In part two of the Birrittella's series, acclaimed pizzaiola, Nicole Russell, host of Pizza Wars, shows Appetito magazine's Andrew Cotto how to create a homemade pizza using Birrittella's Pizza Dough.

Homemade Pizza with Birrittella’s

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Prosecco DOC & Digital Detox: The Art of Slowing Down (With a Glass in Hand)

Michele Sessa is an Italian American home chef raised in upstate NY with a flair for creating new recipes. When she was young, her great grandmother would watch her while her parents worked. She only spoke Italian, and they communicated through the magic of cooking. The duo would bake, garden and even take care of the chickens, which developed Michele’s passion for making people happy through her food. All the women in her family fostered the importance of family, faith and healthy food.
Working in the apparel business for over 25 years in NYC and traveling the world for developing fashion lines, her love of different cuisines grew. Of course, Italian food is near and dear to her heart, but she now develops Greek, Asian, Latin and Mexican recipes for her family and for parties.
Now living in Florida with her husband and extended family, she even teaches her friends her innovative takes on Italian classic dishes. Everyone wants and invitation to her Italian Sunday feasts she makes for 8-14 family members, and everyone gets to pick their favorite dinner for their birthday celebration. Her Mother Louise has finally left NY and is living nearby, and they love cooking and baking together, especially for the traditional holiday meals. She learned everything about being a gracious hostess from her mom, and they even catered a large wedding for 65 guests in their backyard when her cousins came to America from Italy to get married!
Michele’s love for her heritage and family continues to drive her knack for entertaining, decorating and cooking. Instagram is another place where she shares her recipes, and she has a great following for her handle <a href="https://www.instagram.com/michele7533/">@michele7533</a>. Make sure to stop by her page for inspiration and her authentic stories through her eyes and her food! Casa Michele’s kitchen is a special place that you can visit through her page!

Michele Sessa

Pasta with Creamy Locatelli Pumpkin Sauce.

Recipes

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SUADELA: Italy’s Finest Wines by its Most Respected Winemakers

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Appetito

Bona Furtuna

Erica D’Arcangelo is an author and creator specializing in Italian and Italian American food culture. Steeped in the vibrant traditions of her family’s business, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/darcspizza">D’Arc’s Pizza</a> (est. 1960), she writes about her culinary travels and heritage across fiction and non-fiction. She is the author of the Amazon #1 best-seller &#8220;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Story-About-Pizza-Erica-DArcangelo/dp/1917116993/">A Story About Pizza</a>,&#8221; the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/stores/Erica-DArcangelo/author/B0D8K62R5B?ccs_id=83ad4e56-afc0-4611-8147-ec7d7f32d3f6">Pietro’s Pizza children&#8217;s series</a>, and the host of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AStoryAboutPizza">The Pizza Story Podcast</a>, where she interviews cultural icons and master pizzaiolos. Her next book, &#8220;My Big Loud Italian Christmas,&#8221; releases in Fall 2026.

Author Erica D'Arcangelo staring at the camera in black and white

Erica D’Arcangelo

Framed black-and-white photograph of Nonna D’Arcangelo working at a table in the shop.

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Part reporter, part pasta enthusiast, and always in search of a good story, the Appetito Editors bring readers the latest happenings in food, travel and Italian culture.

Appetito Editors

Pizza topped with stracciatella, mortadella and pistachios on a peel in front of Aroma’s flaming pizza oven.

News

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Rosa is a New Jersey–based travel content creator and writer whose passion for travel shines through every story she shares. With a focus on discovering destinations through their culinary traditions, she believes food is one of the most authentic ways to experience a place and connect with its culture. Through her writing and content, she inspires others to travel with curiosity, embrace local flavors, and create meaningful experiences around the world. Follow her adventures on social media at <a title="https://www.instagram.com/RosaAlexC" href="https://www.instagram.com/RosaAlexC">@RosaAlexC</a>.

Rosa Castillo

Leafy courtyard with brick arches and peach-colored walls at Kimpton Las Mercedes in Santo Domingo.

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Nicoletta Ricci is an Italian author, recipe developer and food content creator based near Milan. She has contributed to Ora Cucina Magazine and develops and photographs Mediterranean-inspired recipes, with a particular interest in Italian regional traditions, creative home cooking and visual storytelling. She is the co-author of the English-language cookbook Food 4 Real – Create Your Italian Menu. When she is not developing recipes, she loves traveling, discovering local food traditions and, above all, cooking for the people she loves.

Nicoletta Ricci

Close-up of spinach and ricotta gnudi topped with melted cheese and lemon zest in a white baking dish.

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<a href="https://www.sarahhallier.com/">Sarah Campise Hallier</a> is the associate editor of Appetito Magazine and co-founder of <a href="https://www.forkboundfoodies.com/">Forkbound Foodies</a>, where she shares exceptional culinary and travel experiences.
She is also a board member of Poggioreale in America Inc, a nonprofit committed to preserving the history and cultural heritage of Western Sicilians and their diaspora. Featured in Italy Magazine, The Local IT, la Repubblica, and We the Italians, Sarah enjoys covering everything from cultural identity to the evolving Italian-American food experience.
A California girl at heart, when she’s not crafting food, travel and wellness stories, she’s chasing down the best foodie finds on her travels and sharing them at <a title="https://www.instagram.com/foodiesfromca/" href="https://www.instagram.com/forkboundfoodies/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@forkBOUNDfoodies</a>.  Subscribe to her <a href="https://www.sarahhallier.com/about-1">newsletter</a> to keep up to date on the best places to eat, stay and tour.
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Sarah Campise Hallier

Chef Giuseppe Longo at Bellevue in Taormina’s Hotel Metropole. Photo by Patty Schmidt.

Travel

Sea Views and Sicilian Flavors at Taormina’s Hotel Metropole Bellevue 

It was while traversing Italy with a rucksack, a pen and an appetite, from village to village, that I truly obtained an education in “Food &amp; Wine” (though in Italy, if anywhere, this amounts to saying one thing twice over).
I endeavor to write about Italian enogastronomy in a manner reflective of those wines I enjoyed most during these edifying travels—as unfiltered and unfined. No additives. Never pasteurized.

Hymie Dayan

A presenter gestures over a row of wine glasses beside bottles at Vinitaly New York.

Old Country in the New World: Vinitaly in NYC 

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Andrew Cotto and Nicole Russell toast with pizza slices

I am the co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Appetito magazine. I like Italian food &amp; drink, a lot. I am also an award-winning novelist and a regular contributor to the New York Times. More about my work can be found at <a href="https://andrewcotto.com/">Home &#8211; Andrew Cotto</a>.