Is the Food Italian or is the Food Italian American-Part VII

Faraglioni, Blue Grotto, Seafood

Capri Italy's Coast Line

What a beautiful place! A floral garden above and beyond what  any architectural landscaper

Capri a Garden Paradice

could create. It is like a large flowerpot with a variety of floral plants and miniature vacation homes that are set between the flowers. Yet, one plant stands out on the land, the caper plant. Yes, the plant that provides the world with capers. Capri is the father of capers; however, commercially it is grown off the Island of Capri.

To get to Capri involves a gorgeous boat ride in the Bay of Naples. From the dock, when you arrive, you may reach your destination by foot, by motor scooter or by mini-bus. Any method will take you on a path through the garden of Capri with magnificent vistas of the sea. Our first destination was a restaurant on the top of the island and then on to a small boat tour of the Faraglioni and the Blue Grotto.

Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

We arrived at the restaurant and were escorted to a table overlooking the Bay of Naples and a

Capri's Fruits of the Sea

small piazza with young adults sipping espresso. I must admit, as a young man, I was more interested in viewing the young ladies in the piazza. Later I asked Betty her impression of The Bay of Naples, she never responded. At a latter date she admitted to observing the young Italian men.

Our food was as delicious as the view. Betty and Mom both enjoyed a shrimp and asparagus risotto. Dad and I were on cloud nine from the first bite to the last bite of our Caprese Frutti di Mare – Capri’s Fruits of the Sea. The folks on the table next to us were chowing down on rigatoni with clams and muscles. Our food was paired with Vino di Capri Bianco, a local DOC wine that has a limited production. What makes this wine so unique with seafood is that the vines absorb the wind and mists from the sea.

Capri's Faraglioni

After lunch, in a minibus, we rode down one of Capri’s winding roads to the sea. At the sea we

Capri's Blue Grotto

took a boat tour of Capri. From the sea you observe hotels and the homes of the wealthy inhabitants and small beaches. We passed the famous Faraglioni , a group of  three rock formations that jut up from the sea. From here we went to the Blue Grotto,  and to enter the grotto we boarded a rowboat with a guide. The rowboats enter the Blue Grotto through a small cave opening and everyone is told to duck their heads. Once in the Grotto we looked up to admire an array of blue colors in the Grotto. As we were leaving the Blue Grotto Betty raised her head for a moment just in time to duck again and exit. Betty viewed the Grotto for a split second and ever since that visit we have been arguing about the amount of time that we actually were in the Blue Grotto.

Recipes on following page

To make the Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto – Once again we do not have a formal recipe and we will wing it. – Serves 4

In a saucepan melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat. Add one chopped onion and thin slices from 8 asparagus stems, and set aside the asparagus tips. Cook until the onions turn opaque, add 2 cups of Italian rice and cook until the rice is translucent with a dot in the middle. Stir in 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano.  Add 1 cup of dry white wine and cook off half the liquid. Pour 3 cups of clam juice or seafood broth into the pot, stir well, and cook covered for about 10 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed. Add 1/3cup additional liquid, 8 medium shrimp that are peeled and deviated, the asparagus tips and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley. Continue cooking until the Italian rice is al dente and the shrimp are cooked about 6 minutes. Should the liquid be absorbed before the rice is cooked add a little more liquid. If you wish ¼ cup unsalted butter to increase the creaminess.

Capri’s Fruits of the Sea – Once again we do not have a formal recipe and we will wing it.  Serves 2

Clean or have your fish man clean 6 clams, 12 mussels, 4 sea scallops (slice in half), 6 medium shrimp and ¼ pound of squid. Cover the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil, add cleaned and crushed large cloves of garlic and do like my mother-in-law, remove the garlic from the pan after the garlic is browned. Carefully add the clams and mussels to the hot oil, add 1/2 cup of pitted kalamata olives, ¼ cup capers, ¼ cup chopped fresh oregano and ¼ cup chopped fresh marjoram. To these ingredients add 3/4 cup of clam juice or seafood broth to the pot. Cover the pot and cook about 5 minutes. Remove the cover to see if the mussels are beginning to open, as soon as the mussels begin to open add the shrimp, scallops and 10 grape tomatoes, cover and cook for 5 more minutes – remove the cover. As the mussels and clams are opening, cut the body of the squid into circles. The moment the mussels and clams are opening add the squid and cook for 2 minutes. Beware, overcooking will produce tough seafood!  Serve in soup plates.

Rigatoni, Mussels and Clams Caprese – Once again we do not have a formal recipe and we will wing it. Serves 2

In a 6 quart pot place 3 quarts of water with 2 tablespoons sea salt and bring to a rolling boil and add 6 to 8 ounces of rigatoni pasta. As the rigatoni cooks, cover the bottom of a large sauté pan with olive oil and brown 4 cloves of garlic in the oil. Remove the browned garlic from the oil and add 1 dozen mussels, 1 dozen tiny clams and ½ dozen grape tomatoes.  To the clams and mussels, add ¼ cup chopped fresh oregano, ¼ cup chopped fresh marjoram and black pepper to taste; stir to amalgamate all the flavors. Add ½ cup dry white wine and ½ cup clam juice, cover the pot and cook until the clams and mussels open about 5 to 6 minutes. The pasta and the clams and the mussels should be finished cooking at the same time. Drain the pasta and divide it into 2 soup dishes. Cover the pasta with the clams and mussels and spread any extra sauce over the dishes and sprinkle about 1&1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley over both dishes.

