At TABLE Magazine, we’ve been on the Stanley Tucci train for a while. With the premiere of Searching for Italy, we followed along the best way we know how—by cooking. Each episode became a jumping-off point for pasta recipes inspired by the regions he visited and the stories he experienced while there.

Now, with season two of Tucci in Italy premiering May 11, we’re doing it again. This time, Tucci travels through Naples and Campania, Sicily, Le Marche, Sardinia, and Veneto. Each of these five regions carry different distinct ingredients, techniques, and food traditions.

For each stop, we pair a recipe that connects directly to that region. So when season two drops on National Geographic, Disney+, and Hulu you can join in on the fun by making a recipe for each episode, joining Tucci in his own discoveries.

Recipes for Cooking Through Tucci in Italy Season Two

Naples and Campania – Pasta Fagioli

In Naples and across Campania, Pasta Fagioli is a part of everyday cooking. It comes out of the region’s cucina povera tradition, using beans, pasta, and aromatics to create something filling and practical at a low price. In Naples, it’s often made thicker than a soup and a bit closer to a stew. It’s a dish that’s less about a fixed recipe and more about the method itself. Oh: and the flavor too!

Sicily – Pasta alla Norma

Sicily is home to Pasta alla Norma and you’ll find it all across the region. Eggplant, tomatoes, basil, and ricotta salata form the base, reflecting ingredients that are central to Sicilian agriculture. Even the name is specific to the place. Pasta alla Norma is believed to reference the opera Norma by Vincenzo Bellini, linking the dish back to one of Sicily’s major cultural figures.

Le Marche – Tagliatelle al Ragù

In Le Marche, fresh egg pasta is a defining part of the food culture. In turn, tagliatelle is one of the most common shapes. It’s typically paired with a ragù that comes from beef and San Marzano tomatoes as well as a slow cooking technique. It’s a straightforward combination that reflects how central pasta-making is to the region.

Sardinia – Lemon and Fregula Chicken Soup

Sardinia is where fregula, a small, toasted pasta, originates. This pasta’s texture and flavor come from the toasting process, which gives it a slightly nutty taste. You’ll see fregula in soups or alongside seafood like mussels and fish, tying it back to Sardinia’s geography as an Italian island in the Mediterranean Sea.

Veneto – Sarde in Saor

In Veneto, Sarde in Saor is a traditional dish with roots in Venice. Sardines are paired with onions, vinegar, and raisins, a combination that reflects Venice’s long history as a trading center because it draws upon flavor influences from the Eastern Mediterranean. Originally used as a way to preserve fish, the dish remains a part of the region’s standard cooking repertoire.

Story by Kylie Thomas

Subscribe to TABLE Magazine‘s print edition.