To My Beloved Grandmother, Mary

Over the time I increasingly charish your recipes as my inspiration and tie that will

always hold us together.

When it comes to Italian food and the spirit that comes with cooking my greatest inspiration is my grandmother, Mary Tumolo. Still to this day her recipes have remained ingrained in my families memories. Although my grandmother has passed every time I cook, especially when cooking her recipes I feel her spirit around me.

The most vivid memory I have of my grandmother is of her hands. She had boney, ruff hands that seemed so worked but soft. As an observant child I would watch her cook everything from scratch. She had great strength and worked simple ingredients to perfection. Still no one can match her skill.

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I have always greatly admired her as this cookbook is dedicated to her and preserving my Italian heritage with the more cherished of recipes.

Italian families holiday meals consist of mountains of fresh food and endless dishes. A typical holiday meal traditional has 7 course: soup, jello, pasta, meat, salad, desert and cookies. As any one who has visited an Italian home knows Italians love

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to feed people. For my grand mother she would never open the front door without running into the basement to thaw so food for whoever was at the door. Food and family is the most important thing to any Italian family.

Caprese Salad

Ingredients:1 cup Fresh Basil1 lb fresh Mozzarella2 Roma Tomatoes1/4 Cup Olive Oil2 Tb Balsamic VingerSalt and pepper

Slice Mozzarella and tomatoes. Salt and pepper the tomatoes. To assemble alternate a slice of mozzarella, slice of tomato, and a leaf of basil. Pour olive oil and balsamic vinegar over top.

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Chicken StockIngredients:1 fresh stewed or roasted chicken (no liver)CeleryPotatoesCarrotsParsleyOnionsSalt

For stock: add all ingredients to a pot and cover with water, let boil, skim off scum, turn gas low and simmer (approx. 2+ hours).

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Pasta Dough (Modernized)

Ingredients:6 eggs- well beaten1 tbsp oil4 cups flour- added gradually1 tsp salt

On a stand mixed and dough hook add the 6 beaten eggs, oil and salt. Beat on high with 1 cup of flour. When flour is incorporated add the next cup until 3 cups have been added. Every batch is different so add flour so the consistency is still sticky but can be handles in your hands. Let rest for no more then 15 minutes as you set up the pasta machine.

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Tomato Sauce

Ingredients: 28oz can Crushed Tomatoes1 cloves minced garlic1/2 cup Red Wine1 Sweet Onion chopped1/2 cup Dried Basil1/4 cup Dried Parsley2 tb Dried Oregano2 tb Dried Thyme1 tb Rosemary

In a pot soften onions to a golden brown. Add minced garlic and wait 30 seconds before adding wine. Cook off the alcohol about 3-5 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and basil, parsley, oregano, , and rosemary. Let simmer for 20 minutes

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Meatballs

Ingredients:2 slices of any bread1/2 cup of milk1 cup Parmasan2 tablespoons of parsley2 eggs1Lb ground beef

In a bowl tare bread into small pieces then add milk to soften. Stir in eggs, parmasan, and parsley. Mix beef into combining base and divide into palm size balls. Pre heat oven to 350. Or brown in a skillet until cooked and drain grease.

Cook for 20-30 minutes then add to premade sauce

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Italian cooking has evolved over time but still takes roots from influences of the ancient Romans. The cuisine is different by region based on the ingredients available. Italian cooking does universally take influence in cheese and wine. In the 1700’s Italian cuisine became emphasized by region and cook books were written by housewives rather then professional chefs.

Italians tend to eat what is local but the use of pasta and tomatoes are universally used. In Northern Italy a variety of stuffed pastas, polenta and risotto are popular as well as seafood. Central Italy focuses on meat and fish. In Southern Italy has a focus on fresh vegetables. Sicily, an island has Italian base but also Spanish, Greek and Arab influence. The ingredients like citrus, rice and saffron influence the cuisine. In the USA and Canada the Italian-America cuisine is based on Campania and Sicily with heavily Americanized ingredients.

There are over a hundred different shapes of pasta. Pasta is categorized in two styles, dried and fresh. Under Italian law dry pasta can only be made from durum wheat flour or semolina.

Sardinia

Sicily

Calabria

ApuliaCampania

MoliseLatium

Abruzzo

Umbria

Tuscany

Emilia-Romagna

Liguria

Piedmont

Aosta ValleyLombardyV eneto

Friul-VeneziaGiulia

Naples

Basilicata

Marches

Tentino-AltoAdige

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Pennoni Grandi

Pennoni Millerighi

Farfalloni

Orecchiette

Spirali Fantasia

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BasilPairs well with

Vegitables

RosemaryPairs well with

Chicken

DillPairs well with

Fish

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ThymePairs well with

Stews

MintPairs well with

Lamb

ParsleyPairs well with

Salads

SagePairs well with

Poultry

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Lasagna

Ingredients:Two cans of home made tomatoes sauce18 or 1 box of ridged noodles15oz of ricotta 4 cups mozzarellaParmesan

Make sauce before starting noodles. Heat a pot full of water with salt and oil. Drop noodles 1 at a time in boiling water cress crossing them. Cook noodles for less then 10 minutes, stirring every now and then. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water. Pull them apart using the cold water so they don’t stick.