Is the Food Italian or is the Food Italian American? Part VI

Mount Vesuvius Vineyards

A must when you visit Naples is to go to the ruins of Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius. The land that surrounds this volcanic mountain is fertile and productive. The ruins remind us that nature, at will, in the blink of an eye, can take lives and a culture away from us.

Two thousand years ago the Mountain erupted. Vesuvius boiled over discharging lava at a very rapid pace. The lava moved so fast that the inhabitants below the mountain could not escape. Today archeologists dig up the ruins of Pompeii to learn how the folks of that era lived.

On our way to Vesuvius and Pompeii we came to a cute restaurant and stopped to eat. Mom and Betty had potato gnocchi with a light tomato sauce. Dad had rigatoni with a pulled meat sauce. The special of the day was Veal Scaloppini Marsala. I asked for mushroom but they were out of season. I enjoyed the dish without the mushrooms and learned that Veal Marsala was an authentic Italian dish. Our meal was paired with the local La Cryma Christi red wine, a wine that I

have served and enjoyed for years. Both white and red Lacryma Christi Del Vesuvio wine is produced locally. The wine’s characteristics are from the ashes at the foot of this volcanic mountain. The white pairs well with Neapolitan antipasto and the red is ideal with its famous tomato sauce.

Rigatone and Pulled Meat Sauce

That evening we went to dinner at Zia Philomena’s house. Zia Maria and Zia Philomena prepared the meal. The ladies served us spaghetti aglio e olio Neapolitan style and Zia Maria’s baked chicken. The chickens were petted, massaged and fed by Zia Maria before she slaughtered, plucked and baked them. When Betty realized the plight of the chickens she once petted, she could not eat for the remainder of the evening.

Potato Gnocchi – from the Cooking of Parma cookbook by Richard Sidoli.

Gnocchi & Tomato Sauce

2 to 2 &1/4 lbs. of russet potatoes, 2 plus cups all-purpose flour (depends on moisture in potatoes), 1 extra large egg, salt & white pepper to taste.

Cook potatoes with the jacket on. They can be boiled, steamed, baked or microwaved. Allow potatoes to cool so they can be handled and peel the skin off. Pass peeled potatoes through a ricer onto a pastry board or table.

The key to success is the proper blending of the flour to the potato. The amount of flour depends on the humidity in the air and the liquid in the potato. Sprinkle two (2) cups of flour and salt and white pepper over the potatoes. Beat the egg a bit and add it to the potato & flour mixture. Mix all the ingredients until a ball is formed. If the dough is sticky knead in extra flour. Knead the dough on a floured board for five minutes. the Dough should be damp to the touch.

On a  floured board roll the dough into long cylinders, about 1/4 inch in diameter. From cylinder cut 1/2 inch long gnocchi. Sprinkle

Veal Marsala & Side Zucchini

a tray with flour. With your thumb, roll gnocchi off a fork or a cheese grater onto the tray.

To cook the gnocchi, bring three quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Add the gnocchi to the boiling water and stir delicately with a wooden spoon. When the gnocchi surfaces, they are generally cooked, however, taste one to be sure. If its light and a little al dente, it is perfect.
For the tomato sauce go to our blog  A Culinary Tour of Italy – Neapolitan Food

Veal Scaloppini Marsala – serves 4, we don’t have a formal recipe so we will wing it.

Tenderize the 1&1/4 pounds of scaloppini. Heat 1/3 cup of frying oil in a saute pan, As the oil is heating lightly flour the scaloppini and carefully add the veal to the hot oil. Brown the veal on both sides and discard the oil from the pan. Melt two tablespoons of butter in the pan, add 1/3 cup Marsala wine and simmer until the wine is reduced to half the volume.Add ¼ cup of meat essence and ½ cup broth. Simmer until reduced to half the liquid and close the fire. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley over the veal and sauce. To serve place the cooked, hot veal on plates and cover with the sauce.

Zia Maria's Baked Chicken

Zia Maria’s Neapolitan Pasta Aglio e Olio – Serves 4, Once again we don’t have a formal recipe and we will wing it.

In a large pot place 4 quarts of salted water on the fire to boil and to cook 1 pound of pasta of your choice, Zia Maria used ziti. In a large sauté pan put ½ cup olive oil over medium heat with 8 sliced cloves of garlic and begin to brown the garlic. To the garlic add 8 preserved (canned) anchovies, ¾ cup mashed kalamta olives, ½ cup capers. When the garlic is browned add ¾ cup to 1 cup of pasta water. (Hint do not let the garlic burn.) Mix in the pasta and serve with grated cheese. We prefer Pecorino – Romano.

Zia Maria’s Baked Chicken that Serves 6. we don’t have a formal recipe and we will wing it.

Cut 4 – 3 &1/2 pound chickens into 12 pieces and set aside. Place a ½ cup of oil into a roasting pan with 3 sliced onions and 3 sliced cloves of garlic, and put the pan in the oven to begin cooking the onions. Peel and slice 6 plum tomatoes into quarters. Add the cut chicken and tomatoes to the roasting pan with a little fresh oregano and basil. Cook until chicken is tender, about 1 hour in a preheated 325-degree oven. If the top of the chicken is not brown, raise the oven too high for a couple of minutes.

