A Taste for all Seasons: A Healthy Blend of Italian and American Cuisines

By Eleanor Rodio Furlong

Back-Cover

Authentic recipes with origins in the Neapolitan and Abruzzi regions of Italy found their way to southern New Jersey with Italian immigrants settling there around the turn of the twentieth century. The Rodios were among those who established farms, planted their roots in the Jersey soil, and nurtured their families in the New World.

This book is not only a legacy of hand-me-down recipes that were perfected over a century or more, but it is also a memoir about a lost era in Americana culinary history. It chronicles a time when food nourished the heart and soul, a time when love inspired family and friends to have impromptu gatherings, and a time when being with loved ones was as important as the food on the table.

Arranged by seasons and emphasizing the importance of using fresh produce, the pages unveil a cornucopia of Italian classics, as well as some innovative ideas that will whet the palate. Highlighted are seasonal themes where the readers find themselves embraced within the family circle as they eat and enjoy the Easter bread, fire up the summer grill, slaughter the pigs for the harvest festival, and soak the salt cod for the Christmas Eve Feast of the seven fishes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781646702824

Book preview

9781646702824_cover.jpg

A Taste for

All Seasons

A Healthy Blend of

Italian and American

Cuisines

Eleanor Rodio Furlong

ISBN 978-1-64670-281-7 (Hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-64670-282-4 (Digital)

Copyright © 2020 Eleanor Rodio Furlong

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Introduction

Tips from Eleanor’s Kitchen

The Pantry

Basic Recipes

Sauces

Stocks

Dressings Condimenti

Basic Pastry Crusts Pasta Indicata per Pizze Dolci

Spring Sensations Sapori Primaverili

An Easter Egg Basket Cestino di Pasqua

Appetizers Antipasti

First Courses I Primi

Second Courses I Secondi

Side Dishes Contorni

Desserts I Dolci

Summer Splendor Splendori Estivi

A Summer Picnic Scampagnate Estive

Appetizers Antipasti

First Courses I Primi

Second Courses I Secondi

Side Dishes Contorni

Desserts I Dolci

Autumn Harvest Raccolto Autunnale

An Autumn Affair to Remember

Appetizers Antipasti

First Courses I Primi

Second Courses I Secondi

Side Dishes Contorni

Desserts I Dolci

Winter Wonders Meraviglie Invernali

The Feast of the Seven Fishes La Vigilia di Natale

Appetizers Antipasti

First Courses I Primi

Second Courses I Secondi

Side Dishes Contorni

Desserts I Dolci

Acknowledgments Ringraziamenti

Index Indice

To my parents, who taught me to love and to trust.

To my siblings, who taught me to share.

To my beloved son, Rick, who inspired me with his smile.

Introduction

I am a Jersey girl. I am a farm girl. I am an Italian-American girl. I grew up on a family farm in a small town in rural southern New Jersey.

I was the youngest of eight children born to Carlo and Frances Rodio. My mother was forty-one. Nick, my oldest brother, was twenty-two, and Rita, my closest sibling in age, was eight years old. Sandwiched between them were Nettie, Anna, Henry, Paul, and Florence. Looking back, I realize that on that hot, sunny August day, while the family was busy packing peaches in the back barn, I had just won a lottery. Growing up with seven siblings and aunts, uncles, and cousins that were too many to count left me feeling never alone even when I was in a room by myself. Our home was a loving place—full of fun, laughter, and an abundance of food. Rosedale, a suburb of Hammonton, New Jersey, was where it all began. I would like to say that Rosedale is where I grew up, but Rosedale was just the beginning. I am eighty-three now and still growing up.

Mom and Dad with their family celebrating their

fortieth wedding anniversary in 1954.

You don’t choose your family, they are God’s gift to you, as you are to them.

—Desmond Tutu

Rosedale is special. Just ask anyone who was born or raised there. An almost-cocky attitude prevails among its residents. Why? Because they have within them unique pride and respect that seem to be ingrained in their genes. Genuineness, generosity, honor, and integrity are but a few of the attributes that can best describe this clan.

Webster defines clan as a large group of relatives, friends or associates. This best describes my memory of growing up in the 1940s and ’50s. Life had an almost magical or idyllic twist to it. Being raised on a farm was country life at its best. Everyone knew one another. No one locked their doors. It was common for a neighbor to wander in at dinnertime and join the family meal. No one was a stranger. Everyone was a friend.

