SEAFOOD

SHRIMP WITH CABBAGE AND PANCETTA

CATCH OF THE DAY

Italian cooking is very regional. That is to say, there is not really one set of Italian recipes that defines the culinary tradition; rather, there are many different interpretations of Italian cooking, with each region of the country drawing influences from its geography.

There are, of course, some core recipes which are similar among the twenty regions of Italy, and there are other dishes that are common to the various parts of Italy, but which are interpreted differently in, say, Abruzzi compared with Tuscany or Piedmont. Of course, because every family tends to have its own way of doing things, no two households would ever prepare the same dish in the same manner even if they were situated next door to one another, and so each family tends to redefine what one thinks of as Italian food.

By and large, each of Italy’s regions has its own culinary tradition. The diverse geography of this relatively small nation—from the mountainous north to the coastal towns to the islands—has given rise to several distinct traditions. In addition, it was not really until the post–World War II era that a legitimate system of highways was finally built connecting the disparate geographic locales. Previous to this, it was not all that common for people to leave the region they grew up in, and in most cases, to leave the town or village in which they were born. Today, it is still traditional in many parts of the country for an entire family to live within ten miles of one another. It would be wonderful to think that sons and daughters of Italian families stay in close proximity to their parents out of love and affection.

In many cases this is true, yet the historical lack of highways and byways probably had an influence as well: people did not move away because they could not travel very far all that effectively. And if people did not move around much, neither did their recipes.

I believe that this sense of isolation has influenced my own experience and my style of cooking. Where we lived, in Poggio Valle, being disconnected from conveniences produced a sense of self-reliance. Because we could not run to the grocery store when we needed supplies, we had to be very careful to use every part of our ingredients and we had to be diligent about saving some for later. I have already described these influences when discussing how we would smoke and dry meat so that we could maintain a supply without the aid of refrigeration.

Like many Italians, where I grew up influenced what kinds of ingredients we had access to, and therefore, dictated what we considered the main staples of our diet. In our village, we saw the fish monger only on occasion—and during the winter months, when the local roads were nearly impassable, we would not see fresh fish in our town for months at a time. And by the time the fish monger finally reached our little village after having visited a few others before ours, what he or she had available for sale was extremely limited.

Given these conditions it is not hard to see why so many of the dishes we prepared in our village (and that are included in this book) are based around meats and vegetables: meats because we could raise and then butcher livestock, and fruits and vegetables because we were children of the land. When we did have access to seafood, it was usually salted and preserved. On occasion, we were fortunate to get shrimp or other shellfish; these were usually served in celebratory meals rather than being everyday ingredients in our food.

Many are familiar with the tradition of the seven fishes and think that this is a traditional Italian meal served during the holiday season. I would suggest, however, that this is more an Italian-American custom; in fact, I do not know of many Italian families that follow this tradition to this day. I would guess that a great number of the seafood dishes regularly celebrated as traditional Italian either hail from regions of Italy closer to the sea, or else materialized among pockets of Italian-American immigrants.

In the following chapter, I will focus on seafood dishes. There are a few that are based on older recipes with which I arrived in America, but mostly what is presented on these pages are recipes I learned through experimentation after I arrived in my new homeland. That is to say, I conceived many of these dishes only because it became easier to buy seafood ingredients at my local market rather than having to wait for the fish monger to arrive in our small village.

STUFFED MUSSELS

COZZE RIPIENE AL FORNO

SERVES 4–6 PEOPLE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds fresh mussels

• 3½ cups stale Italian bread, grated but coarse

• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped, including the stem

• ¼ cup fresh oregano, chopped

• 1 garlic clove, pressed

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated

• 1½ cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Scrub the mussels under cold water and place the cleaned mussels in a medium-sized saucepan. Add 1½ cups water and place on high heat. Allow the mussels to open and remove immediately from the saucepan with a ladle and place in a bowl. Do not discard the water from the saucepan. Remove the part of the shell that is not attached to the mussel, and arrange the shells with the mussels in a roasting pan.

In a separate mixing bowl, add the grated bread, parsley, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper and mix with a spoon. Beat in the eggs and blend thoroughly. Add the cheese and any liquid left from the bowl of mussels and saucepan and blend through.