For the Vesuvius Pasta with pulled meat sauce -  This is a very simple and every now and then I make the sauce to serve with pasta, risotto or polenta. Simply pull potted meat apart that you have cooked; it can be from a bottom round, a brisket, shoulder, or short ribs, whatever you have cooked. To the pulled meat and its sauce or sugo (meat essence) add tomato sauce. You need about ¾ cup of pulled meat per person, ¼ cup sugo and 1/3 cup tomato sauce.

Is the Food Italian or is the Food Italian American? – Part V

Italian Orchards

Our second day in the Province of Naples was a bit different from that of the average tourist. We had a very light breakfast with Melina and her immediate family, Peppino her husband and their two boys Pierro and Giovanni.

After breakfast Peppino took us on a tour of his family’s orchards. It was explained to us

Italian Peaches

that each fruit has its own time for ripening and picking. Each variety of fruit has its own time frame from budding flower and baring fruit.

It was peach picking time. Each peach tree ripened about 1/8th of its fruit per day. Therefore, every day all the trees had fruit to be picked until all the peaches ripened and were picked. The ripe peaches were huge, about the size of grapefruits. They were sweet with a slightly al dente bite from skin to pit.

Some of the fruit was hauled to various parts of Italy. Most of the fruit was sent to canning factories. The immature fruit that fell to the ground was placed into antique root cellars, for cold storage ripening.

We went to the orchards where the trees’ fruit was picked, and then to the orchard where the fruit had yet to mature. Most interesting was that in between each row of trees vegetables were growing. Every inch of the land was utilized.

It was explained to us that each fruit had its own growing time frame. While the farmer waited for the fruit to mature, the vegetables grew and were picked. After the fruit was picked another crop of vegetables were planted.

We were told that the most difficult fruit to harvest were cherries. They would be green one day and then show a little color the next day. The time it took for the cherries to be fully ripened and ready to be harvested changed from season to season. On the morning that the farmer saw one cherry the color of red wine, all the cherries were red. The fruit had to be picked immediately. Literally, a twenty-four hour job, no sleep, no dinnertime.

Pot of Melina's Minestrone

After touring the orchards we went back to the house for lunch. A platter of local spicy salami, sliced Cacio Cavallo cheese, bread and Melina’s Neapolitan Minestrone was waiting for us. To make her minestrone, Melina simmered about 3 ounces of salt pork in about 3 quarts of meat broth for about 10 minutes. Melina then added two diced carrots to the pot and one diced yellow onion. The soup was simmered for 10 more minutes before she added 2 cups of cubed cabbage; 2 cups cubed escarole, ¾ of a cup of diced potato to the pot. The soup simmered for 5 more minutes. She then finished her soup by adding ¾ of a cup of raw Ditalini pasta and 1 cup of peeled diced tomato, and cooking the pot of food until the pasta was al dente. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese was served on the side. The soup was cooled to almost room temperature before being served – a summer practice, I guess.

After lunch we did the Italian thing – ripose, rest. Then we went to visit Zia Maria in the town of Santa Maria A Vico. Zia showed us her home. It was the house that she and her brothers and sisters grew up in. She raised chickens, and took us up on the roof of her house to show us her chicken coop and chickens. After petting the chickens we went

Betty & Zia Maria

back down to the living room where other family members were waiting for us. We sat around chatting over espresso. The conversation turned to dinner and we expressed our desire for pizza.

That night the family took us for pizza. I was under the impression that we would go to the City of Naples. That was until I saw a sign Benevento and we started to twist and turn up the Apennine Mountains. About 1/3 of the way up the mountain we approached a building with a sign that read “Pizza.” We entered the building with one room the size of the Waldorf-Astoria banquet room. It was hustling and bustling with guests and servers. In a far corner of the room was a large wood burning pizza oven.

We ordered 3 pizzas, 2 regular and one with mussels. As soon as the pies arrived at the table my eyes popped out. They were the largest pizzas I had ever seen or have seen since. With the pizza we drank local wine from the vineyards around Mount Vesuvius.

It was a night of great pizza, fabulous wine, and very warm-hearted folks.

Pizza

First and foremost is what type of flour to use for the best pizza. The American pizza men that I am familiar with use bread flour. Some folks that I know use cake flour. In Italy they use Italian 00X flour which I believe has a little less gluten than our bread flour. My mother-in-law used all-purpose flour and so do I. The key to a good sauce is fresh tomatoes, or Italian canned tomatoes, without citric acid.

Pizza dough is a basic dough. It can be found in most Italian cookbooks.

Pizza Slice

In a mixing bowl with a dough arm, or in a regular bowl to mix by hand place 10 ounces of all-purpose flour.  In an other bowl, place ½ oz fresh yeast or ¼ oz dry yeast. Mix in ¾ cup of luke warm water and mix in 1 teaspoon of sugar or honey. When the yeast mixture begins to bubble, add it to the flour. Mix it all together and knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. Set it aside covered in a warm place to rise. It should double in size.

