Tagged: Italy

Pope Benedict XVI's former butler took the stand at his trial Tuesday and offered a somewhat contradictory message: He declared himself innocent of stealing papal documents, but acknowledged betraying the trust of Pope Benedict XVI.

As NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports, Paolo Gabriele, 46, is charged with stealing documents pointing to corruption and power struggles with the church. Prosecutors say Gabriele has confessed to giving the material to an Italian journalist, and that his motive was to expose "evil and corruption" in the church.

NPR listener Alice Benner says her Italian grandmother made ravioli that was "indescribably delicious."

Benner told us that she's tried to re-create the recipe many times. "The dough — the consistency — is totally wrong, usually too thick," she writes.

Benner's grandmother used Romano cheese in the filling — probably from an Italian deli in Chicago — but Benner says when she makes the ravioli, "the Romano cheese I've used never has the same punch. I've all but given up trying to make them."

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

It has become increasing clear that the economies of Europe and the United States are closely linked in ways that have not been especially comfortable lately. Anxiety over Greece has dominated the conversation, but there's also considerable anxiety over Spain and Italy. We're going to talk now with the author of a new book provocatively called, "Good Italy, Bad Italy," which explains why Italy is in such difficulties.