I love a good bowl of chili and my Dad made a pretty good chili that was a popular lunch item on the menu at Lista’s. In those days we called it “Chili con Carne” (chili with meat) — I guess to differentiate it from the chili made without meat, which I never heard of until the vegetarians came to power. And our chili had beans, mostly dark red kidney beans, because that’s how every self respecting chili was made in the Northeast, after all we were in Brockport, not San Antonio!

Chili con carne was also a staple in our house growing up, but it was the standard stuff made with ground beef, onions, beans, and an envelope of French’s Chili-O seasoning mix. Still it was pretty tasty and about the only time we ate Fritos corn chips for dinner. 

When I had my own family, I made chili con carne every week because my kids just loved it (as long as I didn’t put any diced tomatoes in it… chunks were very taboo with my kids). And I definitely served my chili with corn chips — and cheddar cheese on top.

Now getting back to my Dad; after the restaurant closed in 1980, Dad started his second career at SUNY College at Brockport. And when Dad retired from the college, he started hosting a weekly poker night with some of his former co-workers and old friends. Now my Dad was a darn good poker player and I’m sure he enjoyed the game — but the truth is his main deal (pun intended) was to whip up a regular buffet of eats for these guys. Dad made sandwiches, and dips, and cheese trays, and brownies… and he always made a batch of his chili con carne. And I think the guys liked the chili most of all.

I’m not much of a card player myself, so I never sat in on Dad’s poker games (although my brothers did from time to time) but I had occasionally been at the house when the guys were coming in and hear them rave about the food Dad provided. Dad was always happiest when he was cooking and serving food to people who truly appreciated it. I guess that’s one thing he passed down to me.

As I was making the chili for this post, it occurred to me that the recipe has a lot of 3’s in it. 3 pounds of ground beef, 3 vegetables, 3 types of tomatoes, 3 primary seasonings, and for this version 3 kinds of beans. I think this recipe is a good basic chili and would appeal to most palates (not too spicy, no exotic ingredients, no odd flavors). Of course like any recipe on this site, I’m working from my memories of how we did things at Lista’s or how my Dad taught me to make things, so always feel free to tweak the recipe to your own taste and preferences.

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Poker Night Chili con Carne

Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  60 minutes
Serves:  6-8 

Ingredients:
3 lbs. Lean Ground Beef
1 large Onion – diced
1 large Green Bell Pepper – diced
2 stalks Celery – diced
1 (6 oz) can Tomato Paste
1 (10 oz) can Diced Tomatoes with Green Chilies (such as Rotel) – drained
1 (28 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes
2 rounded TBSP Chili Powder (or to taste)
1 rounded TBSP Ground Cumin
1 1/2 tsp Dry Oregano
1/2 tsp Granulated Garlic (optional)
1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper or more to taste (optional)
Salt & Pepper to taste
1 (15.5 oz) can Red Kidney Beans – drained and rinsed
1 (15.5 oz) can Pinto or Cannellini Beans – drained and rinsed
1 (15.5 oz) can Black Beans – drained and rinsed

Directions:
1. In a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook uncovered, stirring the ground beef until completely crumbled and no longer pink – about 15 minutes. Drain grease and return meat to pot. Reduce heat to medium.
2. Clean and dice the onion, green pepper and celery and add to the cooked meat and continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender – about another 15 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, garlic (if desired), and cayenne pepper (if desired) – stir to incorporate and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for another 15 minutes.
Note: to amp up the heat increase the chili powder and cayenne pepper to your liking.
4. Add drained and rinsed beans, stir gently to combine, reduce heat to low and cook until heated through – about 15 more minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste.
5. Serve as is or with your favorite toppings (such as corn chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped onions, sliced jalapenos, sriracha, etc.).

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There you have it, Poker Night Chili con Carne. Whether you make it for the Big Game or family game night this chili will be a winner. I find it easy to prepare on top of the stove, but if you prefer to use your slow cooker just cook the ground beef as in step #1 – add the  meat and rest of the ingredients to your crock pot and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. My Dad often made the chili a day ahead and reheated it in the crock pot for poker  night. And if you have leftovers they will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Until next time remember, “The Sauce Makes the Difference!”

This weekend I joined my wife, her sister, dad and stepmom for a Fish Fry at a local restaurant. As many of you know, Friday Night Fish Fry is a dining trademark in the Rochester NY area. As long as I can remember it was a regular Friday tradition for people all around our community to go to any number of restaurants for this iconic fish dinner. Traditionally served during the Lenten season (the six week period leading up to Easter Sunday) a typical Rochester area Fish Fry consists of a battered or breaded haddock fillet (the bigger the better) served with french fries, coleslaw and tartar sauce. Over the years this classic Friday night menu item has become available any day of the week; and it has made it’s way onto menus of most restaurants, taverns, and grocery stores… even Chinese take out places feature Fish Frys. Today practically any place that has a deep fryer will feature a Fish Fry.

During those few years that I worked for my Dad at Lista’s Italian Cuisine, the Friday Night Fish Fry was truly an anchor to our financial week. From age 16 to 18 I was given the task of fryer cook on Friday nights. It was my job to produce the hundreds of fish frys that left our kitchen. It was a fast paced, greasy, stinky job but I really loved it and I was darn good at it! I can still remember the feeling of looking out the pass-through into the dining room and seeing the throng of people lining up — every table full, people waiting to cash out, people waiting for a table, and a line outside the door and literally down the block just waiting to get in. It felt both thrilling and overwhelming to see all those people and knowing that the greatest number of them would be counting on me to cook their dinners.