As the dough is rising make a quick pizza sauce. In a sauce pot heat ¼ cup of regular olive oil and add a tablespoon of chopped garlic. As the garlic begins to brown add two cans of chopped tomato, a nice sprig of fresh basil, a fresh sprig of oregano and a sprig of parsley. Cook at a low simmer for 20 minutes, taste. It should have a slightly raw taste, add salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down. Spread the dough out by hand or with a rolling pin until it is 3 sheets of paper-thin. Put a light coating of tomato sauce over the pizza dough and place large droplets of fresh mozzarella cheese to taste on the sauce. Make it Margarita with basil leaves.

Place the uncooked pie, which you placed in a sheet pan into the preheated oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the dough is golden brown. The cheese is melted and the sauce is finished cooking.

Is the Food Italian or is the Food Italian American – Part IV

Italian Plum Tomatoes

It was a bright, hot, sunny August day when we drove south from Rome to Compania. The land to the west was green and farms were heavily cultivated.  They were growing vegetables and fruits that give the taste to Southern Italy’s popular cooking. The panorama to the east included the Apennine Mountains and the cultivated land. Here animals were grazing for the eventual production of Southern Italy’s famous dairy products such as mozzarella di bufala. I was encouraged and looking forward the food cooked in Italian American homes and Little Italy by American Southern Italians.

We reached a crossroad with a sign pointing to Naples and east. We took the road east and followed the signs to Maddaloni.  As far as the eye could see, there were fields of red and green tomatoes, or orchards of fruit trees and groves of citrus trees. Betty’s cousin Melina and her whole family were waiting for us with open arms and dinner. I was looking forward to  real Southern Italian food. Just like the food in the States-spaghetti served with Italian sausage, braciole, meat balls all cooked with canned tomatoes to make a robust spaghetti sauce; dubbed gravy on Sunday.

Betty & Melina

Ziti with Sugo/Condimento

Upon arriving at Melina’s, everyone exchanged hugs and kisses. We were escorted into Melina’s home, and to her dining room. Her table was set elegantly for dinner. Polatina, the maid, presented us with an elegant platter of fresh mozzarella and sliced local salami. Our second dish was ziti with a light fresh tomato sugo/condimento. The entrée was a pot roast dressed with a light, natural sauce and a contorni or side dish of roasted zucchini, squash and crispy roasted potato. Our salad was Italy’s favorite mixed greens and the one and only authentic Italian vinaigrette: extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. The wine for this dinner was poured from an unlabeled bottle.  After expressing our appreciation of the wine, we were told that it was made locally with grapes from Avellino. We finished the meal with espresso, digestivo – Italian after dinner liqueur, fruit and cheese; dolce, sweets were too heavy for an evening meal. Now that’s Italian Food.

Melina’s Sugo/Condimento – Sauce for Americans, is easy to prepare.

In a food processor, puree and remove the seeds from a quart of fresh plum Italian tomatoes. In about ¼ cup of olive oil, saute 2 whole large cloves of garlic with a medium chopped onion. When the garlic browns remove it

Our Pot Roast

from the oil. The onion should be translucent. Add the pureed fresh tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, a large sprig of basil and a sprig of oregano. The herbs should add flavor, yet they should be undetectable. Simmer slowly for about 20 minutes, this sugo can easily be over cooked.

For the pot roast: Brown the pot roast on all sides with crushed garlic chopped onion and chopped carrots. Add a large sprig of rosemary and cook for one minute. Add ½ cup white wine and reduce by ½. Add 1 quart of broth, cover and simmer until tender, about 2 hours.   Serve with your favorite vegetables on the side.

Is the Food Italian or is the Food Italian American? – Part III

Roman Ruins

We were on our last day in Rome and we decided it should be a day of relaxation, good Italian food, good Italian wine and day dreaming. I must admit that at that time of my life I had quite an active imagination. As I reviewed my days in Rome I could only imagine what life would be like living around the landmarks of the Eternal City for a couple of thousand years.

My dreams started with the Colosseum, the ruins and the baths of ancient Rome. I envisioned myself prancing around the ancient city on horseback or racing my chariot around the Colosseum. (I never envisioned myself as a gladiator.) After chariot racing it was time for a bath, and I went to the famous Roman Baths. I was greeted at the baths by a lovely signorina, who I saw the day before sipping expresso at an outdoor café. Now she was going to bathe me. What a dream!

I then fast – forwarded to Michelangelo painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel on his back and me bringing lunch to Michelangelo. His lunch consisted of minestrone soup, crusty bread just out of the oven and a chunk of Pecorino- Romano cheese that I had prepared in the Vatican’s kitchen using my Italian recipes. He enjoyed my food so, we were becoming friends; the Pope fired me for fraternizing with Michelangelo. The Pope forbid me from entering any door to the Vatican.

No longer a Vatican cook I was forced to seek work elsewhere. I was about to leave Rome to cook for an Italian noble family, when a small group of Vatican priests came to my room. They said that I was to return to Rome in six months. I was told to cook for the noble family and listen to the noble family’s conversations.  From their conversations, I could report their allegiance to the Holy Roman Empire and to the Pope.

