joylein's Full Review: Preserving Our Italian Heritage
*Disclaimer: Read the Following Review at Your Own Risk*
Joylein, the individual epinionater responsible for this review, is not of Italian heritage. She is of mainly *gasp* German extraction. Please be advised that her opinions are solely her own, and do not reflect the opinions of Epinions.
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I recently became engaged to the love of my life…a beautiful (if I may use that word for a guy) Italian man. His father, and all of his father’s family, hails directly from the old country. More specifically, they come from a tiny Italian village called Rose. I am not sure of its exact whereabouts, but I have seen it in countless family videos and pictures. It is quaint and lovely…just the kind of little mountain village one sees in the movies.
My fiancé’s grandmother, Nonna Asunta, is an amazing cook in every sense of the word. Each year on Christmas Eve, she makes an amazing feast consisting of spaghetti with polpettine (meat balls), fried calamari (squid), shrimp, and much more. Her fried cauliflower (yes, it is fried!) is divine. She makes desserts that would knock your socks off! The woman works magic in the kitchen. At over eighty years old, she is an amazingly spry and sprightly little chef. Oh, how I wish I could cook like her!
I am afraid that the ways of the old country, cooking included, are dying fast and must be preserved for posterity. Real Italian food is hard to find in the South. I love Italian food, but Olive Garden and Carrabas just aren’t the real thing. Once you have had authentic Italian you just cannot settle for less!
My mother, who is also a good cook as well as a thoughtful person, purchased a wonderful cookbook for me sometime back. She thought it would be a nice gift for me to have throughout the years. I have found its recipes to be quite wonderful, not to mention authentic. What is the name of this cookbook you ask? What kind of recipes will I find?
Come with me… I will take you on a tour of culinary delights!
*Il Libro! (The Book)*
Preserving Our Italian Heritage was compiled by the Grand Lodge of Florida’s chapter of the Order of Sons of Italy in America, Inc. It is a group dedicated not only to preserving and celebrating its members’ Italian heritage, but also contributing to charitable, cultural, educational, scientific, and medical research. According to the book, all proceeds are used towards the above causes. The book was originally available to the public in 1991.
The book is a collection of recipes contributed by Order members. The foreword by the editor, Rose Marie Boniello, states the purpose of the cookbook in a most sincere manner:
“ Preserving Our Italian Heritage is more than just a cookbook. It is a collection of recipes from the hearts and minds of our forefathers, many handed down from generation to generation and written down for the very first time in this book.”
The cookbook focuses on Italian food from the many different regions of Italy, and includes appetizers, soups, pastas, meat and seafood dishes, desserts, and much more.
Hungry yet? Let’s take a sneak peek at some of the sections along with a favorite recipe of mine from each…
*Antipasti*
Would you like to start with an appetizer? You have several delectable selections in the Antipasti section from which to choose including Italian Sausage Pie, Pepperoni Pie (yum), Pepper Biscuits, and my favorite of all time Stuffed Mushrooms. These are delicious if you are a mushroom lover! Want a peek at the recipe?
~*~Stuffed Mushrooms~*~
1 lb. Large mushrooms ½ tsp salt
1/3 cup olive oil ½ tsp pepper
2 garlic cloves ¾ cup bread crumbs
1 tsp. Parsley grated cheese (optional)
Cut off stems and wash well…
Contributed by Theresa Crissifulli
John Paul I Lodge #2427
Where are the rest of the directions, you ask? In the book, of course! I do not want to divulge too much information.
There are several other great appetizers in this section, to include several great eggplant dishes. Mmm…
*Minestre*
This section is the soups. In all honesty, I have not made anything out of this section, but there are some great sounding recipes. My soup making skills are sort of lacking, so I have not attempted any of these.
Recipes include Rice and Pea Soup, Soup Palermo Style, Zuppa di Sposalizio (Italian Wedding Soup), and Italian Sausage Soup with Tortellini. I do like Italian Wedding Soup, and I may well try to make this particular recipe. The Italian Sausage Soup sounds divine, with ingredients such as Italian sausage, fresh parsley, zucchini, tortellini, and grated Parmesan cheese.
These recipes would be great for a chilly winter night.
*Pane E Pizze*
Ahh! Bread and pizza! The low- carb dieter’s worst nightmare! Fortunately, I am not on a low carb diet!
Here you will find recipes for Focaccia, Pagnotta (Sweet Raisin Bread), Sausage Bread, and Pepperoni Bread, to name a few. Pepperoni Bread is excellent and easy to make!
~*~Pepperoni Bread Ingredients~*~
1 lb. Bread dough (fresh or frozen) 2 tbsp oil
6 oz. Pepperoni, chopped ¼ cup flour
8 oz. Mozzarella, chopped
Contributed by Tina Piasio
Lake Worth/Boynton Beach Lodge #2034
Again, I am not going to include the directions, as you simply must check out this book!
There are several pizza recipes included here, along with flatbread recipes, zeppole (fried dough), and Crescia (cheese bread).
This is one of my favorite sections. I am getting hungry just writing about it…so much for that commitment to getting in shape!
