Cucina by Elena is a food blog for simple, high-quality, and flavorful Italian recipes (+ more). Whether you’re looking for an easy weeknight meal, a nostalgic family dish, or a stunning dessert, my recipes are made to be approachable, delicious, packed with real ingredients, and full of love. If you believe in the power of simple recipes that connect, comfort, and inspire, you’re in the right place!
I want to make mealtime easier by sharing wholesome, nourishing, and family-friendly recipes that bring comfort and joy to your table!All my recipes include step-by-step photos and fuss-free instructions that help you achieve incredible cooking and baking results every time.
— Made with amore, Elena
About Elena Davis
I’m Elena, an Italian-born food blogger, recipe developer, and storyteller passionate about teaching others how to create simple, flavorful Italian (+ more) meals. You’ll be surprised at how good-for-you Italian food is when made the authentic Italian way.
Raised in Italy and the U.S.A., I grew up in a home where food was love, and every meal was a chance to connect. Now, as a wife and mother of three, I understand the rhythm of busy lives and how important it is to have delicious, approachable recipes that fit into the pulse of everyday life. On busy nights, I love to make Authentic Italian Carbonara. On weekends, I whip up a batch of Classic Italian Ragu (Meat Sauce) and freeze it in portions for the following weeks. Every meal is “made with amore (love),” as I like to say in my social media posts.
✔ Authentic Italian Recipe + American, Mediterranean, and Mexican-Inspired Recipes – From timeless classics to easy everyday meals, each recipe is tested to perfection.
✔ Simple Ingredients, Big Flavor – High-quality, seasonal ingredients make all the difference. I’ll show you how to make restaurant-quality meals at home.
✔ A Taste of Italy at Your Table – Many of my recipes come straight from my family’s kitchen in Italy, with stories and traditions woven in.
Roots in Sardegna
Elena’s Story
I was born in Sardegna, Italy—home of my mother’s family, and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, in elementary school. I moved to the United States without knowing any English or anything about the culture. It was a complete shock, but I adapted quickly. I attribute parts of my resilient personality to learning to adapt to different situations as a child.
My parents had demanding careers, yet they always managed to make delicious home-cooked mealson weeknights. This was an integral part of my childhood. As I grew older and moved out of their home, I carried this part of me wherever I went. I cooked and baked and made many memories and new friends by bringingpeople together with our family recipes.
I always kept a deep-rooted connection to my Italian family, and I spent every summer of my childhood and young adult life on the beaches of Sardegna with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives.
Before working full-time on my food blog, I taught in public education for 13 years and acquired a master’s degree in reading education. I left my teaching career to serve people by sharing my cooking and baking knowledge.
I started my food blog in the summer of 2020 when we could not visit Italy or see our family. I poured my heart and longing for my Italian home into creating achievable recipes every person could recreate!
I enjoy hiking and traveling—including yearly trips to Sardegna to visit family. I live in Bountiful, Utah, with three beautiful children and a loving husband.
Italian Food, Culture, and Stories
In Italy, food and culture are the threads of life.
Food is tradition, family, laughter, joy, memories, and a love language that binds generations.
As I fondly remember, it was a place where groups of grandmothers gathered, plotting their next meals and comparing recipes and methods.
This is where I developed my passion for cooking, baking, and, most of all, sharing food around tables of new acquaintances, old friends, and family.
Learning from my Nonna Laura
I stood over the shoulders of family members cooking in the kitchen… and watched, smelled, tasted, felt, and listened—but, rarely, if ever, did I see a recipe. When asking about a recipe, my nonna often said, “non lo so? un po di questo e un pizzico di quelo. Ti devo fare vedere.” — I don’t know.
I’m so grateful you’re here, and I hope my recipes bring warmth and inspiration to your kitchen. Thank you for being part of this community. Now, let’s cook something delicious together! I like to say “Mangia!” at the end of all my recipes, which is Italian for “Eat!”.
P.S. Follow me on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes of my life, cooking tips, and complete recipe videos!
