Josie + Nina | Modern Italian Recipes that Work

Long white platter with black spoon serving caramelized zucchini with ricotta and basil.

30 Minute Caramelized Zucchini Pasta with Lemon and Ricotta

pizza with whole mushrooms and cheese on a white plate.

Chicago Pizza Pot Pie Recipe

a bowl of bucatini with lemon garlic sauce topped with parmesan and lemon breadcrumbs on a tiled marble background with a serving pan of pasta and a bottle of wine, wineglass and a bowl of toasted breadcrumbs and sprinkling of crushed red pepper.

Easy Lemon Garlic Pasta with Zesty Breadcrumbs

a white bowl with ravioli and tomato sauce and a white fork.

45 Minute Tomato Sauce with Butter and Onion (Marcella Hazan’s recipe)

COOKING SCHOOL

HOMEMADE RAVIOLI

Gather family and friends and make homemade ravioli with this easy dough recipe and filling ideas too!

More Ravioli

a fork with a bite of meat ravioli with red sauce and fresh basil

How to Make Italian Beef Ravioli, Step by Step

close up of a butternut squash ravioli cut in half with sage on a white plate.

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli (Filling) with Browned Butter Sage Sauce

black dish with tomato sauce covered cheese ravioli and fresh basil leaves.

Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese Ravioli Filling (no egg)

Pasta pizza sauces 30 min dishes

woman in a red shirt cutting pizza smiling.

MEET LORI

Hey there! So happy you’re here! Josie + Nina was named in honor of my two Italian grandmothers who made putting food on the table look easy every day. Through this site, I hope to help you do the same thing but with a fresh, modern perspective, lots of Midwestern hospitality, and flexibility for where you are in your life.

Welcome to my table…there’s always room for more!

My Favorites

stackd brie grilled cheese sandwiches with fig jam on parchment

Creamy Brie Grilled Cheese with Fig Jam and Prosciutto

Baked finished white pizza topped with fresh julienned basil on a wooden pizza peel.

Crispy White Pizza with Ricotta and Asiago

white serving dish of cooked farro with chopped dates, pancetta dressing and kale

Warm Farro Salad with Kale, Roasted Sweet Potato and Dates

Pull up a chair! There’s always room for more …Good food and friends!

Appetizers

Pizza

Salads

Pasta

white oval baking dish with boneless pork roast ready for roasting with fresh rosemary nearby.

Mains

Dessert

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Learn how to cook like an Italian!

Sign up and receive my Italian Pantry Essentials Checklist to help stock your kitchen and you’ll be cooking like an Italian in no time!

Let’s make…

Dinner
COMFORT FOOD
PARTY DISHES
MEATBALLS
DESSERTS

stackd brie grilled cheese sandwiches with fig jam on parchment

Sandwiches & Wraps

Creamy Brie Grilled Cheese with Fig Jam and Prosciutto

large skillet of sun-dried tomato pasta with a serving fork sprinkled with fresh basil and parmesan cheese.

Pasta

One Pan Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta

sliced boneless pork roast fanned on a wooden cutting board with a knife.

Main Dishes

Family Favorite Boneless Pork Roast

stacked rolls of eggplant rollatini on scalloped white plate

Main Dishes

Vegetarian Eggplant Rollatini with Spinach

a fork with a bite of meat ravioli with red sauce and fresh basil

Pasta

How to Make Italian Beef Ravioli, Step by Step

close up of a butternut squash ravioli cut in half with sage on a white plate.

Pasta

Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli (Filling) with Browned Butter Sage Sauce

Close up of two baked ricotta cheese manicotti topped with meat sauce

Pasta

Baked Ground Beef and Ricotta Crepe Manicotti (Crespelle)

a finished white pot of meatballs cooking in sauce

Meatballs

Grandma’s Meatballs Cooked in Sauce

Close up of two baked ricotta cheese manicotti topped with meat sauce

Pasta

Baked Ground Beef and Ricotta Crepe Manicotti (Crespelle)

full Philly tomato pie in a sheet pan with bowl of parmesan cheese and spoon

Breads | Pizza

Sheet Pan Philly Tomato Pie

hand dipping bread into baked reuben dip

Appetizers & Snacks

Baked Reuben Dip Recipe with Everything Bagel Seasoning

beef tenderloin sandwich with arugula and horseradish sauce on a gray slate board.

Main Dishes | Sandwiches & Wraps

Beef Tenderloin Sliders

close up of fork cutting a chicken meatball in tomato sauce on a black plate.