We had two large deep fryers at Lista’s — one fryer was used for french fries, veal cutlets and a variety of other non-fish items; while the other was exclusively dedicated to the battered haddock. We would remove the fryer baskets and cook the fish right in the heated vat of vegetable oil. Each portion of fish was hand dipped and laid in the hot oil, allowing it to cook until golden brown and piping hot. Then it was plated with the requisite french fries and coleslaw and passed through to the harried waitstaff. During the busiest hours it was almost impossible to keep up with the demand… and on one occasion I was so intent on keeping up I actually grabbed the fish from the fryer with my bare hand just to get it on the plate! 

At Lista’s we featured battered fish frys and used only the finest boneless, skinless, Icelandic haddock fillets. At first we didn’t use beer in our fish batter (since we didn’t serve alcohol) but in the latter years we began to serve beer and wine and so added beer to the batter recipe. We also served a special Grade A, extra long french fry with a cut that was somewhere between a standard 1/4″ x 1/4″ cut and a steak fry. The fries had to be as impressive as the fish itself. Plus our coleslaw and tartar sauce were house made using family recipes that were far superior to the commercially made products that many places used.

Above is a picture of my Dad’s recipe box and his hand written recipe card for fish batter — can you tell how much it was used? This box is one of my most prized possessions and one of the few remnants of my days working with Dad at Lista’s.

So, in tribute to the good old days of Lista’s I’m featuring two recipes today, the first is the original Lista’s Fish Batter and the second is the original Lista’s Coleslaw. Give them a try with some good quality haddock and french fries and create your own Friday Fish Fry at home.

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Lista’s Fish Batter 

Prep time: 5 minutes + resting time
Yield: about 2 cups

Ingredients:
1 Whole Egg
1 cup Whole Milk
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Salt

Directions:
1. In a suitable mixing bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until completely combined and frothy.
2. Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk until smooth.
3. Allow batter to rest at room temperature 5-10 minutes before using (this give the leavening time to activate and makes the batter crispier).

To fry fish: Start by patting dry the fillet with paper towels, dip the fillet in the batter completely and remove from batter allowing excess batter to drip off into bowl. Gently place the battered fillet into a large pan with approximately 3″ of hot (350 degree F) vegetable oil – about 1 1/2 quarts. Fry fish until golden brown on bottom (about 2-3 minutes) and flip over using tongs — allow to fry on other side until golden brown (another 1-2 minutes). Remove from hot oil with tongs and drain on a plate covered with several layers of paper towel. Keep warm while frying other fish fillets. Serve with french fries and the coleslaw below.

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Lista’s Coleslaw

Prep time: 15 minutes
Wait time: 15-30 minutes
Serves: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:
1/2 head Green Cabbage (about 1 – 1 1/2 lbs)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 large Carrot
1 TBSP dry Parsley Flakes
1/2 cup Real Mayonnaise (like Hellman’s)
1 TBSP Sugar
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

Directions:
1. With a very sharp knife, slice the cabbage as thinly as possible and set in a large mixing bowl (or you can use a slicing attachment on a food processor if desired). Sprinkle cabbage with 1/2 tsp salt and let rest.
2. Grate the carrot on the large holes of a box grater and rinse quickly in a wire strainer under cold water; squeeze out water, and add to cabbage in bowl. (The rinsing is optional but it prevents the coleslaw from turning too orange colored.)
3. Add the parsley flakes, mayo and sugar to the bowl and mix thoroughly until well combined and everything is coated with mayo. Cover and refrigerate at least 15 – 30 minutes until cabbage has released some moisture. Stir coleslaw and season to taste with salt and pepper just before serving. Great with a Fish Fry or other home style meal.

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There you have it, Lista’s Fish Batter and Lista’s Coleslaw — just right for your own fish fry. Although we only used haddock at Lista’s you can use any mild white fish for a fish fry. The batter works great for chicken nuggets, onions rings, or other similar foods too.

I hope this post brings back some memories for those of you that were fortunate enough to enjoy a fish fry at Lista’s Italian Cuisine. I would love if you shared your memories in a comment on this blog.

Until next time remember, “The Sauce Makes the Difference!”

 

Happy New Year 2018!  The Lista family had a wonderful time celebrating the Holidays and now we are all hunkered down weathering the sub-zero temperatures and battling the ever present “white stuff.” Of course, while waiting for the inevitable break in this cold snap, I am looking for ways to warm us up with great winter recipes.

One of my absolute favorite cold weather recipes is a soup that many people today would call “Italian Wedding Soup” but when I was growing up we simply referred to it as Escarole Soup… or more commonly just “scarola”.

This soup is another familiar recipe from the Campania region of Italy, and was a Lista family favorite frequently made by my Grandma, my Aunts, and my Dad. I can remember watching my Dad make “scarola” and being fascinated by the way the greens would be so voluminous until they hit the simmering broth, and then they would wilt down to almost nothing… and I absolutely loved that this soup was made with those tiny hand-rolled meatballs! I also recall, occasionally, Grandma would beat an egg with a handful of grated cheese and drizzle it into the soup at the very end, stirring it gently to form thin shreds of egg throughout — just amazing!

For me, Escarole Soup is one of those quirky dishes that doesn’t follow the culinary norm. But the combination of a light chicken broth with hearty meatballs really works — as does the use of the delicate pasta (acini de pepe) in contrast to the other sturdier ingredients — and the tender greens that counterbalance the firm bite of the meatballs. It’s actually this contrast and balance that gave the soup its misunderstood moniker of “wedding soup.” Contrary to popular belief this soup is not served at Italian weddings nor is its sole purpose to give the new couple stamina for their nuptial bliss.