Spoon the mixture over the mussels, one by one, and cover the entire shell. Drizzle the olive oil over the mussels and bake in the oven for 8–10 minutes until lightly crispy on top.

Remove and arrange on a serving platter; garnish with parsley.

“This is a recipe shared with me by my sister-in-law Franca. Her specialty is preparing seafood dishes, and she often hosts friends and family for a 24-course seafood dinner.” —Elisa

AROMATIC SALMON

SALMONE AROMATICO

SERVES 6 PEOPLE

INGREDIENTS

• 6 salmon steaks (6–8 ounces each)

• ½ cup fennel, chopped

• 1 garlic clove, pressed

• ½ cup fresh parsley, chopped, including the stem

• 1 cup Italian breadcrumbs

• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 tablespoon paprika

• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 lemons

• 1 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Grate 1 whole lemon. In a food processor, combine the fennel, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, cumin, paprika, pepper, salt, and lemon zest. Crush or process until coarse. Pour ½ cup of olive oil into a bowl large enough to dip one piece of the salmon. Pour the breadcrumb mixture into a separate bowl of equal size. Drop a piece of salmon into the oil and turn over, then drop into the breadcrumb mixture skin side up. Remove and place the uncoated side down onto a plate.

Heat the other ½ cup of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the salmon, 2–3 pieces at a time, breadcrumb side up and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer the salmon to a roasting pan and bake in the oven for 10 minutes. While the salmon is baking, slice the remaining lemon into wedges. Remove the salmon from the oven and arrange on a serving plate. Garnish with the lemon wedges and serve.

MY SEVEN FISHES STEW

CIOPPINO

SERVES 8–10 PEOPLE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound small clams and mussels

• 1 pound medium-sized shrimp, shelled and deveined

• 1 pound fresh squid with tentacles, rinsed and chopped into ½-inch thick rings

• 2 pounds large bay scallops, sliced in halves

• 1 pound tilapia, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 pound flounder, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 cup olive oil

• 4 garlic cloves, chopped

• ½ cup parsley, chopped, including the stem

• 1 bay leaf

• 4 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 3 28-ounce cans of crushed tomatoes

• 1 cup water

• Salt and fresh black pepper to taste

• ¼ cup fresh Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated

• 2 portions fresh egg Tagliatelle (see recipe under Pasta, page 52) or 2 pounds of boxed pasta, optional

DIRECTIONS

Scrub the clams or mussels under cold water and place in water-filled bowl with 2 tablespoons salt, and soak for 30 minutes; rinse thoroughly and drain. Set aside. Heat 1 cup of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, parsley, and squid and sauté for 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, bay leaf, and water and simmer for 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the shrimp, scallops, tilapia, and flounder; allow to simmer for an additional 30 minutes. While the fish is cooking, bring a large stockpot of water with a pinch of salt to a boil for the pasta. Add the clams or mussels to the sauce. Add a pinch or two of salt and pepper to your liking.

When the water begins to boil, drop pasta in and cook accordingly: 3–5 minutes for fresh pasta, or follow the instructions on box. Drain pasta and place in a large serving bowl.

Remove ½ the stew and place in a separate serving bowl for the table. Ladle the remaining stew over the pasta. Remove any unopened shells. Garnish with some cheese and serve.

SHRIMP WITH CABBAGE AND PANCETTA

GAMBERI CON CAPPUCCIO E PANCETTA

SERVES 6 PEOPLE

INGREDIENTS

• 4 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined

• 1 pound pancetta or bacon, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 4 cups green cabbage, shredded

• 14–16 scallions, chopped, including the stems

• 5 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 long hot red pepper, diced

• 2 teaspoons salt

• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves, whole

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the cabbage and boil for 20–25 minutes, cooking until tender.

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet with a lid over a high flame. Add the pancetta and sauté for 3–5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the cabbage and cook another 5 minutes, covered; remove lid after 2 minutes and give the cabbage a good stir, then cover for remaining 2 minutes. Stir in the scallions and shrimp, and sauté until the scallions soften and the shrimp turns pink. Add the garlic, salt, black and red pepper and continue to sauté uncovered for an additional 3–4 minutes so the shrimp can cook through completely.

Transfer to a serving bowl, fold in the basil leaves, and serve.

