Coastal Italian Recipes

Hey I'm Coley!

Hey! I'm Nicole Gaffney, but my friends all call me Coley and you should too. I grew up at the Jersey shore in a big family of Sicilian fishermen and I'm passionate about all things Italian and seafood. As a professionally trained chef, it's my mission to share my best tips and tricks to help you cook incredible food for the people you love.

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Italian Recipes

Browse my collection of traditional Italian recipes and modern twists on the classics

Seafood Recipes

Browse my collection of seafood recipes

Featured Recipe

Spaghetti Alla Nerano (Zucchini Spaghetti)

A traditional recipe from the Amalfi Coast that's sooo delicious and only requires 8 ingredients (including salt and pepper)!

Spaghetti Alla Nerano

A close-up of spaghetti alla Nerano being twirled with tongs and a serving spoon in a stainless steel skillet. The creamy sauce clings to the pasta, with flecks of golden zucchini and fresh basil leaves visible throughout.

Italian Favorites

Finished eggs in purgatory in gray skillet with sliced rustic bread on wooden board, chopped basil and crumbled goat cheese in small bowls.

Eggs in Purgatory Recipe (Eggs with Tomato Sauce)

Golden, square-cut chickpea fritters (panelle) sprinkled with flaky sea salt, arranged on a white ridged plate with lemon wedges on the side.

Panelle (Sicilian Chickpea Fritters)

overhead shot of a bowl of pasta with clam sauce

Linguine Vongole (Linguine with Clam Sauce)

A serving bowl of caponata with raisins and pine nuts.

The Best Sicilian Eggplant Caponata

Overhead shot of a white plate with meatballs, a scoop of ricotta, fresh basil and a glass of red wine.

Authentic Italian Meatballs

A pot of homemade marinara sauce with a wooden spoon and sprig of basil.

Homemade Marinara Sauce

A freshly baked Neapolitan style pizza.

Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe

A pot of assorted meats cooking in red sauce.

The Best Authentic Italian Sunday Gravy (Sugo)

Seafood Classics

Rare seared tuna sliced on a plate with an herb sauce.

Seared Tuna Steaks

Breaded flounder francaise arranged over lemon slices on a white serving dish, topped with lemony butter sauce and fresh parsley.

The Best Flounder Francaise Recipe

Close-up of fried scallops showing their crisp golden coating with lemon slices in the background.

Panko Fried Scallops

overhead shot of a platter with crab cakes and lemon wedges on top

Maryland Crab Cakes

A close up of opened clams in a bowl of clam chowder.

The Best Clam Chowder

Close up of a pile of steamed crabs and corn on the cob.

Steamed Maryland Blue Crabs

A white bowl with bright orange lobster soup with a lobster tail and chives on top.

Classic Creamy Lobster Bisque

A large pot of San Francisco cioppino with a large serving spoon.

San Francisco Cioppino: Easy Authentic Seafood Stew

Trending Recipes

A large platter filled with Clams Casino arranged over arugula with a striped towel in the background.

Clams Casino

Zoomed-in view of cherry tomato confit packed in a glass jar with basil and oil.

Cherry Tomato Confit

Spiced, cooked shrimp drained and cooling in a glass bowl with bay leaves and lemon wedges.

Easy Peel and Eat Shrimp

A plate of pasta with pistachio pesto.

Pistachio Pesto

Close-up shot of a dark ceramic bowl filled with roasted red pepper strips marinated with olive oil, garlic, and herbs, with a fork resting inside the bowl.

Marinated Roasted Red Peppers

An overhead view of golden-brown, triangular panko-crusted fish fillets on parchment paper. The crispy coating has a rich amber color with darker spots where it's most deeply fried. Lemon wedges are placed around the fish, with sweet potato fries visible at the bottom of the frame and a small portion of coleslaw with purple cabbage visible in the upper left corner.

Panko Crusted Fried Fish

Finished Tuscan kale and beans dish served in a large skillet, with toasted bread slices and garlic cloves on a wooden board alongside. A metal spoon rests in the skillet, showing the moist, saucy consistency of the greens and beans.

Italian Beans and Greens Recipe

A blue plate with a slice of peach pie and a scoop of vanilla ice cream with a fork.

Homemade Peach Pie

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