In truth, the name “wedding soup” is more of a mistranslation. In Italian, the soup was originally minestra maritata (married soup) which is a reference to the flavor produced when the broth and greens are combined or “married” together.

I have heard that in some Italian-American families, this wonderful dish is also called “healing soup” because it is often made when someone is sick, knowing that the nutrient rich broth and veggies will provide comfort and nourishment to speed up recovery… one friend told me she always prays for the sick while rolling the meatballs as an added benefit.

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Lista Family Escarole Soup

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes 
Servings: 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
– For the Meatballs –
1 pound Lean Ground Beef
1/4 cup Italian Seasoned breadcrumbs
1 large Egg
1 clove Garlic – finely minced
1/4 cup Fresh Parsley Leaves – Chopped
1/4 cup Grated Pecorino Romano
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
– For the Soup –
1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 medium Yellow Onion – diced
1 stalk Celery – diced
2 large Carrots – peeled and diced
8 cups Chicken Broth (homemade preferred)
1 cup Acini di Pepe or Ditalini Pasta
1 large bunch Escarole – rinsed and coarsely chopped
Freshly grated Pecorino Romano for serving
Crushed Red Pepper for serving (optional)

Directions:
1. Place all of the meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Form the meat mixture into ½ inch meatballs, and place them on a platter or cookie sheet. Wrap them with plastic wrap and refrigerate them until ready to use.
2. In a 4 quart soup pot, heat the oil over med-high heat and cook the onions and celery until just tender about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock, turn to high and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and keep soup simmering.
3. Gently drop the meatballs into the soup and let cook for 5 minutes. Add the pasta and carrots and let everything simmer for about 10 more minutes.
4. Add the escarole and simmer for another 5 minutes until wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a generous sprinkle of grated Pecorino Romano cheese (and some crushed red pepper if desired). 

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There you have it, Lista Family Escarole Soup.  What a beautiful combination of flavors and ingredients to warm body and soul (and maybe to cure what ails you!) Serve the soup with some fresh Italian bread or even better toasted Garlic Bread. I hope you try this soup as a quick family meal or  share it with friends at your next gathering.

Until next time remember, “The Sauce Makes the Difference!”

 

Q. What do sauerkraut, wild mushrooms, prunes, and marjoram have in common?
A. They are all essential ingredients in my version of Bigos (Polish Hunter’s Stew).

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Bigos is often considered the national dish of Poland, and is one of those ethnic dishes where each family has their own variation. Most recipes for Bigos will include white cabbage or sauerkraut; wild mushrooms, and lots of meat including smoked sausage, pork or ham, beef, and sometimes poultry or game like venison, boar or rabbit. This is definitely not for the Vegan crowd!

Bigos is definitely one of those recipes that has many ingredients and takes time to prepare and cook. But don’t let that keep you from attempting to make this stew since the result is a beautiful, rich, heart-warming pot of family tradition. 

Although historically Bigos is cooked in a kettle over an open fire, today it is prepared in the oven or more conveniently in an electric slow-cooker.  (I use one of  those counter top electric turkey roasters.) The slow cooking give the flavors a chance to meld together and allows the meats and vegetables to cook down to a thick, hearty, deep flavored stew with a moist but not “wet” or soupy consistency. Traditionalists say you should not stir Bigos, but keep it in layers (I usually stir mine toward the end of the cooking). Some families cook the Bigos for several hours one day, cool it over night (sometimes wrapped in newspapers and left outside on a cold night) and then reheat for several hours the next day before serving. Like many good ethnic recipes it is much better the next day and gets better with age.

So, what’s a third generation Italian-American doing blogging about Bigos? Well, my wife’s family is Polish and for the past several years I have been making Bigos for our annual Wigilia (Christmas Eve supper). Although Wigilia is traditionally “meatless” featuring a variety of  traditional fish, noodle, and vegetable dishes — our family has indulged the younger members by adding a few meats, like home-made kielbasa and my Bigos. The recipe below is 1/3 of what I typically prepare for Wigilia — but it is a good amount for a family and will fit in a large 7 to 8 quart slow cooker (crock pot).

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Bigos (Polish Hunter’s Stew)

Ingredients:
2 TBSP Bacon Fat or Butter or Olive Oil
1 lb. Sauerkraut (from a bag or jar) – rinsed and squeezed dry
1 large Yellow Onion – cut in half and thinly sliced
1/2 small White Cabbage – thinly sliced or shredded
2 Carrots – peeled and shredded
6 Pitted Prunes – chopped
1 Granny Smith Apple – peeled, cored and chopped (optional)
½ lb. Fresh Mushrooms – sliced
1 pkg. Dried Mushrooms (found in many grocery stores) – soaked, drained & chopped
1 can Petite Diced Tomatoes – drained
1 TBSP Paprika, or to taste
2 tsp Marjoram, or to taste
1 tsp Granulated Garlic, or to taste
1 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper, or to taste
1-2 Bay Leaf
Salt to taste (be careful to taste since kielbasa and sauerkraut can be salty)
1 lb. Venison (I count on my hunting friends) – cut into 1” cubes
1 lb. Beef Chuck (i.e. pot roast) – trimmed and cut into 1” cubes
1 lb. Pork Shoulder (i.e. pork butt roast) – trimmed and cut into 1” cubes
1 lb. Smoked Kielbasa – sliced into ½” rounds
1/2 lb. Smoked Ham (optional) – cut into 1” cubes
1 cup Dry Red Wine – traditionally Madeira (I use whatever I have)
Beef broth – as needed to keep moist but not “wet” while cooking