MUSSELS IN RED SAUCE

COZZE FRA DIAVOLO

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE MUSSELS:

• 4 pounds fresh mussels

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

• 1 cup white wine

• 3 cups tomato sauce

• ¼ cup of fresh parsley, chopped, including the stem

• 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes

FOR THE SAUCE:

• 4 35-ounce cans crushed tomatoes

• ½ cup olive oil

• 4 bay leaves

• 1 full head garlic, chopped

• 3 large white onions, sliced in halves

• 2 carrots, cut into thirds

• 2 celery stalks, cut into thirds

• 1 8-ounce can tomato paste

• ¼ cup fresh oregano, chopped

• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

• 3 teaspoons salt

• 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes

• 1 teaspoon fresh black pepper

• 1–1½ pounds dry spaghetti

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan, prepare the sauce. Add the olive oil and garlic to the saucepan and sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes until garlic begins to brown. Add the onions, carrots, and celery and continue to sauté for 5 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent them from scorching.

Add the crushed tomatoes, the tomato paste, bay leaves, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of water; allow to come to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered for at least one hour. For best results I allow it to simmer for two hours and add an additional cup of water. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Before you are ready to add the pasta, spoon out the vegetables and onions and set aside. Prepare a separate stockpot with water to boil the pasta. As pasta water begins to boil, it is time to prepare the mussels. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the white wine and the tomato sauce from the saucepan, cover, and bring to a boil.

Add the mussels and replace the lid. Cook over high heat for 3 minutes. Remove the lid, stir and continue to cook until the mussels are completely open. Remove from heat.

Drain pasta and place in a large serving bowl. Spoon the mussels over the pasta, and add enough tomato sauce to cover the pasta. Toss gently and add more sauce. Garnish with the bay leaves from the sauce, red pepper flakes, and some shredded Pecorino Romano cheese.

SHRIMP & ARTICHOKE RISOTTO

RISOTTO DI GAMBERI E CARCIOFI

INGREDIENTS

• 10 baby artichokes

• 1 lemon zest

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• ½ cup dry white wine

• 1½ cups Arborio rice

• 8–10 cups seafood or vegetable stock

• 2 pounds small shrimp, peeled and cleaned

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Using a knife cut off the prickly top third of the baby artichokes and discard. Pull back each dark outer leaf and snap it off. Use a vegetable peeler or paring knife to remove the tough outer layers. Slice the cleaned artichokes into pieces about ½-inch thick. Place them in a bowl of water with some lemon juice. Place the stock into a large saucepan, and bring it to a simmer over low heat. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped shallot and a pinch of salt, and sauté until tender. Drain the artichokes, add them to skillet, and stir for five minutes until they begin to soften.

Add the rice and stir until the grains are well coated and begin to crackle. Add the wine and stir over medium heat until the rice has absorbed it. Add two ladles of the simmering stock, enough to cover the rice. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid is almost absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock, and continue to cook, adding more stock when the rice is almost dry. It will take 20–25 minutes to completely prepare the rice. Add the shrimp and lemon zest along with another ladleful of stock. Stir to combine for about 30 seconds and turn off the heat. Continue to stir so that the residual heat finishes cooking the shrimp, until they just turn pink. If it appears too dry, add another ladleful of stock to loosen it. Season with salt and pepper and finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve immediately.

WHITE WINE SHELLFISH STEW

FRUTTI DI MARE CON VINO BIANCO

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds fresh clams

• 2 pounds fresh mussels

• 2 pounds fresh oysters

• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1½ cups dry white wine

• ¼ cup olive oil

• ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped, including the stem

• 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped

• Salt and fresh black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Scrub all the shells under cold running water. In a large sauté pan, add the olive oil, parsley, and garlic and sauté over medium heat until the garlic is golden brown. Add the clams, mussels, oysters, tomatoes, and wine. Add a pinch of salt and pepper, and cook for 15 minutes, or until most of the shells have opened. Discard any shells that do not open.

Transfer to a serving bowl and serve with fresh Italian bread to soak up the juices.