I responded, “ the Pope has forbid me from visiting the Vatican, and the Pope is too proud to retract his words. So, there is no was that I can report to the Pope”. The Vatican enclave of priests agreed but were unsure of how to handle the situation. Until one young priest said that there was a secret passageway from the Vatican to Castel Sant’Angelo and that I should use it. This way I could secretly return to the Vatican and everyone would save face. They were sure that the Pope would agree and be content with this arrangement.

Cooking Fettuccine Alfredo

My silly day dreams were interrupted when the ladies returned from their

Mangia Fettuccine Alfredo

shopping spree and it was time to dress for dinner. My father subtly reminded me that we were going to Rome’s most famous restaurant, Alfredo’s. When we arrived at Alfredo’s we met a patron of Dad’s. Camillo’s gracious client treated us to a bottle of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, a fine Tucson red wine. Mom, Betty and I dined on Alfredo’s famous fettuccine and Dad enjoyed Rome’s famous Saltimbucca.

Fettuccine Alfredo was the most popular pasta we sold in the evening at Camillo Restaurant. The classic recipe for Fettuccine Alfredo requires butter; some Italians refer to it as double butter. However, we found that to duplicate the taste it was necessary to add half-and-half cream to the butter. The Italian butter is different than our butter.

Fettuccine Alfredo

Serves 2

• ½ pound of fettuccine pasta
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/3 cup * half-and- half cream
• About ½ cup of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 egg yokes
• Salt & pepper to taste

Place a pot of salted water to boil on the fire. As soon as the water comes to a boil cook the fettuccine al dente, with a bit of a bite

At the same time place the butter and half-and-half in a saucepan and simmer until both combine and form a velvety consistency. With the fire on low heat, add the fettuccine, top the pasta with the grated cheese the egg yolks and salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix and serve with additional cheese on the side.

Saltimbocca alla Romana

Saltimbocca Alle Romano-Rome’s Classic Scaloppini

A Roman veal scaloppini dish that is a truly a world classic that we modernize.

Serves 4

• 1 lb. Veal for scaloppini
• About 1/4 lb. thinly sliced Prosciutto
• 1/3 cup of flour for dredging
•  1/4 to 1/3 cup vegetable oil
•  1/2 stick butter
•  Fresh sage leaves, about 8
•  1/3 cup white wine
• 1/3-cup meat broth or veal stock
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley
• 2 optional hard boiled eggs, for decorating

If necessary, with a kitchen mallet tenderize the scaloppini.

Adhere a slice of the prosciutto to each slice of the veal scaloppini. To fasten the procsiutto, put the scaloppini on a cutting board and place a slice of prosciutto on the scaloppini. Cover the meat with clear plastic paper and gently pound the proshiutto into the veal.

Dredge the scaloppini in the flour. Place a large sauté pan over high heat with the oil. Carefully, add the floured veal to the hot oil, and brown them on both sides. Discard the oil, and add the butter and the sage leaves. Cook for about 30 seconds, add the white wine, and reduce the wine by 1/2 its volume. Carefully, add the stock, salt and pepper, reduce the liquid essences by 1/2 to 2/3 to concentrate and intensify the flavors and add the parsley.

To serve: Put the saltimbocca on a plate and cover it with the sauce. Or place 3 little bundles of cooked roman spinach on a plate, cover each mound of spinach with a bocca, place a slice of hardboiled egg on top of all the mounds and cover the mounds with the sauce. Great presentation. We served Saltimbocca Alle Romano at Camillo’s Restaurant over Roman spinach – fabulous presentation.

Spinach Roman Style – Serves 4

• 1 pound spinach cleaned and the raggedy stems cut off
• 1/3 cup regular olive oil
• 6 large cloves garlic sliced
• 1/3-cup raisons, preferably white, soaked in white wine
• 1/3 cup pignoli nuts or walnuts
• Salt & pepper to taste

Rinse the spinach in water, drain but do not dry the spinach.

At the same time heat the olive oil in a pan and brown the garlic. Add the pignoli nuts to the olive oil, drain the raisons and add them to the olive oil. Add the spinach to the olive oil, cover, cook about 30 seconds, remove the cover, mix thoroughly, place the cover back on, cook for about another minute, mix again, If the spinach has wilted shut off the fire; otherwise, cook until spinach is wilted.

For the best veal click on our veal cutlet. For excellent fettuccine click the pasta. Buy copper cookware to cook like a chef.

Is the Food Italian or is the Food Italian American? – Part II



The next few days in Rome were spent on foot visiting the various Roman attractions. As we walked from one neighborhood to another hunger for Italian food would eventually take over our systems. We would then pop into the first trattoria with an open door, and in every trattoria we entered I was always on the lookout for the Italian food found in America’s Little Italy restaurants. Unfortunately, we never noted the names of the various trattorias that we ate in but the taste of the food never disappointed. Pastas were often the proprietor’s and the chef’s specialties and their secret Italian recipes. We did manage to enjoy Rome’s famous Spaghetti Carbonata and Rome’s Pasta Amatriciana that Betty prefers with rigatoni, two dishes that may be found in a New York Restaurant.

Cooking Spaghetti Carbonata

The eateries were absolutely masters at roasting and grilling food. Some chefs would cook the food to perfection with just the addition of salt and pepper. Other chefs would cook the food with their favorite herbs and spices. We were always presented with a healthy portion of the roasted item. The Romans cooked excellent seafood, poultry, beef, lamb, pork, veal and rabbit.