We farmhands moved quickly through the seasons, starting with the spring greens and asparagus spears, then into the summer abundance of vegetables and steamed crabs. Before we had time for some R and R (rest and relaxation), the autumn harvest was ready for picking, as well as the wine-making and slaughtering of the hogs. It was then time for fun. Santa was around the corner but arrived only after the preparation and feasting of the Seven Fishes for Christmas Eve.

My dad, Carlo, was born in Serino, Italy, a small village in the province of Avellino, which is about thirty miles from the city of Naples, the capital of the region. A road trip in the area would unveil scenery of breathtaking beauty; it showcases water streams and a mountainous terrain. Its fertile soil enhances the production of grapes for wine and chestnuts. The chestnuts that come from the graceful trees nestled in the hilltops are sought after for their versatile culinary uses such as: chestnuts roasting on an open fire, desserts, stuffings, and baked goods. My Dad, his parents, his sister Anna, and two uncles emigrated to America in the early 1890s.

Serino, Italy

My mother, Frances Massaro, was a city girl who was born in South Philadelphia in the middle of the 1890s. As a young woman, she worked in a fancy millinery shop in Philadelphia. Mom’s parents were natives of Isernia, a mountainous province in the region of Albruzzi. In 1963, this area, known for simple but rich foods, was included in the formation of the province of Molise. Mom’s Aunt Gabriella owned and operated a restaurant in Rome, but as the Nazis marched in, Aunt Gabriella moved out. I believe that Mom learned well from her ancestors; she became a master of creating one-pot wonders.

My mom in Philadelphia, 1912

These brave ancestors, along with more than four and a half million fellow Italians, emigrated to the United States between 1880 and 1920 in one of the largest exoduses in immigration history. The majority of them (85 percent) were from the seven regions south of Rome. Escaping economic decline and political turmoil, they arrived with their faith, values, crafts, work ethics, arts, music, cuisine, and determination for a better life for themselves and their families. Most importantly, they carried with them centuries of traditions, pride for their land, and love for their families.

The Italian cuisine that accompanied them across the Atlantic to Ellis Island was their legacy. These recipes were carried in their hearts and in their stomachs and scribbled on notes tucked in their pockets. The cuisine of Southern Italy became the foundation of the Italian-American table. The influences from Venice, Genoa, Florence, and other northern areas did not have an impact on the American table until the end of World War II. This postwar era offered opportunities for increased travel abroad, increasing culinary exposure to other regions of Italy.

For the past fifty years, I have embraced Italy, traveling through the different regions, inhaling its aromatic flavors, visiting the sacred soil where my father was born, engaging with its people, and daring to adapt to their customs. I have been intrigued by the similarities and differences between the Italian-American and Italian cuisines.

Most Italians start their day at a coffee bar, where they inhale their expresso with a sweet roll. Bacon and eggs would be a no-no to them. Their main meal, called pranzo, is taken at noon. Some workers go home for this meal, while others join friends and dine and break bread in a trattoria, a local restaurant. By and large, lunch is still the main meal of the day for most Italians.

I say dine with intent. In Italy, the Italian meal is an orchestrated event—a symphony with a beginning, a middle, and an end. At noon, most shops close, and Italians rush home or to their favorite trattoria to eat and relax with family and friends. This meal begins with an antipasto—a dish of pickled vegetables or meat or seafood that entices the taste buds for what’s to come. This is followed by the first course, which consists of a soup, a pasta dish, or a rice dish; this is the main source of carbohydrates of the meal. Pasta is not served as a main meal. Then the second course is served, which consists of meat, poultry, or fish and is usually accompanied by a vegetable or crisp salad. Portions are small, not overwhelming. The meal usually ends with fruit and/or some cheese and always coffee. The equivalent in America is the Italian-American Sunday dinner, where the multigenerational family gathers, spending hours over the traditional Sunday feast of pasta with gravy, meatballs, sausages, and braciole.

Italian dinner or supper, cena, is often eaten later at night and usually consists of a soup or an egg dish, cold cuts, or a vegetable antipasto. Italians love their coffee, especially expresso, which they drink throughout the day with a lot of sugar. Again, the portions are smaller. For example, the meatball in Abruzzo is the size of a marble and is served in a broth. The large plate of spaghetti with a lot of gravy topped with meatballs the size of tennis balls is an Italian-American invention.