*Le Uova *
Eggs…I am not a big egg fan, but I do eat them on occasion. I also eat many dishes in which they are included.
All recipes in this section are those in which eggs are one of the ingredients…they are not necessarily the main ingredient.
Included here you will find recipes such as Pasta Frittata, Broccoli Frittata, and Asparagus Frittata. All recipes include beaten eggs.
If you are not an egg lover or are allergic to eggs, it would be well advised to steer clear of this section.
I have not tried any of these recipes, but they do sound interesting.
*Primi Piatti- Salse*
This section includes several wonderful sauce recipes, as well as pasta dishes including lasagna. Recipes include Calamari Sauce, Shrimp Sauce, Clam Sauce, Sun Dried Tomato sauce, and my fiance’s all time favorite, Carbonarra Sauce.
~*~ Carbonara Sauce Ingredients~*~
6 slices bacon, diced ¼ cup butter
½ cup heavy cream salt/pepper
2 egg yolks 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 lb Spaghetti
Contributed by Nancy Tarantino
Jerry Barletta Lodge #2502
This sauce is excellent. I am a fairly good cook, but things sometimes do not turn out right for me. That has never been the case with this sauce. It is delicious!
The pasta lover cannot go wrong with this section.
*Secondi Piatti*
Whew! After consuming all that are you ready for the second course?
This section includes meals mainly consisting of seafood and meat dishes. Recipes include Tripe Florentine, Veal Scallopine (I do not eat veal for personal reasons…I will not get on a soapbox here), Meat and Potato Stew, Meat Loaf, Sicilian Pot Roast, Sausage and Peppers, Roast Leg of lamb, and Braciole.
There are so many great dishes here that I cannot select just one to share with you. You will have to take my word and see for yourself. There are a wide array of different meats used, so anyone who eats meat may find something here.
*Pesce*
Anything from Calamari to Seafood Stew can be found here. Among my favorites are Shrimp Primavera, Calamari Fritti, and Stuffed Calamari.
The squeamish who do not care to eat squid may not approve, but the fried calamari is quite delicious. Be forewarned, howver…squid really stinks when you are cleaning and preparing it! My cats seem to appreciate the smell, though!
*Pollo*
Marco…Pollo...Marco..
Okay, okay, that is kinda silly but I could not resist. There are so many great chicken dishes here from which to select. Yum!
Some great dishes I have tried include Chicken and Sausage (sounds weird, but tastes great), Chicken and Artichokes, and Chicken alla Tetrazzini.
There is also a great recipe for Ricotta Stuffing for a turkey.
This is a fairly short section, but the recipes are really good!
*Contorni*
You must eat your vegetables!
You will find many a great salad and vegetable dish here. Mozzarella Salad is delicious, as is the Olive Salad. Other salad recipes include Olive Salad, Eggplant Salad, and even Broccoli Salad.
Vegetable dishes include the fabulous Eggplant Parmesan, Stuffed Rolled Eggplant, Giambotto, Stuffed Zucchini, Spinach Rolls, Roasted Fried Peppers, and more.
There are so many delicious vegetable dishes that the vegetarian will not feel left out. I just love the Eggplant Parmesan. Don’t ya wish you had the recipe?
*Dolci*
Ahh..even the word sounds so sweet. Finally, my favorite course, dessert!
How will one ever be able to choose from so many mouthwatering temptations such as Chocolate Biscotti, Cannoli, Italian Cheesecake, and Italian Amaretti Cookies.
I honestly thought that such delights as the Biscotti (Toasted Cookie Slices) would be hard to make. The recipe included in the cookbook is really not hard, and it is delicious! The recipe includes such ingredients as granulated sugar, almonds (a must ), butter, and anise seeds. The anise seeds and almonds give the Biscotti a wonderful flavor. If prepared properly, the Biscotti will be nice and crunchy crisp. Too hard, and you will break off a tooth!
There are a few simple cookie recipes as well as cake recipes here. The ones I have not tried sound absolutely delicious.
Oh! My heavens…how could I forget to include my favorite, the Tirami-Su (Pick Me Up)! This simple recipe uses ladyfingers pastries, espresso, eggs, and semi sweet cocoa among other ingredients. It is easy and it tastes like a dream. If you are able to find it, use Italian cream cheese, but the standard kind will do just fine.
This is so delicious, rich, fluffy, and tempting. I love it!
*In Conclusion*
Alas, my friends, your taste of culinary heaven has come to an end. I am happy to have been your hostess today.
I encourage anyone who loves Italian food to check out Preserving Our Italian Heritage. I do not feel that you will be disappointed, as it is full of authentic Italian recipes ranging from extremely simple to extremely complex.
I may never be able to cook like Nonna Asunta, but at least I can make an honest effort at it! Her passion for cooking,as well as life itself, is great, and I admire it.
*Extras*
The book can be purchased for a fairly inexpensive price at several fine online merchants, and makes a fine gift.
There are 210 glorious pages of recipes, and there is also a helpful table of contents as well as an index.
The book is in hardcover for those of us who ruin everything we lay a hand on…makes it a bit tougher!
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