Food Calling all Italians

Jun 15, 2006
12,484
9
I'm hoping you guys can help me here let me give you some back ground.

BF is from Siciliy and he loves cooking (great because I don't) not only that be he is a great cook.
Lately he's been thinking a lot about foods from his home and the old recipes and cooking skills. His gran has passed on he has one aunt (typically she is the one that the would have been taught these things) she is sick and once she's gone the family recipes will pretty much be lost forever.

can any of you share old family recipes and traditional foods from Italy (southern ideally) so he doesn't feel so homesick, or maybe you have older relatives in Italy who wouldn't mind helping. It doesn't matter if they only speak/write Italian he can read it

Thank you guys
Molte grazie
 
Hm, let me think.

have you tried making polenta? I'm not sure if he's had it before... basically its just cornmeal, you cook it in a pot and grandpa used to make chicken, beef, or pork stew to put over it. It's really good warmed in the oven with cheese on top.

Farinata - its a bean/veggie stew. Also has cornmeal in it.. has a very odd color, but, its great in winter - thick and hearty.

Also, risotto is one of my fave's. Grandpa would just make rice in the rice cooker and then throw in some of his homemade sauce. I'll see if mom has kept some of his recipie cards at home.

Anything with prociutto is amazing - especially with breadsticks and parmesean.

Oh and fritatta! How could I forget... grandpa would make it with zucchini and zucchini flowers. ahhh... I'm missing him so much now. :smile: A lot of these things are simple - grandpa didn't have much growing up so they are pretty simple, easy recipies with not a ton of meat or expensive items.

If you need recipies in written directions - feel free to send me a PM. :smile:
 
aranciata... oh so lovely! grandpa would always do pears with cheese after dinner... he would also make a thing called torta - it was a spinach pie/cake type of deal with pinenuts in it and a thick crust, looked like a pie almost. i'll see if i can find a photo..

does he like limoncello? that stuff is amazing!
 
My crazy grandmother is Sicilian. I'm going over to my mom's this weekend, I'll see if she has any of her recipes. My gradmother use to make this one dish but I can't remeber the name, it was pork in marinara rolled with hardboiled eggs in the middle.
 
aranciata... oh so lovely! grandpa would always do pears with cheese after dinner... he would also make a thing called torta - it was a spinach pie/cake type of deal with pinenuts in it and a thick crust, looked like a pie almost. i'll see if i can find a photo..

does he like limoncello? that stuff is amazing!


ooh yeah that is good!! strong but good

My crazy grandmother is Sicilian. I'm going over to my mom's this weekend, I'll see if she has any of her recipes. My gradmother use to make this one dish but I can't remeber the name, it was pork in marinara rolled with hardboiled eggs in the middle.

that's be great thank you, I think I may have had that before or a slightly different version it's good, Italian food is the best
 
Foods of Sicily and Sardinia by Guiliano Bugialli is a really good cookbook. We have it and it has some great recipes in it.

Here is the recipe for Struffoli, which are Italian honey balls. My dad makes them every Christmas.
1 hour 30 min prep
3 eggs
1/4 cup Crisco
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 1/2 cups flour
canola oil (for deep frying)
honey
3/4 cup medium chopped walnuts
1/3 cup chocolate sprinkles (optional)
Not the one? See other Struffoli Recipes
Put the Crisco and sugar in bowl of mixer. Beat till blended and light.
Add eggs and vanilla extract. Beat till blended.
Add 2 cups of flour and mix well. Add more flour in half cup measurements till you have a nice rollable dough.
Divide the dough and with a floured counter top and hands roll into long ropes between 1/4"-1/2" thick and then cut ropes with a bread knife into about 1/4" balls. This may seem like it will take a long time but it goes very quickly as I enlist my whole family to take part.
Fry the balls in hot oil till they are golden brown. Remove and put the fried balls in a bowl (with paper towel on bottom) large enough to hold all the struffoli. Remove the paper towel once all struffoli are done.
Heat 1 cup of honey in a small saucepan. No need to make it too hot, just warm. Pour honey over the struffoli balls. Sprinkle with walnuts and in our family's case chocolate sprinkles.
The struffoli can then be put into whatever serving dish you like. I use one with a lid as they should be covered when stored. In my house that is on the kitchen island for easy munching.
After they have sat over night they will need a good stir as the honey sets to the bottom. They may need more honey as well as they absorb it as they sit.


Broccoli Rabe Aglio Olio- A bitter stringy vegetable in the broccoli family. We eat this once to twice a week.
A sautéed broccoli side dish.

Ingredients:
1 bunch broccoli rabe, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
5-6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup white wine
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Steam broccoli rabe until it just turns tender and set aside. In a heavy skillet, heat olive oil and garlic over medium heat. Let garlic cook until it begins to brown. Add white wine and bring to a rapid simmer.

Let mixture simmer until it reduces in volume by half; salt and pepper to taste. Add broccoli rabe and simmer about 3 minutes. Serve warm.
 
claire you should get him the Rick Stein mediterranean escapes that was on the BBC a few weeks ago. rick spent some time in southern italy and learnt some yummy traditional recipes. the DVD might ease his himesick feelings.
 
Get him The Silver Spoon cookbook - it was only in Italian until 2005. I have the English translation, it has over 2,000 recipes. It was first published in 1950, but has been updated over the years. I bet he'll love it! It is the bible of Italian cooking, supposedly.
 
Get him The Silver Spoon cookbook - it was only in Italian until 2005. I have the English translation, it has over 2,000 recipes. It was first published in 1950, but has been updated over the years. I bet he'll love it! It is the bible of Italian cooking, supposedly.

I TOTALLY AGREE!!!! CLAIRE THIS IS THE RIGHT BOOK FOR YOUR BOYFRIEND!!! CIAO !!
 
Get him The Silver Spoon cookbook - it was only in Italian until 2005. I have the English translation, it has over 2,000 recipes. It was first published in 1950, but has been updated over the years. I bet he'll love it! It is the bible of Italian cooking, supposedly.


O:huh:O we just got this a few weeks ago before Christmas- my (Italian) husband is making a pork loin from it as we speak- dinner is going to be yummy tonight!

Also, anything by Marcella Hazan is fabulous- she has the most amazing recipe for roast chicken with lemons(among lots of others)!