Meatballs

Juicy Ground Chicken Italian Meatballs

close up of skillet of meatballs Alfredo topped with parsley and parmesan.

Meatballs

Tender Italian Meatballs in Alfredo Sauce

Finished baked pan of meatball lasagna uncut

Meatballs | Pasta

Small Batch Meatball Lasagna with Ground Beef and Pork

a finished white pot of meatballs cooking in sauce

Meatballs

Grandma’s Meatballs Cooked in Sauce

Wine glass of Italian iced coffee on a white marble counter.

Desserts

Super Foamy Italian Shakerato Iced Coffee

finished glass of amaretto coffee with demerara sugar topping.

Desserts

Creamy Brown Sugar Amaretto Coffee

two marshmallow and chocolate cookies on a white plate with some chocolate drizzle

Cookies

S’mores Cookie Recipe

triangle piece of peanut butter pie on a white plate with ganache, pretzels and candy on top

Bars & Brownies | Cookies

Peanut Butter Pretzel Bars

All the Latest

Baked shallot and basil tomato tart on sheet pan with bowl of dressing nearby.

Pizza

Simple Heirloom Tomato Tart with Puff Pastry

white bowl containing sauteed zucchini with lemon wedges and a black spoon sitting on a white napkin with skinny black lines.

Side Dishes

Super Quick Sauteed Zucchini with Lemon and Garlic

side view of sauteed, basil-garnished, eggplant in a white bowl on a white background.

Side Dishes

10 Minute Sauteed Eggplant with Balsamic Vinegar

Hand behind lasagna dough sheet in front of window

Pasta

Step-by Step Guide to Fresh Lasagna Noodles

More LATEST RECIPES…

LEARN HOW TO MAKE

Pasta from Scratch

Making homemade pasta is easy with some simple tips and tools.

Try it:

Finished baked pan of meatball lasagna uncut

Small Batch Meatball Lasagna with Ground Beef and Pork

Long white platter with black spoon serving caramelized zucchini with ricotta and basil.

30 Minute Caramelized Zucchini Pasta with Lemon and Ricotta

a bowl of bucatini with lemon garlic sauce topped with parmesan and lemon breadcrumbs on a tiled marble background with a serving pan of pasta and a bottle of wine, wineglass and a bowl of toasted breadcrumbs and sprinkling of crushed red pepper.

Easy Lemon Garlic Pasta with Zesty Breadcrumbs

Italian Classics

two bowls of pasta with tomato sauce and bowl of meatballs and cheese.

Red Pasta Sauce with San Marzano Tomatoes

piece of cheese lasagna on a white plate cropped

Authentic Italian Lasagna with Ricotta

blue plate with fettucine alfredo and basil sprinkled on the plate with a spoon of parmesan, a bowl of cheese and blue polka dot salt and pepper shakers.

Butter and Cream Sauce

halves of vodka sauce pizza with pepperoni and burrat on a black board

Vodka Sauce Pizza with Charred Pepperoni and Burrata

As Seen In

FAVORITE DINNER RECIPES

Hand behind lasagna dough sheet in front of window

Pasta

Step-by Step Guide to Fresh Lasagna Noodles

partially grilled boneless chicken breasts on grilling grates.

Main Dishes

30 Minute Brined Boneless Chicken Breasts on the Grill

wooden bowl of lemon pesto with wooden spoon.

No Cook Simple Lemon Pesto Sauce for Pasta

Rich Flavored Tagliatelle Bolognese Sauce with Cream

Rich Flavored Tagliatelle Bolognese Sauce with Cream

COZY SOUP RECIPES

green floral bowl with chicken soup and spoon

30 Minute Chicken Pastina Soup

light blue scalloped plate with a dark blue ramken filled with tomato soup and a cheese crisp.

Creamy Tomato Soup from Canned Tomatoes

white pot of chicken and dumplings sprinkled with parsley and some parmesan cheese.

Chicken and Ricotta Dumpling Soup

stockpot of tortellini soup with two white serving bowls of soup with spoons in them.

Pasta | Soups & Chilis

Turkey Tortellini Soup

Gathering Dishes

two gratins of baked macaroni and cheese on a sheet pan.

Four Cheese Baked Mac and Cheese with Garlic Breadcrumbs

baked goat cheese and tomatoes in a skillet with a wooden paddle.

Baked Goat Cheese Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes

overhead shot of a full pan of baked ziti with bowl and spoon of parmesan cheese nearby

5 Cheese Baked Ziti al Forno (no meat!)

piece of cheese lasagna on a white plate cropped

Authentic Italian Lasagna with Ricotta