Side dishes were cooked to perfection, al dente, “with a little bite”, delicately and simply flavored. The flavoring may have been a bit of butter, salt and pepper or a drizzling of extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper or a squirt of lemon juice or vinegar. All dishes were quite delicate when they should be, and truly robust dishes when the dish was supposed to be hearty.

Spaghetti Carbonata e Finito

We generally finished the meal with fruit and/or cheese. The sweets were often flavorful, traditional Italian but most were French desserts.

Two Roman pasta dishes often listed on “little Italy” restaurant menus are Spaghetti Carbonata and Pasta alla Amatriciana. Below are our recipes for these dishes from Food Wine Italian. These dishes were not part of Camillo’s menu; however, whenever a customer requested one of these dishes the answer was YES!

Spaghetti Carbonata

This is an Italian gypsy recipe from the folks who roamed the mountains gathering carbon – coal.

Serves 4

• 1 lb. of spaghetti
• 1 tablespoon of regular olive oil
• 1/8 lb. chopped guanciale,  Pancetta ( Italian bacon)  or Prosciutto
• 1 medium onion chopped fine ( about 1/2 cup)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano the Roman’s choice
• Optional shaved black trufles to taste
• salt & pepper to taste

Cook the spaghetti in one gallon of boiling salted water until it is al dente-with a bite, and strain into a colander.

At the same time, place a skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil, not extra virgin, add the diced yellow onion an optional ingredient, and add diced pancetta or bacon or guanciale the Romans choice for this dish. Sauté the pork until it is crispy, turn the heat to low and add 1/2 cup of the pasta water to the skillet. Then add the cooked drained spaghetti to the skillet. Top the spaghetti with 2/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano or a mixture of both (your choices), the eggs, fresh ground pepper and salt to taste. Mix thoroughly, and if you wish, shave black truffles over the top to represent the coal as we did in Camillo’s Restaurant. Serve immediately with a glass of Est! Est!! Est!!! di Montefiascone white.

Pasta alla Amatriciana

Cooking Pasta alla Amatriciana

Amatriciana is a shepherd’s dish. It originated in Amatrice, a small town near Rome. The pasta chosen for this pasta sauce is often the choice of the cook and whomever the cook is serving. Most folks that I know prefer bucatini the classic pasta for this dish, others folks prefer spaghetti, others prefer rigatoni. The cured meat sautéed is guanciale; a lean not smoked bacon style cured meat product. Guanciale is not readily available and often substituted.

• 1 pound of Pasta
• 1/2 pound diced Guanciale or Pancetta
• 2 tbs. olive oil for sautéing
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/2 cup of white wine
• 1 can of peeled whole tomatoes drained and crushed
• 1 chili pepper or cherry hot pepper or dried hot pepper
•  Salt & Pepper to taste
• 4 ounces of fresh grated Pecorino Romano

Pasta alla Amatriciana Pronto

Put a pot of water on the fire to boil for the pasta.

At the same time, brown the guanciale in a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the minced chili pepper (hot

At the same time, brown the guanciale in a frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil along with the minced chili pepper (hot pepper) and the onion for 5 minutes over a medium flame. Add the white wine and simmer to evaporate by 1/2. Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, and cook for about 20 minutes.

In the meantime have the pasta cooking in the boiling water. Strain it al dente and mix it with the tomato sauce and the Pecorino cheese. Serve with a premium Chianti.

To get heat evenly distributed heat to your food, particularly for delicately cooked foods, use copper cookware; click on the cooper cookware to purchase. Prevent your wines from going bad, and age wines properly in a controlled wine cellar; click on the image to purchase. Beautiful inexpensive dining room set, Click on the photo to purchase.

Is The Food Italian or is The Food Italian American? Part I

To have heat evenly distributed to your food, particularly for delicately cooked foods, use copper cookware; click on the cooper cookware to purchase. Prevent your wines from going bad, and age wines properly in a controlled wine cellar; click on the image to purchase. For the best seafood, it must be fresh: click on the fish to purchase.

Our plane landed in Rome where we met my parents, who were vacationing in Italy. During our drive to our pensione, I was thinking that I will learn about some if New York’s favorite Italian foods were Italian food or American Italian food you know, Fettuccini Alfredo, Spaghetti alla Carbonara, scaloppini piccata, Saltimbocca, all Francese, Italian rum cake, and other dishes. We also discussed where we should take our meals in Rome.  We agreed that it would be best to go to the smaller trattoria’s that were patronized by the Romans themselves. However, we thought it would be a good idea to have one meal at the oldest restaurant in Rome, La Cisterna and a meal at the famous Alfredo’s.