Directions:
1. Preheat oven (if using) to 300 degrees F – or preheat slow cooker on high.
2. In a large heavy frying pan, cook sauerkraut and onions in butter, oil, or bacon fat until just starting to brown. Stir in cabbage until wilted (abut 5 minutes) and transfer to slow cooker or large roaster.
3. Layer the shredded carrots, prunes, apple, (both) mushrooms, and tomatoes over the cabbage.
4. Mix paprika, marjoram, garlic, pepper and allspice together in a small bowl. Sprinkle half spice mixture over cabbage.
5. Add the sliced sausage and cubed ham in a layer over the vegetables.
6. Add the venison, pork and beef (in that order) in layers over the sausage.
7. Add bay leaves and season with remaining spice mixture. 
8. Add at least 1 cup liquid (½ wine and ½ broth) – add more (1 cup at a time) as needed during cooking to keep moist but not wet.
9. IN OVEN: Cook covered at 300 degree F for 3-4 hours, stirring once every 1-2 hours.
    SLOW COOKER: Cook covered on high for 5-6 hours, stirring only once after 3 hours.
10. When finished the Bigos should be very thick, moist and meaty – not like a soup or gravy type stew. Serve Bigos in a bowl with some Polish rye bread or traditionally with mashed potatoes on the side. Przepyszny! (Yum!)

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There you have it, my third generation Italian-American version of Bigos (Polish Hunter’s Stew). Like me, you may have to make it a couple of times to get the ingredients and seasoning to your particular taste, but I hope you enjoy this incredible Polish traditional dish. Even if it doesn’t end up on your Holiday table, give it a try soon… and from my family to yours Happy Holidays!

Until next time remember, “The Sauce Makes the Difference!”

 

My Dad, Vinnie Lista, was a true pork aficionado… he loved everything pork. Whether it was a chop, steak, tenderloin, cutlet, ribs, sausage, ham, bacon or any of the many charcuteries produced from the humble pig — Dad enjoyed them all. But his definite favorite was a simple roast pork, and often for a Holiday, instead of traditional cured and smoked ham, Dad would roast a fresh ham (which is the same shank or shoulder cut but not brined or smoked). So growing up I learned to appreciate the savory versatility of that “other white meat.”

Over the years I have made many different pork dishes, but one that I have come to really appreciate is the distinctly Italian Porchetta.

Porchetta (pronounced por-ketta) is a traditional Italian roast made from a boned whole pig — stuffed with fennel, garlic and other seasonings, heavily salted, and cooked over an open fire for up to 8 hours. The result is a crispy, fatty, juicy, salty, spicy, savory bundle of meaty deliciousness! 

Originating in Central Italy, porchetta is one of those regional foods that has cultural significance and is considered a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (PAT) and is closely governed by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture. Porchetta is popular throughout Italy and is often associated with celebrations. Porchetta is a common street food in Rome and is often sold from food carts or vans, especially during festivals and Holidays.

Porchetta came to America with early twentieth century immigrants and has become extremely popular in Philadelphia where it is often sold as “roast pork” sandwiches served on a roll topped with cooked greens or broccoli rabe and sharp provolone cheese.

One of the characteristics of porchetta is the crispy roasted fat and skin (cracklins) that form on the outside and keeps the meat moist and tender. Many scaled down recipes (you’re probably not going to roast a whole pig) use pork belly wrapped around a pork loin — but my version uses the readily available and inexpensive pork shoulder roast (often called pork butt or Boston butt) which has enough fat to make it work.

This recipe takes a little work to butterfly the roast, season, marinate, and roast… but it is well worth the time and effort.

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Dan’s Porchetta 

Prep time: Note this is a 2 day process – active prep 30 minutes
Cook time: 2-3 hours 
Serves: 6-8 depending on size of roast

Ingredients:
5-8 lb. Bone-in (or boneless) Pork Butt Roast
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – as needed
Coarse Sea Salt – as needed
Coarse Ground Black Pepper – as needed
3-4 cloves Fresh Garlic  – minced
1 tsp Fennel Seeds – crushed
1 tsp Rosemary (fresh or dry)
1 tsp Sage Leaves (fresh or dry)
1 tsp Lemon Zest (fresh or dry)
1/2 tsp Oregano (fresh or dry)
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
Butchers Twine or 100% cotton string

