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I'm Melissa!

A Food Network chef + mama obsessed with travel, and mouth watering food. I also own a gorgeous cooking school in Italy. My mission? To share the secrets of La Dolce Vita so you can create a healthy, beautiful, delicious life filled with joy!

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I am obsessed with the tomatoes you get in Italy. They are like sweet little spoon fulls of sugar and there are so many varieties. Ripe and juicy they taste better than candy.

I like to make my marinara sauce by first roasting them in the oven with a generous glug of olive oil and some garlic cloves. I also always add a little brown sugar. It helps balance the acids in the tomatoes so try this trick next time you cook tomatoes.

Depending on what herbs I have on hand I will add basil, thyme, oregano, and rosemary to take it to the next level.

I cook them till they are golden and caramelized and all the sugars come to the surface. And then I pulse them in the food processor and leave it chunky if I am making pasta sauce or I puree it if I need it for my pizzas.

If I don’t have time to roast them from scratch then I use canned tomatoes and tomato paste.

Here are my favorites

POMI CHOPPED TOMATOES

CENTO SAN MARZANO CHOPPED TOMATOES

MUTTI PASSATA FOR PIZZAS

SAN MARZANO TOMATOES

MUTTI TOMATO PASTE

What is your favorite way to eat tomatoes? And don’t forget to send me an email if you have any questions. Buon Appetito.

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I'm Melissa, your host & tour guide.

A Food Network chef, author, mamma, eternal optimist, wannabe-mermaid, spice mixologist, and “dough therapist” (yep, it’s a thing)—

I'm also the founder of Susina Cucina, the gorgeous, Italian cooking school I manifested into my reality. I’m obsessed with Aperol spritzes, travel, and mouthwatering food… especially pizza and pasta.

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The Magic of Italy
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Explore

Food Netwok Chef, Melissa is dishing up delicious food and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your soul.

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