Find 6 un-broken noodles and set aside. Use 2nd best noodles for the bottom layer. 6 noodles per layers. Cover the bottom 9x13 baking dish with sauce. Put first layer of noodles overlapping them. Then another layer of sauce. Sprinkle Parmesan over sauce. Divide ricotta in the container in half. Use hands to chunk half the container of the ricotta in a layer. Then sprinkle 1 bag (2 cups) of mozzarella. Then add a layer of sauce. Finally repeat noodles and cheeses. Uses the less nice noodles in the middle layer. Top layer cover with sauce and top with parmesan.

Bake 375 for 30-60minutes depending on the temperature (if more than 18 noodles add an extra to the bottom and the middle not the top)

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Ravioli

Pasta Dough (Refer to Page)

Filling:3lb. ricotta3 eggsPepperParsley5-6 tbsp Parmigiano-Reggiano

Roll out pasta dough and cut into sheets. Lay dough on ravioli form and create indents and add 1 tbsp of filling then cover with second noodle. Roll over mold with a rolling pin to cut out the shapes starting from the center.Cook for 10 to 20 minutes in boiling water stir when they float

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Wedding Soup

Chicken Stock (Refer to page)

Ingredients:Escarolehomemade croutonsMini meat balls (Refer to page)Croutons:Toasted bread2-3 eggssalt and pepperCheeseOil

Cook escarole separately in a little water, low heat with cover. Chop finely and add to broth.

For croutons: Cut bread into cubes add all other ingredients and fry in oil.Make meat balls (1 inch balls) and fry them.

At serving time- add meatballs and croutons to soup

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Manicotti

Pasta Ingredients2 cups Milk3 eggs2 cups flour2 tsp oil1/2 tsp salt

Filling Ingredients3 lbs. Ricotta3 eggs1 cup Romano Cheese or to tasteParsley, salt and pepper to taste

PastaMix ingredients together in a blender and pour a 1/2 cup of batter in a 10 inch skillet that is brushed with melted butter. Cook each side until brown and re-butter each time.

Fill pasta with filling and roll placing in a baking dish. Cover in tomato sauce.

Cook at 350 for 20-30 minutes

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Pizzelles

Ingredients: 3 cups flour2 tsp. baking powder1/4 tsp. salt1½ cup butter1 cup sugar1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. anise 3 eggs

Mix butter and sugar together well. Add eggs one at a time during mixing then vanilla and anise. Mix dry ingredients together and add to wet mixture. (Makes about 6 dozen)

Cook in Pizzelle hand press for 45 seconds

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Zucchini Cake

Ingredients:1 cup oil2cups sugar2 cups raw graded zucchini1 cup nuts3 cups flour2 tsp baking soda3 tsp cinnamon1/2 tsp baking powder1 tsp salt2 tsp vanilla

Mix eggs, oil, sugar and zucchini in a bowl and beat together. Then add dry ingredients and mix all together. Pour mixture into a greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake at 350° for 1 hour

Let cool before taking out of form and sprinkle with powdered sugar when cool or use a milk glaze.

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Coffee Cake

Ingredients:1/2 cup shortening (butter)3/4 cup sugar1 tsp. vanilla3 eggs2 cups sifted flour1/2 pt. sour cream1 tsp. baking powder1 tsp.. baking soda2 tsp. cinnamon 6 tbsp butter1 cup chopped nuts1 cup brown sugar

Preheat over to 350°Assemble and bake for 50 minutes.

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Snowball Cake

Ingredients:2 envelopes knox gelatin4 pkgs. Dream Whip (envelopes)1 large angel food cake1 20oz can pineapple tidbits with jucies1 cup sugar1 to 2 tbsp lemon juiceshredded coconut for top layer

Dissolve gelatins in 4 tbsp of cold water; then add 1 cup of boiling water, lemon juice, pineapple with juice and sugar. Refrigerate mixture until it begins to jell. Remove crust from pre-made angel food cake and cut cake in half. Tear the half of cake into walnut size pieces and spread over the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan.Whip 2 envelopes of dream whip and fold into gelatin mixture. Pour over cake in cake pan. Take the other half of the angel food cake and tear into pieces and spread over the top of the gelatin then press down lightly. Whip 2 more envelopes of dream whip together and spread of top the assembled cake. Cover with coconut and chill over night.

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Pineapple Bars

Crust:Sifted Ingredients:4 cups flour1/2 tsp salt1 cup sugar3 to 4 tsp baking powder

Filling:1 can crushed pineapple1/2 cup sugar3 tbsp cornstarch

Other Ingredients:1 cup shortening2 eggs (beaten)1/4 cup milk1 tsp. vanilla

Roll out 1/2 of the dough and pat into a greased pan.Cook filling until it thickens and let cool. Add 1 tsp lemon juice and spread over the dough. With other half of dough roll out on sugar between pieces of wax paper.Bake on 350° for 45 minutes.Icing:1 1/2 cups of powdered sugarmilklemon or vanilla flavoring

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