Anne Casale - ItaliaItalian family cooking: Like mamma used to make

A Fawcett Book
Published by The Random House Publishing Group
Copyright 1984 by Anne L. Casale
Illustration copyright 1984 by Lauren Jarrett
Silhouettes copyright 1984 Heather Taylor
Design by Beth Tondreau

Cover design by James R. Harris
Silhouette by Heather Taylor

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Fawcett Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc. New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

Fawcett is a registered trademark and the Fawcett colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.

www.ballantinebooks.com

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 84-90841
eISBN: 978-0-345-54060-7

v3.1

Many years ago, my husband was asked by an inquisitive three-year-old to explain the meaning of the word pal. Patiently and lovingly he knelt down and explained, A pal is your closest friend, someone you admire and love. The child thought for a moment, looked up and beamed, saying, Then thats what you are to meyoure my pal! To this day my husband, John, is known as Pal to everyone in the family. It is to him, my husband and Pal, that this book is dedicated.

Anne L. Casale

Contents

I gratefully acknowledge and thank: My daughter, Amy; my wonderful agent, Amy Berkower, at Writers House; my dear friend, David Wald, who helped put so many of my thoughts into words; and my family and friends for their support, encouragement and patience during the many months of writing.

I grew up in an Italian household where hospitality and food were a natural part of my heritage, a heritage rich in tradition and gastronomic delight. Being introduced to good food at an early age gave me an inquisitive, demanding palate that has flourished for a lifetime.

Both my parents, Rose and Amadeo Lovi, were excellent cooks. My mothers side of the family came from the region of Campania and my fathers from Liguria and Tuscany, so we always had a diversity of magnificent dishes at our table.

When I was a child, it was always an exciting experience to go shopping with my father on Saturdays. We would start out early in the morning and visit a string of specialty shops where he would select the finest, freshest ingredientswhether produce, fowl, fish or meats. As he made his selections, he would lean over and tell me, Learn to use your eyes, Anna, as well as your nose. The best needs no embellishment. He never sacrificed quality in whatever was to be served. I watched him prepare many of his Tuscan specialties, from a simple risotto to an intricate veal roast which was alive with flavor. Cooking, he would say, is a form of self-expression. Dont be afraid to explore new gastronomic territories. A good cook must always keep an open mind for new ideas, new tastes and new combinations.

From Mamma, the first culinary rule I learned was cleanliness and organization before getting started. If Mamma were baking, everything would be pre-measured into little bowls and set out on the counter waiting to be systematically assembled. In this manner, nothing was ever left out of a recipe. The same attention was given to all her food preparation. Each vegetable was meticulously cleaned, then chopped, minced or diced to perfection before being added to any dish. She stressed the idea that cooking and baking were acts of love and passed that love on to me.

Her food was beautifully arranged on handsome serving platters. Always remember, Anna, she would advise me, when food looks good, it tastes even better.

My father-in-law, Vincenzo Casale, owned and operated La Bella Palermo, an Italian pastry shop in lower Manhattan, for over forty years. He was respected by his fellow pasticceri (pastry men) as one of the finest bakers of his time. He was also an excellent Sicilian cook. We lived with him for fourteen years after his retirement. I can remember spending hours in the kitchen to please this man of impeccable taste. Most of the time I was rewarded with unstinting compliments, but once in a while his compliment after a meal was, Anna, this is good, but dont make it any more. Needless to say, I wanted to die right on the spot. I learned much in the years he lived with us and am grateful for the many techniques and methods he taught me. He always used an Italian expression, Quello che ci mette, ci trova, meaning, What one puts into a dish one will find. Papa Casale was rightand in complete accord with my parents philosophies. Love is a basic and the best ingredient in every recipe I offer. I have shared this love with my family, friends and students for many years and now I am happy to share this heritage with others. What one puts into a dish one will find!

Prized family recipes are creations that not only satisfy the palate, but warm the heart with the memories they generate. Every family-inspired recipe created for this book has been developed to capture the original magic I recall. Italian Family Cooking has been designed to share my culinary heritage with todays cook in todays kitchen.

The recipes in this collection are presented in a clear, precise manner. The procedures are written in simple steps as they are needed. Incorporated in the procedures are specific cooking techniques that will instruct the beginning cook or reinforce, refine and expand the skills of the more experienced one. Ingredients are listed in the order in which they are used. Each measurement is standard and allows the reader to reproduce the selections without guesswork and with confidence. I recommend that you read the chapter on ingredients before starting any of the recipes. An understanding of the ingredients being used can only add to a cooks security and confidence.

Planning is the key to carefree cooking. It is extremely important to have all your ingredients and utensils readily at hand before you start to cook. Consult your recipes in advance and jot down all the ingredients youll need, even the most obvious. Without your list you may find yourself up a creek minus the salt and pepper, or waiting for an oven to preheat. Note when the same ingredientssuch as chopped onion or minced parsleymust be readied for several recipes: do all the preparation, then divide the ingredients and place required amounts in separate bowls. Clean up as you go along. Read through each recipe again before starting. If you are properly prepared, cooking can be easy and fun.