Directions:
1. If using a bone-in roast (least expensive) — use a sharp thin blade boning knife to remove the blade-bone being careful not to cut all the way through the meat. Then butterfly the roast so it opens up into a long rectangle — you may need to cut through some of the thicker parts as well (photo #1 above). You can find videos on how to debone and butterfly a roast on YouTube… or ask the butcher to butterfly it for you.
2. Lay the butterflied roast, fat side down on a large cutting board or your counter covered with parchment paper. Using a sharp knife score any thicker part or connective tissues to make it cook more evenly. Rub entire side of roast with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a small bowl combine minced garlic, fennel seed, rosemary, sage, lemon zest, oregano and red pepper (I used all dry herbs/spices) – sprinkle evenly over the roast.
4. Starting at the short end without the fat cap – roll the meat tightly, jelly roll style, until you have a tight roll with the seam on the bottom or side and the fat cap on top. With a very sharp knife, score the fat cap in a cross hatch pattern without cutting into the meat itself. Using butchers twine or 100% cotton string (or unflavored dental floss in a pinch) tie the roast every 2 inches (usually 2 or 3 ties) as in photo #2.
5. Place tied roast in pan (I use a disposable aluminum pan) and place in refrigerator loosely covered with parchment paper to age overnight.
6. Take roast out of refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Rub outside with olive oil and seasoning generously with salt.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
7. Place the roast in the preheated oven, center rack, for 15 minutes to sear the outside. Reduce oven to 300 degrees F and roast undisturbed another 2-3 hours until an instant read thermometer reaches at least 165 degrees. Remove from oven (photo #3) and let rest for 10 minutes before carving (photo #4).
8. Serve the Porchetta with mashed potatoes & pan seared Brussels sprouts. Magnifico!

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There you have it, my version of Porchetta… I think my Dad would have loved this for Christmas dinner. Don’t be scared off by the extra work to make this, it really goes together easily. And although we don’t make it often, it is always a delicious treat, and leftovers make great Philly style sandwiches — just be sure to get some good sharp provolone from the deli to make it authentic.

Until next time remember, “The Sauce Makes the Difference!”

Now that Old Man Winter is sneaking around the corner, I find myself turning on the oven more often and craving comfort food more than usual, which brings me to today’s recipe, Stuffed Bell Peppers.

Growing up I remember eating stuffed peppers both at home and at Lista’s — where it was a “special” rather than a regular menu item. And it was always green bell peppers and it was always cooked in tomato sauce. The filling was pretty consistent too… ground beef, rice, chopped onion, and seasonings. At Lista’s the stuffed peppers would be deftly prepared, baked until just tender, and served covered in our famous sauce topped with Romano cheese.

But at home the process was much more involved. My mom, Doris, aside from being a wife, mother to five unruly kids, and an amazing elementary teacher, administrator, and tax accountant — was also a pretty good cook. Mom isn’t Italian like my Dad but comes from a more typical American melting pot family. So when cooking, Mom tended to stick with the basic meat and potato type meals like pot roast, beef stew, meatloaf, or stuffed peppers… and of course every casserole known to mankind! The funny thing was (well not so funny at the time) Mom didn’t have the training or experience of cooking large quantities and when she started a meal she would realize the mixing bowl or pan was too small and would have to switch up to larger and larger sizes in the process — leaving a vast wake of dirty dishes that us kids had to eventually clean up. Fortunately, with a few minor exceptions, Mom’s meals were delicious (none of us kids suffered from malnutrition) and Mom’s stuffed peppers were always a big hit.

Where did stuffed peppers originate? Well it seems many cultures have their own stuffed peppers, from the bharvan mirch of India to the chile relleno of Mexico, which have been around for centuries. However, in America it seems the classic stuffed pepper dates back to the 1800’s and were listed in the 1896 version of  “The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book” written by Fannie Merritt Farmer. In that early recipe it states that green peppers were used, but today many choose the milder red, yellow or orange peppers. Actually all bell peppers start out green and most will eventually ripen to a different color.

And all peppers are members of the nightshade family, which also includes potatoes, tomatoes, and eggplant. Peppers (capsicum) were originally native only to Mexico, Central and South America, and typically were the hotter chili varieties. Columbus apparently discovered these peppers while seeking the then valuable black peppercorn (piper nigrum) which is a different species altogether. Columbus mistakenly named these hot chilies “peppers” and they have been called that since. The Bell Pepper (named for its bell like shape) is the only variety of pepper that does not produce capsaicin the compound which creates the heat in other varieties.

Okay, now that you are sufficiently schooled in the history of peppers how about the recipe?

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Stuffed Bell Peppers

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 60-90 minutes
Serves: 4-8 servings

Ingredients:
2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic – minced
1/2 medium Onion – finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 stalk Celery – finely chopped (about 1/4 cup)
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Dry Basil
1/4 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
1 cup Chicken Broth (or water)
1 (6 oz) can Tomato Paste
1 (28 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes

4 large Bell Peppers (any color) – cut in half long way
1 1/2 lbs. lean Ground Beef – uncooked
1 1/2 cups Cooked Rice (I used leftovers from Chinese take-out)
1/2 med Onion – finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 Egg – beaten
1 TBSP Dry Parsley Flakes
1 tsp Italian Seasoning 
1 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
Pecorino Romano Cheese for topping (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Cut peppers in half the long way (see photo above) remove seeds and membranes — set aside.
3. In a medium sauce pan, heat olive oil, garlic, onion and celery — cooking and stirring until vegetables are tender (about 5-10 minutes). Add salt, basil, and crushed red pepper and stir for one minute more. Add broth or water, tomato paste, and crushed tomatoes and whisk together until smooth. Remove from heat.
4. In a mixing bowl mix the raw ground beef, cooked rice, chopped onion, egg, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. Stuff each pepper half with equal portions of beef/rice mixture.
5. Ladle half the sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, arrange stuffed peppers (meat side up) in sauce, spoon remaining sauce over top of peppers being careful not to over fill the pan. Top with Romano cheese if desired.
6. Place in preheated oven and bake for 60-90 minutes until peppers are tender and filling reaches at least 165 degrees on a quick read thermometer.
7. Serve topped with some of the sauce and more Romano cheese if desired. (We often eat the stuffed peppers as a meal just with a tossed salad — but they are great served with mashed potatoes, pasta, quinoa, or polenta on the side.)

