There is just something about Italy and snacking, and Giada De Laurentiis completely understands that. The cookbook author, TV host, and restaurateur has made a career out of sharing her passion for Italian cuisine, something she was steeped in from an early age. Despite settling in the United States and rising to fame here, she was born in Rome and spent her early childhood there before moving with her showbiz family to Los Angeles when she was seven. She cut her teeth as a professional at one of the most famous restaurants in America, Wolfgang Puck’s Spago, a Los Angeles institution, but her own personal taste has always emphasized the homey, more simple side of Italian cooking. And her favorite childhood snack from her early life in Rome is about as simple as it gets.
In a post with her daughter on Instagram, De Laurentiis talks about the Italian tradition of “le merenda,” which is essentially an after-school snack. And while her daughter spread hazelnut on toast, De Laurentiis reveals that her favorite as a child was just a small plate of ricotta cheese dusted with sugar and cocoa powder. And while you might think that gets spread over some toast itself, it’s not even that complicated, as De Laurentiis just eats it straight with a spoon. It epitomizes the Italian attitude towards food — that it’s all about eating the freshest, highest-quality versions of things and letting them shine.
How to enjoy and upgrade Giada De Laurentiis’ snack
If you want to try Giada De Laurentiis snack yourself, it won’t require any effort at all. Finding yourself some good quality fresh ricotta might be the hardest part, as ricotta cheese from most grocery stores is mediocre at best. The use of sugar and cocoa powder are going to be to taste. De Laurentiis uses a spoon to dust what looks like about a tablespoon of both sugar and cocoa powder over the cheese, although she adds some more sugar and admits that she used to use a lot more when growing up. While she just eats this straight, we do think it would also be great over some crusty toast. And while her daughter enjoys some fresh berries with her Nutella toast, some fresh fruit with sweet ricotta is another Italian classic.
Even if you don’t like the sound of De Laurentiis’ snack, you can still embrace the spirit of Italian le merenda with similar simple snacks. It can be as simple as some biscotti for dipping, but there are other quick-to-make recipes similar to De Laurentiis’, like zabaglione al caffé, where egg yolks are beaten with sugar and coffee to make a sweet dipping custard for bread or cookies. While we should all give De Laurentiis’ childhood favorite a try, le merenda is more about the moment than anything, and finding the time to enjoy the simple pleasures around us.