SPICY SHRIMP SCAMPI

SCAMPI PICCANTE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds small fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine

• ½ cup olive oil

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ¼ cup of fresh parsley, chopped, including the stems

• 1 teaspoon dried red peppers, crushed

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• 1½ pounds dry angel hair pasta

DIRECTIONS

Bring a large stockpot of water with a pinch of salt to a boil. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the oil olive and garlic and sauté for 2–3 minutes. Add the shrimp, parsley, salt, and red pepper. Sauté the shrimp for 3–4 minutes while stirring frequently.

Remove from heat. Cook pasta according to the package instructions, drain and transfer to a serving bowl. Add shrimp and sauce and toss. Serve immediately.

OPTIONAL: YOU CAN ALSO ADD ¼ CUP OF DRY WHITE WINE BEFORE YOU SAUTÉ THE SHRIMP.

BROILED COD

BACCALÀ ALLA GRIGLIA

SERVES 4–6 PEOPLE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound dried salt cod

• ½ cup olive oil

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• ¼ cup parsley, chopped, including the stem

• Salt and fresh black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cut the cod into 3-inch strips and place in a glass bowl full of cold water. Refrigerate for 2 days, changing the water daily. Drain the strips and place in a bowl with the olive oil, garlic, and parsley. Transfer to a roasting pan and garnish the top with a pinch of salt and pepper. Broil for 10–15 minutes. The baccala should brown nicely. Remove from the oven and arrange on a serving platter and serve.

FRIED SMELTS

SPERLANI FRITTI

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds large fresh smelts, cleaned, gutted, and heads removed; or 4 pounds of mini smelts, cleaned and heads removed

• 3–4 cups all-purpose flour

• 3–4 cups vegetable oil, for frying

• Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

Rinse the smelts and place in a colander to drain excess water. Season with salt. Place the flour in a large bowl and drop in 2–3 smelts at a time to cover evenly with a thick layer of flour. Remove and shake off any loose flour. Heat the oil in a large, deep sauté pan. The level of oil should be high enough to submerge the smelts. When the oil is hot, drop the smelts in one by one, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry the smelts for about 5–10 minutes or until the desired level of crispness is achieved. Remove the smelts and allow them to drain on a paper towel–covered wire rack. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

“On Christmas Eve, I prepare both sizes of these crispy treats. The children prefer the mini smelts and call them French fries.” —Elisa

FRIED CALAMARI

CALAMARI FRITTI

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound fresh squid with tentacles, rinsed and cut into ½-inch thick rings

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 pinch red pepper, ground

• 2 cups vegetable oil

• ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

• 1 pinch salt

• 1 pinch fresh black pepper

• Lemons and or marinara sauce for dipping

DIRECTIONS

Rinse the squid and place in a colander to drain excess water. Place the flour in a large bowl. Blend in the parsley, salt, and red and black pepper. Drop in several rings at a time and cover evenly with a thick layer of flour. Remove and shake off any extra flour. Heat the oil in a large, deep sauté pan. The level of oil should be high enough to submerge the rings. When the oil is hot, drop the rings in one by one, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry the rings for 1 minute, just enough for them to turn a golden color. Remove the rings with tongs and allow them to drain on a paper towel–covered wire rack. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with lemon wedges or a side of marinara sauce.

SAUTÉED COD

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound dried salt cod

• ½ cup olive oil

• 3 garlic cloves, chopped

• ¼ cup parsley, chopped, including the stem

• 2 pounds fresh tomatoes, peeled and chopped or 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

• Salt and fresh black pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Cut the cod into 3-inch strips, and place in a glass bowl full of cold water. Refrigerate for 2 days, changing the water daily. Drain the strips and place in a bowl with the olive oil. Place a large sauté pan over medium heat, and add the baccala and garlic. Sauté for 2–3 minutes.

Reduce the heat and add the tomatoes and parsley. Simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat and place in a serving bowl.

