Marina Filippelli: on memories of food and famiglia

Marina Filippelli is a food stylist, writer and editor. When her family moved from Brazil to Rome, she began a lifelong love affair with Italian cooking. Here, she reflects on her memories of food and community, sharing three of her favourite pasta recipes and the stories behind them.

“So many of my memories of living in Rome revolve around food and shared meals, that when lockdown was announced, I really worried about how people would cope with not being able to stroll to their local trattoria or head over to nonna’s for Sunday lunch. But what I’d forgotten is how inventive and resourceful Italians can be. In a country where every occasion is an opportunity to grab a bite together, it was no surprise to hear of friends and my husband’s family in Italy sharing Zoom meals, where everyone cooked the same dish from the safety of their own homes and ate together, while chatting to the squares on their screens. Italians are nothing if not dedicated to the cause of eating well in good company.” – Marina Filippelli