The manner of serving food varies. Italian hands seldom touch their food. Even fruit is eaten with a knife and fork. Other than in restaurants, food is brought to the table in serving dishes—never plated. One usually finds tablecloths with fresh flowers decorating tables—even in small, obscure restaurants, like the ones in train stations. Background music is heard in most eateries.

Despite these differences, all Italians and Italian-Americans enjoy eating. Regardless of when the main meal is eaten, it is one of the pleasures of life. Cooks prepare plain, simple meals with the best products available while preserving natural flavors. There are no compromises. Freshness is essential. Using a very little amount of processed foods, cooks cook with ingredients that are in season. I did not know that tomatoes were available in cans until my adult years.

I watched my parents create meals from almost nothing, utilizing whatever was available or what the land had produced. This inspired me to recreate these cherished seasonal recipes. I can still see Mom going outdoors at dawn to bid good morning to her garden and herbs. She always carried a paring knife, ready to loosen the dandelion greens from their roots. To this day, I cook what is in season and shop at the local farmers markets.

This is a book about the art of Italian-American cooking. It is influenced by what I saw as I watched my parents orchestrate meals for their large family. It is a testimony of my culinary journey, which began with the traditions and aromas of my parents’ kitchen, and was further influenced by my travels throughout Italy and by the many innovative cooks who shared their talents with me. These recipes also reflect the transition to modern technology, advances in product availability, and adjustments of my own creations.

Working in health care offered me the opportunity to augment my cooking skills with increased knowledge of health and nutrition. I have always read health books and cookbooks while others read novels. The Mediterranean diet that crossed the Atlantic many years ago is still one of the healthiest diets that one can follow. It is the diet I grew up with, the diet I still follow, and the foundation for the recipes in this book. Note that many of the recipes that were rooted in Naples, Italy, found their way to the sandy shores of southern New Jersey and then resettled on the coast of Naples, Florida.

In the middle of the 1990s, after my retirement, my sister Rita and I purchased and operated a restaurant on the Boardwalk near Atlantic City, Riel Café. This popular spot was profitable from day one. I got to know my customers and their health issues and sometimes served them not what they ordered but what was nutritionally best. Hats off to restauranteurs; their job is arduous.

As the pages unfold, one will discover the various tastes of the seasons, unveiling dishes that are sure to whet the appetite. Each section will begin with recipes for a seasonal theme: An Easter Egg Basket, the Summer Picnic, an Autumn Affair to Remember, and the Feast of the Seven Fishes. Then they will be followed by recipes for appetizers, the first course, the second course, the seasonal vegetables and salads, and finally, recipes for sweets.

Most recipes are interpretations based on my memories growing up on our farm where Mom and Dad sprinkled everything with love, laughter and parsley. Some recipes evolved from my experiments with tastes in my kitchen, where I have embraced cooking for decades for family and friends.

To my readers, family, and friends in Italy and America, buon appetito!

Heart Healthy: Berries, Beans, Nuts, Seeds and Grains

Tips from Eleanor’s Kitchen

Italian-American cuisine is at its best when it is plain, simple, and shared with family and friends. The key to a successful outcome lies with the ingredients. Use high-quality products that you can afford, preferably organic greens and antibiotic-free meats, poultry, and seafood. Frequent local farmers markets and purchase fresh seasonal produce.

Reduce usage of processed foods. Increase usage of dark, leafy greens, berries, nuts, seeds, and cruciferous vegetables. These smart foods are nutritious and high in fiber, antioxidants, and folic acid, which are needed to support cell growth.

Read a recipe completely before proceeding. Assemble all the ingredients and tools required. Keep your cooking equipment in top-notch shape, especially your cutlery tools. Sharp knives are vital.

Store your food properly. Keep cold foods cold (40 °F or below), hot foods hot (140 °F or above), and frozen foods at 0 °F or below.

Handle all foods with safety and cleanliness. Wash your hands with hot, soapy water before, while, and after handling foods. Harmful bacteria can quickly multiply and cause a foodborne illness. Be sure to keep your tools, equipment, counters, sink, dishcloths, and