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There you have it, Stuffed Bell Peppers (my Mom’s way). I like the texture of these stuffed peppers using the raw beef mixture — like a mini meatloaf in a pepper cup. But if your family prefers a looser texture then cook the ground beef until crumbly in step #4 and then combine as directed. I also like cooking and eating these peppers with a lot of sauce. If you are concerned about then boiling over in the oven just place the baking dish on a rimmed cookie sheet. I hope you enjoy these stuffed peppers as much as we do… and stay warm this winter!

Until next time remember, “The Sauce Makes the Difference!”

In my very first post (6/11/17), I shared the sauce recipe from Lista’s Italian Cuisine. I mentioned that in those days we only served one type of sauce… but then I was reminded by my brother Bill that we also served a fabulous White Clam Sauce at Lista’s.

Spaghetti with white clam sauce (spaghetti alle vongole in bianco) is a popular dish in the Campania region of Italy — where my Grandpa Pat’s family is from. Much of Campania is coastal and so it’s common for the cuisine from that region to contain seafood, especially mussels, octopus, squid, shrimp, anchovies, and the tiny regional clams called vongole veraci. It’s those little clams that makes the sauce authentically Campania. 

However, at Lista’s, which was far from Campania, we made our clam sauce with what was readily available at the time, the more mundane canned clams. Still, the canned clams we used were of the highest quality and were very tender and full of flavor. At Lista’s the clam sauce was made with butter, clams, clam juice, garlic, parsley, and lots of Pecorino Romano cheese. This was made to order with the cooked spaghetti simmered in the sauce for several minutes before serving.

For this recipe I am using half olive oil and half butter; canned whole baby clams (to better match the original vongole veraci variety). Whole baby clams are readily available at grocery stores — you can leave them whole (my preference) or give them a quick chop with a sharp knife.

Also, I’m using some white wine (Pinot Grigio)… we didn’t add wine to the sauce at Lista’s but I have found that when I make it at home it adds a little brightness to the dish.

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Lista’s White Clam Sauce

Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20-30 min
Serves: 4 dinner servings

Ingredients:
2 TBSP Olive Oil
2 TBSP Butter
1/2 tsp Crushed Red Pepper
4 cloves Garlic – finely chopped
1 cup Dry White Wine (such as Pinot Grigio)
2 can (10 oz) Whole Baby Clams with Juice
Bottled Clam Juice as needed
1 lb. Spaghetti – cooked al dente
Salt and Black Pepper – to taste
1/4 cup Italian Parsley Leaves – chopped
1/4-1/2 cup Grated Pecorino Romano

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package directions for al dente (about 7-8 minutes).
2. Heat a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter, red pepper, and garlic — cook until butter foams and garlic is translucent (about 3 minutes).
3. Add white wine and reduce for 1 minute, add clams and juice from cans and heat through. Season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Drain pasta. Add to skillet and toss with sauce 3 to 4 minutes, until pasta has absorbed some of the sauce and flavor — add in more bottled clam juice as needed to keep moist. Add parsley and Romano cheese and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

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There you have it, Spaghetti with Lista’s White Clam Sauce. I hope you enjoy this simple but flavorful dish. You could add it to your Italian Christmas Eve tradition as one of the “Seven Fishes.” Serve with a Caesar style salad and some good crusty Italian bread. You could ‘fancy it up’ if you want by adding some other seafood like bay scallops or shrimp. 

Until next time remember, “The Sauce Makes the Difference!”

Anchovies… you either love them or you hate them. We happened to love them! For me and my family, pizza without anchovies is like… gluten free cookies without almond milk. (What can I say, we’re a little different.)

In Italian cooking, anchovies are often used as a way to bring out the subtle umami (savory taste) in many dishes — in the same way Asian recipes use fish sauce or oyster sauce. For certain recipes, leaving out that umami note leaves the dish flat and mundane. For many people the best example of this is when they try to duplicate their favorite Asian take-out at home and it just doesn’t taste the same — the problem is you left out that weird little ingredient that produces the distinctive umami that you love.

So, why am I talking so much about anchovies and umami? Because the recipe I’m featuring, Pasta alla Puttanesca, encompasses both.

Doing some online research into the origin of Pasta alla Puttanesca; I found there to be many possibilities and contradictions. There are claims that the dish originated in Rome, Naples, or the Amalfi Coast. The name puttanesca has several “back stories” as to its origin. Most often it is noted that puttanesca is derived from the Italian word puttana meaning prostitute — with the story that since the ingredients are things found in any Italian pantry, it was an easy dish to “throw together” between clients… or that the aroma of the sauce cooking drew in potential “business.” Therefore, some claim that the name is more related to the pungent aromas and flavors of the dish made with garlic, anchovies, olives, and capers — which may be a nod toward the scent of the seamier side of life — with one account during World War II saying that these “camp followers” cooked the dish over barrels of burning garbage to entice the Allied servicemen in trade for nylons, cigarettes and alcohol. Which then leads us to the idea that in Italian “puttanata” is an all purpose profanity which may denote “refuse” or “garbage” (as we might use “crap“) as if to say, “I just threw a bunch of ‘crap’ in the pot and out came this amazing sauce.” This might also speak of the idea of the burning garbage cans — but more likely it denotes the middle-class, humble origins of the dish.

Whatever the origin, it is said to be a popular late night snack in Italy, and eating Pasta alla Puttanesca is a wonderful culinary experience… but it’s definitely not for the faint of heart, or the bland of palate. 