Home Style Fish La Cisterna

That evening we decided to go to dinner at La Cisterna. We were seated in La Cisterna’s dining room, which was on the old cobblestone streets of Rome where the traffic drove past the tables. Our server was discussing the menu with us when a gentleman came to our table. He said to my father, “Camillo, I would like to welcome you to La Cisterna.  I am the director of this establishment. Then he pointed to a table and said, the folks at that table are sending you this bottle of wine.” He then presented my father with a bottle of Dom Perignon. Mr. Camillo graciously acknowledged the gift that was sent over to our table by one of his NY patrons, a French film producer. The gentlemen asked if we liked seafood and said that he would make us a baked bronzino that was not on the menu and we all agreed. We paired this Italian food with French Champagne, Dom Perignon. After we enjoyed a typical Italian Antipasto, the waiter presented a large fish covered in fresh herbs. The waiter proceeded to remove the herbs from the fish and bone the fish. He decoratively placed the herbs and boned fish on our dishes and squeezed fresh lemon over the fish, which we enjoyed immensely.  We finished our meal with liquor flamed strawberries.

The manager then requested that we follow him to La Cisterna’s wine cellar. We walked down a dungeon like stairway past an old well to their antique wine cellar. The old stone wine cellar is part of the original building built by the Romans. This old room has four levels, which illustrates each street level as the Romans modernized.

We dined magnificently on an authentic Italian meal. With dishes that most Americans would never consider to be Italian. Afterwards, we were given an archeological history lesson from a wine cellar.

Cooking Strawberries Flambe'

I learned a new dish, La Cisterna’s herb smothered baked fish. The Strawberry flambé dessert was a familiar dish. However, I was convinced that fruits cooked with a liqueur were European, Italian recipes, as opposed to American or Italian American. I’ve made these dishes many times and never a drop is left in the plate. Below is how I make these two dishes. My preparation for these dishes has never been formalized; I’ll just wing it.

La Cisterna’s Baked Herbed Smothered Fish – Professionally, I have always used a whole, large fish to serve two to four people. At home I use fish such as striped bass or red snapper that is boned. Here is how I do it at home. I use eight to ten ounces of boned fish. I spread a little olive oil over the bottom of an ovenproof dish to prevent the fish from sticking. Now, place the fish skin side down in the oiled ovenproof dish. Pour about two tablespoons of white wine over each filet and squeeze the juice of about 1/4 of a lemon over each filet of fish. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place a scallion over each piece of fish, three fresh bay leaves, a stem of fresh thyme, a small sprig of sage, a sprig of parsley and cover it with Rome’s favorite herb –

Renata Tebaldi Renowned Opera Star Feeds Camillo Fruit at His NY Restaurant

fresh mint. Cook in a preheated 325-degree oven, until the fish is flaky, about twenty minutes. Serve with lemon wedges on the side. I like to use individual ovenproof platters.

Favorite Restaurant in Rome: La Cisterna – Dreaming In Italian

If you are looking for a unique dining experience in Rome, something that goes beyond a normal restaurant experience yet remains authentic Roman, look no further than La Cisterna. One reason is the excellent food. Another …

Publish Date: 02/26/2010 19:26

http://www.dreaming-in-italian.com/2010/02/favorite-restaurant-in-rome-la-cisterna/

Italian’s Insight to Travel Italy: Rome – La Cisterna

It is rumored that this well is actually in the lower basements of the restaurant La Cisterna. In the 1600s the street … Frequently the Tiber, the river that flows through the center of Rome, would overflow, flooding the entire area. …

Publish Date: 11/07/2005 18:15

http://viewitaly.blogspot.com/2005/11/rome-la-cisterna.html

Is The Food Italian or is The Food Italian American?

I tried to tell everyone that I made the study a number of years ago. Everyone looked at me with a puzzled expression, they shrugged their shoulders, and the discussion continued. The summer of my senior year at Pratt Institute, I took a culinary tour of Italy. I spent the month of August studying my heritage and the arts in Italy with an intense concentration on the culinary arts. Since the discussion continues, let’s blog about it.

I was mostly interested in dishes served in Italian restaurants and Italian American restaurants in New York. It involved all courses of the menu from appetizers to desserts. The subject and dishes will make interesting text. The number of dishes that we shall talk about is going to require more than one blog. Therefore, to do justice to the topic “Is The Food Italian or Is It Italian American” we are creating a sequence of blogs, which shall take our readers on a short culinary tour of Italy.  Our plane landed in Rome, and that is where our sequence of events begins.

Rome ET04B

www.videoguidebooks.com Lunch at an outdoor restaurant is a fine way to begin our explorations in Rome, the most historic city in Europe. Then we take a walk to Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, the only significant gothic church in the city. Even though Ro…

ROME, ITALY VIRTUAL WALK

A 30 minute walk in Rome. The first half of the walk takes you down the exclusive Via Veneto, forever linked to “La Dolce Vita.” As the Via Veneto curves gently and sweeps downhill, you pass luxury hotels and restaurants with their unique glass-enclo…

Best restaurants in Rome – Antica Pesa – celebrity trendy restaurants

Best celebrity restaurant in Rome – Antica Pesa A short video recorded by Discovery Channel

Dana’s Eating Show – Osteria da Mario in Rome, Italy

Dana’s favorite restaurant in Rome, Italy.

New Years Eve is celebrated differently by different people. Some folks like to go out and party on the town. The excitement of watching the ball drop in Times Square is a must for many New Yorkers. Others prefer an intimate small gathering of friends and family.  I have done it all and for some unknown reason, I prefer a small gathering with an intimate  group of friends.

