Daniel Bellino Zwicke - Segreto Italiano: Secret Italian Recipes & Favorite Dishes

Yes, the recipes and this book. The name should tell you something, Segreto Italiano(Italian Secrets), Secret Recipes and Favorite Italian Dishes. And its just that. Some of the dishes are secret or rare, the rest Italian favorites, as well as favorites of any and all people who love Italian, and Italian-American food. And isnt tha t everyone?

Some recipes are secret like Dannys Bolognese and Pasta Segrete. Many are world famous, like Clemenzas Mob War Sunday Sauce, while others are famous within smaller circles, yet famous and equally tasty never-the-less.

Why do you say Italian and Italian-American you might ask? Arent they the same? Well, Yes and No. Italian-American is mostly Italian Food. About 90% But there are some differences, most of them slight, some not. Theyre been a great debate, mostly by people who dont know as much about food as their bloated heads think they do. Is Italian-American really a cuisine, and some of them may so no. But yes it is. All cuisines grow and change over times, and new one develop. Italian-American is a cuisine, and a legitimate one at that. What it is, a cuisine based on the cuisine and foods of Italy. It stems from Italy, Italian immigrants to the U.S.A. and the way these immigrants made their regional Italian dishes hear in America, and created a few new one out of necessity and circumstances. They mostly cooked the dishes of their hometowns and regions. Theyd make them the same ways. Some they might change a bit, and some we be created new, by immigrants in their homes or in restaurants. Dishes like Veal Parmigiano (Veal Parmesan) and Chicken Parmigiano were created here. So were Spaghetti & Meatballs as they say, as well as Gravy, a.k.a. Sunday Sauce which was adapted and embellished from the famous Neapolitan dish of Ragu Napoletano. Ragu Napoletano is made by braised one large piece of beef in a tomato sauce for a long time. This piece of beef imparts beef flavor into the tomato sauce. When finished, the piece of meat is removed from the sauce. You cook some pasta and serve it as a first course napped in the tomato sauce, minus the meat. The beef is sliced and serve with potatoes or polenta as the main course, and napped with just a little of the sauce. Italian-Americans who came to America back at the turn of the 1900 were quite poor, and many might have only had meat a few times a year.

When they came to America and worked as laborers, they were not rich, but America, a land of plenty, even with their small salaries, these immigrants could afford meat a couple times a week instead of just a few times a year. These immigrants in New York, Boston, Baltimore, New Orleans, wherever started creating some hybrid Italian dishes that stemmed from their roots (Italian) and their food. The greatest hybrid Italian-American dish is none other than Sunday Sauce, or as some call it, simply Gravy. These early Italian immigrants and 1 st Generation Italian-Americans created one of the culinary worlds greatest dishes ever; Gravy, Sundays Sauce, some just call it Sauce. The Gravy is made with a tomato sauce that has two or more meat products braised in it. Usually it simmers for hours on the back of the stove. The meats used and the most popular kind of Sunday Sauce (Gravy) is made with; Sausage, Meatballs, and Braciole. As you will see later, Pete Clemenzasfamou s sauc e from Francis Ford Coppolas Italian-American Classic film The Godfather is made with just Meatballs and Sausages. Some make it with Pork Neck, Sausage, and Meatballs. Some throw in some chicken, and some, as me for one like to make or Sunday Sauce Gravy with Pork Spare Ribs thrown in the mix. Dam thats tasty.

So you have Secret Sauce and othe r Secret Recipe s , some rare ones like; Goulash Triestino, and family recipes like; Uncle Petes Baked Rabbit or Uncle Vinnys Sausage & Beans. You have your favorites, like; Spaghetti & Meatballs, Lasagna, Pasta Fagoli (Pasta Fazool), Clams Casino, Shrimp Scampi and more. The Secret ones, like; Salsa Segrete all Ginos and Dannys Bolognese. You should pay $100 just for this last one alone, which I kept Secret for many years, but now, in kindness and good will to my fellow man, Im giving it to you. And its Practically Free. Hows that for a deal? And what about Ginos Salsa Segrete? Free too. Hey, Im getting Robbed here!

Well, Thats Italian! Italian-American, and its all so tasty and spirit lifting. Make these recipes, perfect them, theyre a treasure trove of Italian Favorites and Secret ones too. Mangia Bene e Sempre Avere Buono Tempi, (Eat Well & Always Have Good Times).