That being said, when you look at recipes for puttanesca sauce you often see smaller amounts of garlic, red pepper flakes, capers and anchovies which to me seems counter intuitive since the dish is known to be spicy, salty, and deeply flavorful. Keep in mind that this sauce is meant to coat the pasta, not drown it, so the strong flavors accent the neutral taste of the pasta. Many times you will see puttanesca sauce served with spaghetti, but here I’m suggesting penne which I think goes nicely as the ridges and short angled tubes allow the sauce to cling.

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Pasta alla Puttanesca

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6 dinner portions

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Olive oil
1 medium Yellow Onion – diced
6 cloves Garlic – peeled & minced
1 tsp Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
1 (2 oz) tin Anchovy Fillets in oil – drained & chopped
1 (28 oz) can Whole Peeled Tomatoes – chopped
1/2 cup Dry White Wine (optional)
2 TBSP Capers – drained & chopped
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata Olives – chopped
Salt & freshly ground Black Pepper – to taste
1/2 cup loosely packed Fresh Parsley – chopped
1 TBSP Salt (for pasta water)
16 oz box Penne Pasta
Pecorino Romano Cheese (optional for garnish)

Directions:
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft about 10 minutes.
3. Add the garlic, red pepper, and anchovies to onions and cook, stirring, until the anchovies disintegrate and the garlic has softened, 2 to 3 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes, wine, capers, and olives. Cover the pot, adjust the heat so the sauce simmers gently, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s thick and saucy, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the chopped parsley, taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
5. When the water comes to a boil, add 1 TBSP salt and pasta. Cook according to package instructions until al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid and then drain the pasta and return to pot.
6. Pour the sauce over the hot pasta, toss to coat, adding the reserved cooking liquid as needed to thin out the sauce. Serve steaming hot with a generous sprinkling of Pecorino Romano cheese if desired.

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There you have it, Pasta alla Puttanesca — not for the faint of heart, but molto dilizioso! And no matter what the name may imply… the bold, exciting flavors and appetizing aroma of this dish make for a memorable, but “PG rated” dining experience. And if you haven’t been an anchovy lover in the past, I  hope you try making puttanesca and taste the wonderful umami these little fishes can bring to your Italian cooking.

Until next time remember, “The Sauce Makes the Difference!”

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day and on my table there will be a butternut squash casserole that has been part of our annual feast for nearly 30 years.

This casserole came to my attention, believe it or not, at our wedding reception. Andrea and I were married in October 1987 and had our reception at the now gone, but fondly remembered, Wishing Well Party House in Rochester, NY. When planning the menu for the reception, the Wishing Well manager spoke of their “famous squash casserole” and I was a bit skeptical… I like squash, I thought, but was it really something I wanted on my wedding reception buffet? Still we were assured that it was always featured on their buffet menus and it was a favorite among the Wishing Well guests. So, okay, we’ll have the squash. As you can guess, the dish was amazing and Andrea and I loved it (and so did most of our 200 guests). The following year I recreated that “wedding squash” recipe for Thanksgiving  dinner, and it has been a centerpiece of our traditional Holiday meal ever since.

Now when I was growing up my Mom made squash for the Holidays but it was a simple preparation of mashed winter squash (usually from those little frozen boxes) with some salt, pepper, and butter. It was a vegetable after all and nothing fancy. Quite honestly, it wasn’t my favorite. Back in those days the extravagant Holiday side dish was always the candied yams (which, by the way, came out of a can) topped with butter, brown sugar and mini marshmallows — or doused with maple flavored pancake syrup (Staley’s brand)  — and baked to a bubbling, sticky-sweet decadence.

Dan’s Thanksgiving Squash on the other hand has a nice balanced flavor profile of the subtly spicy, savory butternut squash and the sweet, crunchy pecan streusel topping.

Dan’s Thanksgiving Squash is made with butternut squash since it yields a good quantity of usable flesh after it’s been peeled and seeded — but you can successfully use any variety of orange flesh winter squash (i.e. hubbard, acorn, buttercup, red kabocha). Hint: Since winter squash can be difficult to peel and dice, I look for the fresh “cleaned and cut” butternut at my local Wegmans supermarket. But if you can’t find fresh pre-cut squash and want a short cut you can definitely use those little boxes of frozen squash instead.

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Dan’s Thanksgiving Squash

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cook time: 45-60 minutes
Serves: 8-12 as a side dish

Ingredients:
6 cups diced Butternut Squash (about 2 med squash)
4 TBSP Butter – melted
1 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 tsp Vanilla
1/2 tsp Salt
Topping:
1/2 cup Flour (Regular or Gluten Free)
1 TBSP Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Pecans – finely chopped
6 TBSP Butter – cut into small pieces

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Place diced squash in a large saucepan with about 2 inches of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and allow to cook until very tender (about 15-20 minutes). Drain and mash with a potato masher until smooth.
3. Add melted butter, pumpkin spice, vanilla, and salt to squash and stir to combine. Pour squash mixture into a 3-4 quart casserole  or 9×13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Set aside.
4. Prepare topping, by combining flour, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar, and chopped pecans in a mixing bowl. Cut in butter pieces until combined and crumbly.
5. Spread the pecan topping evenly over the squash mixture in the casserole dish.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve.