CLAMS CASINO

VONGOLE AL FORNO

SERVES 6 PEOPLE

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds large fresh clams, scrubbed

• 3 teaspoons olive oil

• ½ cup pancetta, finely chopped

• 1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped

• ½ cup shallots, finely chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• ½ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs

• ½ cup dry white wine, plus some for cooking

• Fresh Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, grated

• Salt and fresh black pepper to taste

• 2 lemons, sliced into wedges

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the clams with 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Allow the clams to simmer until they open. Remove the opened clams from the pan and break off the top shell. In a large glass bowl, add the pancetta, bell pepper, shallots, garlic, olive oil, and wine and mix thoroughly with your hands. Add the breadcrumbs and mix thoroughly. Arrange the clams in a casserole dish or two. Spoon 1 to 1½ tablespoons of the mixture over each clam and press down. Season the top of the clams with some salt and pepper. Pour a shot glass worth of wine into a bowl and use a brush to gently wipe the tops of the clams with the wine. Pour the remaining wine into the bottom of the casserole dish.

Spread the grated cheese over the tops and place in the oven. Bake until the clam tops turn a golden brown color, roughly 10–15 minutes. Remove from the oven and arrange on a serving platter. Garnish with lemon wedges.

MY MENTOR—ZIA IDA

I have mentioned in other parts of this book that I owe a great deal of gratitude to my Zia Ida. She was my first cooking mentor and she truly taught me so much about food and about life. But I have perhaps undersold how much she was celebrated and sought after as a chef in our little village of Poggio Valle.

In fact, Zia Ida was in great demand to cook for just about every special occasion I can recall. It was also not unusual for families in neighboring villages to make a request for her to come and prepare her special meals for their fetes and festivities. She took great pride in this fact, and if you ask me, the accolades were well deserved.

When I married, it seemed obvious that my aunt should cook for our event. But, as you may imagine, cooking for an event like that is a total commitment. If Zia Ida had spent the day in the kitchen, she would have missed the ceremony and the gathering of family. My father realized this and intended to ban Zia Ida from the kitchen that day; the only way to do this, of course, was to invite her as a guest. If we had not, Ida would have spent the whole day in the kitchen anyway fussing over the meal and preparation. I wonder if she might even have caused some unrest, barking commands at servants not technically under her charge.

Ultimately, I had a wonderful wedding day, even if my aunt did not prepare our meal. It certainly would have been memorable if she had; at the same time, I am also thankful that I got to spend that day with her outside the kitchen celebrating our joyous occasion.

Fortunately, I had many other occasions to cook alongside Zia Ida, but one time in particular stands out in my mind when I traveled back to Italy to celebrate my parents’ 50th wedding anniversary. Such an occasion called for a special festivity, and we intended to pull out all the stops to prepare a very special meal.

Our humble little village had not changed much since I had left. There were still no major markets in Poggio Valle, so we knew we would have to go to the nearby city to pick up supplies, just as I had done so many times years before as a child. Fortunately, the roads had been vastly improved by then so that the travel itself would not be hard—although, it might be more appropriate to say that I was happy there was any road at all, as the road I remembered passing along in my youth was barely navigable even in the best of conditions.

It was a sticky July day when we set off to the market to get ingredients and supplies for the party, and the heat was nearly unbearable. We had a lot of preparation to do and not a lot of time to spend worrying about the weather. For one thing, we had decided to get some live chickens from the market, which would be the easy part. As you can imagine, it would take time and a lot of effort to get them ready for cooking—butchering, plucking feathers, and the like.

After we had secured our poultry requirement, we still had much shopping to do, and so, sweet Zia Ida put the chickens—the live chickens, mind you—in the trunk of the car so that we could continue to shop.

A few hours later, we returned to the car, the sun and the heat baking us, sweat pouring from our brows; but that heat was also starting to cook our feathered friends. When we opened the trunk of the car, the poor chickens were a pitiful site, very lethargic and nearly lifeless. We feared that the unplanned chicken roast would ruin an important part of our menu, but none of us quite knew what to do. None of us, that is, except for Zia Ida, our family chef and a woman known for her inherent practicality.

Imagine this scene if you will: there we stood, right in the middle of the Piazza Garibaldi—near lifeless chickens in the trunk of the car. If they died before we were ready for them, they could spoil and potentially ruin our meal. And so, that is how it came to be that, right in the middle of the piazza, Zia Ida seized each of the birds in her hands and twisted their necks.

I can only imagine the spectacle of this whole scene and what it must have looked like to anyone who ventured to look our way. I still laugh about this day, and it fills me with such joy to think of this story that so perfectly represents who my Zia Ida was, a woman who would let nothing alter her agenda in the kitchen.