Piazza - Cooking with Giovanni Caboto: Regional Italian Cuisine

EDITED BY PHOTOGRAPHED BY BIBLIOASIS CONTENTS Copyright Giovanni Caboto Club, 2012
Photographs Mauro Chechi, 2012 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher or a licence from The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For an Access Copyright licence, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call toll free to 1-800-893-5777. Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Cooking with Giovanni Caboto / the Giovanni Caboto Club; edited by Giacinto Piazza ; photographed by Mauro Chechi. Includes index.
ISBN 978-1-927428-05-4 1. 2. Cookbooks. I. I.

Piazza, Giacinto, 1951-II. Giovanni Caboto Club TX723.C65 2012641.5945C2012-905076-8

M ANY OF YOU, I am sure, remember waking up Sunday morning to incredible aromas coming from the kitchen. More often than not, Sunday, along with those other holidays, found Mom in the kitchen preparing the afternoon meal that would be enjoyed after church. Whatever region of Italy you are from, Italians share this one common belief: Sunday is family time. Whether it is with your immediate family or together with extended family, Sunday is a day to be shared with others. We all have our own stories to tell when taking on a project that we can reflect on with family and friends.

Ive never considered myself a great cook, though I am a passionate one; there is little doubt, however, that working on this cookbook has improved my culinary skills. Learning how to prepare and being able to taste a small portion of regional Italian cuisine over the past 18 months has taken me on an incredible journey through Italy from which I will reap continual benefits. The production of this book was a love affair with food, though I faced many trials and challenges. During the course of compiling these recipes, a great deal of knowledge was gained about the many variations of Italian cuisine. I learned that a simple pasta dish with fresh tomato sauce will differ when prepared from one region to another. One of our contributors, John Benotto from Veneto, states the tomatoes from his region make their sauce better than any other; another contributor, Remo Tortola from Molise, disagrees and argues that the tomatoes grown in the soil of his region have a better taste.

They would inevitably end their discussion with Va Bene! Of course, they were both right and it is okay! What became apparent is that Italians are just as passionate about their food as they are about family, football (soccer) and politics. Sometimes I am unsure about which topic they are most passionate! One thing is for sure: gather two (you only need two) or more Italians, sit them down for a meal and let the fun begin. The purpose of this book is to offer a gastronomical regional survey of Italian cuisine, colourfully illustrated in over 200 recipes from the homes of our members, their families and friends. I do hope you take the opportunity to try these recipes with your favourite bottle of Italian wine. A quick final note about wine pairing with your meals: wine tastes better in the company of friends and family. My belief: drink what you enjoy and not what you are told to pair it with.

If your palate says, I like it, then drink it! Giacinto (Gino) Piazza, Montallegro, Agrigento, Sicily (Editor and Chair)

I N 2011, THE GIOVANNI CABOTO CLUB Art and Culture Committee approached the Board of Directors with the idea to create a cookbook that would represent all the regions of Italy, and would look to collect recipes both from our homes here in Canada and, more importantly, from the kitchens that many of our members left when they emigrated from Italy. These recipes represent a cultural snapshot and could provide everyone a true taste of Italy. Italian Culture has been a foundation of Western Civilization for thousands of years, creating and influencing the modern world in art, music, science and medicine, but it is perhaps in the area of the culinary arts that Italy has the most universal appeal. You may argue on behalf of the merits of Da Vinci, Galileo, or Puccini, but no one can argue that the best food is Italian food, because for Italians, every dish is a masterpiece, every meal is a banquet and every gathering is a celebration of family and friends! It was with this in mind that a small group of volunteers were tasked with reaching out to the Members of the Caboto Club to secure their favourite recipes. While this may sound like a simple task, keep in mind that most of those recipes are closely guarded secrets.

We will always share a dish, but getting that secret ingredient or that special spice that makes the dish so good is not the easiest thing to do. All of this would not have been possible without the leadership of Gino Piazza. Gino was not only the Chairman of this group, he was also its driving force, and it was because of his tireless devotion to this idea that you now have this cookbook. Now, as the Giovanni Caboto Club enters its 88th year, it is with great pleasure that we present this culinary tour of Italy to you. On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Giovanni Caboto Club, I would like to thank all of the members who contributed their most cherished recipes. A special thank you also needs to go out to Gino Piazza and his committee, the Chairman of the Art and Culture Committee, Giuliano Lunardi for his support, Mauro Chechi for his beautiful photographs and of course, to all of you reading this book, as it is for you that all of this effort was undertaken.

Try the recipes, experiment with the ingredients and share the results with your friends and family. Buon Appetito! (Roberto is a 3rd-generation member
of the club and its 28th president.)

Elena (Presello) Tonial, Fagagna, Udine Growing up, this was always one of my favourite dishes that my Mom would prepare for us. There was never a more perfect Sunday than one where we had lasagna for dinner. Just before my Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimers, she gave my daughter all of her secret recipes so that they would not be forgotten. I could think of nothing better than to share this with all of you. (Yield: 8-10 servings) 1 pound lasagna noodles
olive oil for drizzling WHITE SAUCE: 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 2 cups milk teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 5-6 cups meat sauce (see ) 2 pounds shredded Mozzarella cheese cup grated Parmesan cheese .Bring large pot of salted water to boil. (Yield: 8-10 servings) 1 pound lasagna noodles
olive oil for drizzling WHITE SAUCE: 2 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons flour 2 cups milk teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 5-6 cups meat sauce (see ) 2 pounds shredded Mozzarella cheese cup grated Parmesan cheese .Bring large pot of salted water to boil.

Add lasagna noodles and cook for approx. 4 minutes, until softened. .Drain into colander and run cold water over noodles to stop cooking process. Place drained noodles in bowl with a little olive oil so they will not stick together. Set aside. .Melt butter in small saucepan over medium heat.