mary Ann prepares a luxurious Lamb Ragu to fill equally luxurious, freshly made Cannelloni.

Mary Ann travels to cold waters off the Gulf of Maine to reap the harvest of Gary Moretti's Bangs Island Mussels.

You haven't lived until you've enjoyed Mary Ann's Neapolitan Style Stuffed Red Peppers.

Tuna takes a creative turn when Mary Ann prepares Tuna Meatballs with Caponata, protein-rich fish topped with tangy Sicilian caponata.

Mary Ann takes to the streets to enjoy one of Sicily's favorites: Panzerotti Palermitani, freshly made dough, stuffed with mozzarella "pearls" and tomato sauce, shaped like a turnover and then fried to a golden crisp.

Don't know what to do with all that zucchini from the garden? Mary Ann begins by creating a rich and distinctive Fig and Zucchini Bread.

Mary Ann visits her good friend, Executive Chef Michele Rabazzi, whose homemade pasta technique is a wonder to behold.

A dessert treat as only the Sicilians could dream up, Mary Ann duplicates these cannoli-like delicacies by first baking them crisp in the oven, coating them with crushed pistachios then filling them with a generous swoosh of sweet ricotta.

And Mary Ann means EVERYONE, as she and her young assistant, Calliope, prepare multipurpose doughs that deliver a mountain of different vanilla and chocolate biscotti combinations, some filled with diced, dried fruit, others with slivered almonds.

Italians love lemons. Mary Ann puts them through the paces, starting with a zesty Naples seaside pasta treat, Spaghetti Procida.

Chicken's the star of this episode, when Mary Ann creates a smoky-rich Chicken with Speck Alto Adige.

Mary Ann and good friend Chef Eddie Payne showcase how focaccia feeds the multitudes.

Krazy for Kale? Mary Ann is, when she creates Farfalle with Kale Sauce; as colorful to look at as it is wonderful to taste.

Savory, not sweet is Mary Ann's Farro Cake. Fiber-packed, whole-grain cooked farro mixed with parsley, sage no rosemary, sorry and thyme makes for an herb-infused treat.