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There you have it, Dan’s Thanksgiving Squash. I hope your family enjoys this dish as much as mine does (my father-in-law calls in advance to make sure I’m making it). This side dish is sweet, savory, and just plain yummy! It’s a great addition to your Holiday dinners. Perfect next to the turkey and stuffing. But if it doesn’t make it on your Thanksgiving table this year, then try it the next time you make roasted chicken, ham or pork… and I hope you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Until next time remember, “The Sauce Makes the Difference!”

I recently had the opportunity to attend a tasting event that was catered by some Rochester area eateries. One of the menu items was a decadent hand-rolled gnocchi in a three cheese cream sauce that was out-of-this-world delicious. Well worth the extra calories… I had three servings!

Enjoying that dish reminded me of the Potato Gnocchi we served at Lista’s. As I mentioned in an earlier post (6/18/17) my family often ate dinner at the restaurant on Friday nights, and most the time we ate a meatless meal, and my personal favorite choice was the gnocchi.

 

Gnocchi (pronounced NYAW-kee or NYO-kee) is the plural form of gnocco literally meaning “lump” in Italian. The word is most likely derived from nocchio (meaning a knot, as in wood) or nocca (meaning knuckle) — obviously a descriptor of the gnocchi’s appearance.

Gnocchi is a type of dumpling typically made with semolina or wheat flour and egg, with other ingredients that may include cheese, potato, and sometimes breadcrumbs or cornmeal. Dumplings are found in many cultures and in many forms — gnocchi, being an “unfilled” dumpling, is probably more akin to kluski (Polish “lazy noodles”) or Knödel (German potato/bread dumpling) than say, ravioli, pierogi, or jiaozi (Chinese “pot stickers”).

At Lista’s, gnocchi was one of those menu items that only the true Italian food lover would order. In the course of a busy night at Lista’s, for every 100 potions of spaghetti or rigatoni served — we might only serve 1-2 portion of gnocchi. Still, for those of us who love these little “lumps” of soft dough, the Lista’s preparation was delicioso! Still, I must admit that combining the gnocchi with the famous Lista’s Sauce and then folding in smooth, creamy mozzarella along with sharp Pecorino Romano may have been what I really liked… but to this day even if they are dressed in basic aglio olio or even a simple brown butter… I love, love, love gnocchi!

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Potato Gnocchi (alla Lista’s) 

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4-6 dinner servings

Ingredients:
4 medium sized Russet Potatoes – unpeeled (about 2 lbs)
1 large Egg – lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour (more or less)
1 tsp Salt
4-6 cups Prepared Pasta Sauce (Lista’s or any smooth variety)
4 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese – cut into small dice
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano Cheese – grated (plus more for garnish)

Directions:
1. Place the unpeeled potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until potatoes are just fork tender but not over cooked (about 15 minutes). Remove cooked potatoes with a slotted spoon and cool slightly.
2. Peel the potatoes, and then press them through a potato ricer; grate them with the large holes of a box grater, or simply mash with a fork in a large bowl — let cool. Add the lightly beaten egg and the salt to the potatoes and mix well with a wooden spoon.
3. Add the flour to the potatoes a little at a time, using only as much as you need so that the dough comes together; is not sticky, and all the ingredients are evenly incorporated.
4. Dump the dough onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Knead the dough as you would bread dough for about three or four minutes.
5. Form the dough into a rough disk and then divide it into 6 smaller pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the six pieces using your fingertips into a long rope about 3/4 inch thick. Cut the dough rope into 1/2 inch pieces. You can cook the gnocchi as it is now (I usually do) but traditional gnocchi has ridges that hold the sauce — this takes some time but if you want to create the ridges:

Press each piece of dough against the tines on the back of a fork. With your thumb, make a small indent and gently roll the pressed dough back off the fork leaving the traditional ridges. This takes a little practice. If you find the dough sticking to the fork, dip the fork in flour before you press the dough against it. (Grandma Lista used to do this and she was fast! I could never really get the hang of it — or more likely I’m just not patient enough to perfect it. Besides the gnocchi taste just as good without the ridges.)

6. Place the gnocchi in a single layer on a lightly floured or parchment-lined tray until ready to cook. (If you want to freeze them for later use, leave them on the tray and pop them in the freezer. Once they’re frozen put them in a freezer bag and store frozen for up to 3 months.
7. To cook the gnocchi, bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil, place about a third of the gnocchi into the pot and give a gentle stir to keep them from sticking together. After a few minutes the gnocchi will float to the top. Continue to cook for one more minute then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Cook the other two batches in the same way.
8. While you are boiling the gnocchi, heat the prepared sauce in a large skillet over medium heat. When heated through, add the diced mozzarella and cooked gnocchi and gently fold them together until mozzarella is melted. Just before serving, add the Pecorino Romano and fold it into the gnocchi and mozzarella. Serve immediately topped with more Pecorino Romano if desired. Yum!

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There you have it, Potato Gnocchi just like we served at Lista’s. Making homemade gnocchi isn’t difficult, but it can take time and patience to perfect the technique. With a little practice you’ll be producing light, fluffy dumplings that people will rave about.

Gnocchi are terrific as a main course, but also work well as an appetizer or side dish. I wrote this recipe with tomato sauce because that’s the way we served them at Lista’s and the way I remember enjoying them growing up. But for variety try mixing the cooked gnocchi with some basil pesto or sage butter… or as I mentioned above pan saute them with some garlic and olive oil (aglio olio) until slightly browned and top with some grated cheese and fresh chopped basil. Delicioso!

I hope you give Potato Gnocchi a try and hope you love them as much as I do. 

Until next time remember, “The Sauce Makes the Difference!”