I am not in favor of a big New Years Eve dinner. My preference is to meet a few hours before the clock ushers in The New Year with  Hors d’ Oeuvres and sparkling wine.

This is how we celebrated and we enjoyed a nice quiet New Years Eve. We wish everyone a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous 2012.

Click on the videos below and see how they celebrate the New Year in Parma and Ferrara Italy.

Ignite the New Year’s Eve in Ferrara | Blog Travel Emilia romagna

You haven’t the faintest idea about the New Year’s Eve? Here a suggestion to have a great party (at cheap price). New Year`s Eve is one of the most spectacular events in Ferrara which is by the way a beautiful city to visit, it is …

Publish Date: 12/12/2011 3:09

http://blog.travelemiliaromagna.com/ignite-the-new-years-eve-in-ferrara/

Parma Italy; New Years Eve, 2006 – Parma – TravBuddy

Amanda’s travel blog: ” Waking up the next morning, there was a great deal to be done. I made arrangements with the consulate to head up to P…

Publish Date: 12/31/2006 14:01

http://www.travbuddy.com/travel-blogs/2574/Parma-Italy-New-Years-Eve-2006-9

Our Crab meat and Lobster Salad

It seems to be common knowledge that everyone in Italy and all the Italians who migrated to every corner of the world celebrate La Vigilia di Natale with a seven fish feast. There was a time when La Vigilia di Natale, Christmas Eve, was a meatless catholic holiday. Therefore, with 2/3 of Italy surrounded by water, it made sense to celebrate with seafood. Particularly, on the eve of the most important catholic day, why not celebrate with seven fishes.  To this day we celebrate the feast of the seven fishes.

I hate to disappoint anyone, but many Italians never celebrated the vigil of the seven fishes. I grew up in an Italian household and community, where the feast of the seven fishes was never mentioned. Our families migrated from the northern Alpine and Apennine Mountains of Italy. They were hours from the sea, and fresh seafood was unavailable. It was impossible to celebrate the vigil of the seven fishes.

Clams Oreganato

I recall my first feast of the seven fishes like it was yesterday. Before I left the house I told my father that I was going to my future

in laws for a fish dinner. He said that I was in for a big surprise. Surprise is an understatement. I arrived at the house and when the door opened the magnificent aromas captivated my senses. Everyone was in a joyful mood anticipating the fabulous dinner we were about to feast on. It was a completely new dining experience for me, as the food kept coming and coming. Each course was more flavorful than the previous one. I was in total awe of the meal from antipasto to dessert. The magnificence of the Feast of the Seven Fishes rises above the food that is served. The Feast reunites family and friends.

Over the years our family continues to celebrate the feast of the Seven Fishes. Sadly, we have lost family members through the years and they are remembered fondly at this time. However, a new born always brings joy to all of us. The family continues to grow and the feast continues to give us joy.

Spinach Pasta with our Prawn Sauce

As the years passed the menu and the wine have  changed a bit. However, this is one of my favorite menus and it includes the wines I like to pair with the menu. Below are my choices for this

Feast of the Seven Fishes and all that has to be done for the recipes is to click.

Astaco e Granchio Insalata — A Tangy Lobster and Crabmeat salad is a great antipasto to start a meal with.  With this dish I get two of the seven fish, lobster and crabmeat. Serve with a bottle of Est! Est! Est! a dry white wine that may have a little sparkle.

Vongole Oreganato – A very popular Southern Italian clam dish that may be paired with Sambuca di Sicilia a dry white wine.

Mussels Marinara

Tagliatelle Verde e Gombarone con Salsa Zafferano – We vary from the norm with this Spinach Pasta topped with our Prawn Sauce.  For  this pasta dish we  use Spinach noodles with prawns (or shrimp) in a saffron sauce. Serve with a bottle of Orvieto.

Cozze Marinara — Mussels, the Italian Seafarers Style, which is a fabulous Southern Italian seafood dish. For us our choice of wine is Vesuvio Bianco, Lacryma Christi Bianco

Nonna Carmella’s Spada al Forno – Nonna (Grandma) Camela’s Campania Baked Swordfish that is really tasty. I have never known anyone else to do a similar recipe with swordfish, and she was born in Argentina. Maybe this is an Italian – Argentinean dish. Whatever, you will love it. Torrontes, Argentina’s succulent dry white wine is a super pairing.

Nonna Carmela's Spada al Forno

Branzino alla Venetzia – We take you to Venice for this simple Baked Bass or Red Snapper in the

Baked Venetian Sea Bass

Venetian style sauce. Serve with Pino Grigio

Tonno alia Genovese  – These are herb infused Tuna Steaks cooked Genoa Style. Serve with Cinque Terre Bianco-white

Dessert is always too much. I suggest Torrone, which our cousin sends us from Naples, Italy, and a bowl of fresh Zabaione decorated with ladyfingers and struffoli.

Zabaione is a relatively easy to make. Bring a pot of water to a slow simmer. In a bowl or a Zabaione pot put 1 egg yolk, 1 and ½ tablespoons of sweet Marsalla wine and 1 heaping teaspoon of sugar. Place the pot over the water and whip vigorously until you have a cream of soft peeks. Be careful not to make scrambled eggs, and you may want use some elbow grease. To serve place the Zabaione in an attractive bowl and decorate with ladyfingers.