In this recipe batch, we’re cooking up four recipes pulled from the dreams of Imma Tatarrani. In season 1, episode 6, she lays down therapy-style on the office couch of her Chief Prosecutor and recounts that “For the past few days, I’ve dreamed of something that torments me. I cook the whole morning to make a delicious meal for my husband and myself.” She goes on to describe a comprehensive list of dishes that they stuffed theirselves with. While Pietro is knocked out in a food coma on the couch, she quietly sneaks off to the refrigerator to devour everything else before being caught red-handed by her neighbor.

One of these dishes that you might not be familiar with is “lampascioni fritti”. Lampascioni are grape hyacinth bulbs, traditionally found only in southern Italian cooking. In the regions of Basilicata, Puglia and Calabria, you’ll find lampascioni in the outdoor markets, alimentari delis, or served fried for an aperitivo snack in a homestyle trattoria.

Since lampascioni are an extremely regional ingredient, unfortunately, they can be very difficult to source. We’ve made some adjustments to make this recipe a bit more internationally-friendly by using a pickled version. These “lampascioni sott’olio” have been preserved and sold in a jar along with oil (usually a mild vegetable/seed oil), garlic and chili pepper that you can more easily order online or possibly find in a specialty Italian grocery store. As a last resort, try substituting the lampascioni with tiny peeled cipollini pearl onions.

If you’ll be using the pickled version, a sprinkle of flakey sea salt will be enough to finish off this antipasto dish. When using fresh pearl onions, maybe add a squeeze of lemon and a sprinkle of salt after they are done frying. Traditionally the lampascioni fritti you’ll find in Italy will be made with fresh bulbs, not the preserved ones.