Family Recipes

Some of Our Traditional Dishes

MANDELL BREAD (AUNT MOLLY’S BISCOTTI)

4 Eggs

3/4 Cup Oil

1 Cup Sugar

3 1/4 Cups Flour

3 1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder

3/4 Tsp. Salt

1 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla (Anisette may be substituted)

(Optional: 1 Cup Nuts Toasted at 300 degrees, 15 minutes)

• Beat eggs (10 minutes). Add oil, sugar, salt and beat thoroughly. Sift together flour and baking powder. Add to egg mixture. Mix nuts with a little flour, add to dough. (Dough will be sticky) With oiled hands, shape dough into 2" ropes to length of baking sheet. Bake 425 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool ropes on rack. Slice diagonally. Place on cookie sheets. Toast until light brown.

AUNT MARIE’S ALMOND COOKIES

1 LB Butter

5 Cups Flour

4 Tbs. Sugar

1/2 Cup Almonds (Crushed)

1 Tsp. Almond Extract

1 Tsp. Vanilla

• Cream sugar with butter. Add extract and vanilla. Mix almonds and flour together. Mix the two together adding a little of the flour mixture at a time. Shape cookies into crescent and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove with spatula and immediately roll in sugar and cool.

• This is a double recipe and makes a lot of cookies. My Mother (Aunt Marie) always got tired making the crescents and would sneak dough in her pockets! And of course a requirement of helping with these cookies was drinking a glass of wine!

UNCLE JERRY’S WHITE CLAM SAUCE

1 Doz. Lg. Clams (Steam until open)

3 or more Garlic Cloves (Chopped)

3/4 cups Olive Oil

1 cup Butter

1/2 cup Parsley (Chopped)

1 Tsp. Basil

1 Tsp. Oregano

Black pepper and dash of Crushed Red Pepper

• Drain clams and reserve liquid. Chop clams coarsely. Sauté garlic in oil and butter 5 minutes. (do not burn) Add all ingredients. Simmer 20 minutes. Stir occasionally. Serve over pasta

TOMATO DRESSING (AUNT JUDY)

1 cup Olive Oil

1/3 cup Wine Vinegar

2 Tsp. Oregano

2 Cloves Garlic (Minced)

1/2 Tsp. dry mustard

Onion

Salt and Pepper

• Marinate tomatoes. Add olives, cucumbers, etc. Drain and serve. Reserve dressing.

HUMUS (A LA ADAM)

Chick Peas (16 Oz)

Juice of 3 Lemons

Garlic Clove

1/2 Tsp. Salt

6 Tbs. Sesame Paste

Water

• Drain chickpeas, put in blender. Add lemon juice, salt and enough water to almost cover. Blend until smooth. Put in bowl, add paste and stir until beige color. To serve, top with olive oil.

FACACCIA (HANDED DOWN BY AUNT NELLIE)

4 Lb. Pizza Dough

6 Oz Can Tomatoes

Oregano, Parsley, Garlic Powder

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

(Bacon Fat)

• Let dough rise in a warm spot. Spread bacon fat in large roasting pan, let rise for 1/2 hour. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano, parsley and garlic powder. Press down with fingertips. Squeeze tomatoes over top and drizzle with oil. Bake at 375 degrees 15 minutes. Lower oven to 350 degrees and bake 45 minutes.

AUNT DOLLY’S CHICKEN WITH WHITE GRAVY

Cut up chicken pieces (approx. 3 1/2 lbs.) (Mom said always make sure that there are plenty of thighs thrown in there to make the gravy dark.)

Plenty of fresh (never dried) Italian parsley (approx. 2/3 of a whole bunch), chopped fine.

Plenty of chopped garlic (I go by sight..but it is at least 10 - 12 cloves-enough to "pepper" all the chicken pieces.

Salt/Pepper

Butter (approx. 2 tablespoons)

Olive Oil (approx. 3 tablespoons)

Can of College Inn Chicken Broth

• Wash and lay chicken in the pan. Cover with chopped garlic, salt, pepper, parsley. Dot with the butter. Drizzle the olive oil over all the pieces.

• Put in 375 degree oven (uncovered) for about 20 minutes or so..then turn down to 350. Roast until brown - about 1 hr & 20 minutes to 1 hr and 30 minutes from the time you put it in the oven....turning once. The browner the chicken, the darker the sauce will be. When chicken is brown, add the college in and about 1/2 can of water (if you need more juice...otherwise open another can of broth).Toss gravy with cooked pasta and some grating cheese (Mom always used either Fusilli, Rotelle or Rigatoni).

AUNT MOLLY’S MUSSELS

6 doz. large fresh Mussels

• Scrub mussels clean under cold running water with a brush. Put 1/4 cup of olive oil, 2 tablespoons butter, chopped fresh parsley and 3 garlic cloves until brown. Add 1 cup of white wine (Salt and Red Pepper) and mussels and cook 12 to 15 minutes. Enjoy!

AUNT DOLLY’S VERY SPECIAL PICNIC RECIPE

• Unable to purchase cutlet style chicken, she used 5 LB of chicken breast with bones. She spent hours deboning, pounding them flat, breading and frying them to perfection, in preparing for an outing with the Cervone Kids. The following day Margie and Pep were away and she was staying with 10 offspring’s and a dog, not an easy task. After the kids were snug in their beds, she packed food and drinks and necessary items. Carefully, after cutlets were cool, she placed them in a pretty, shiny silver serving dish and refrigerated them. Next morning, Aunt Dolly assigned them duties; some to make beds or clean up kitchen and for Jodee to walk and feed Tag, the dog while she made the sandwiches. To her surprise the cutlets were gone. How was she to know the pretty, shiny silver bowl was the dog’s dish?

Aunt Dolly’s Peas & Pasta

1 LB ditalini pasta

16 oz tomato sauce

1/8 LB of bacon, chopped

1-1/2 teaspoons of fresh, minced garlic

Pinch of basil

Pinch of oregano

Large can of baby peas

2 TBS olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Grating cheese

Brown bacon in saucepan, drain the bacon and discard fat. Put olive oil in pan and brown garlic. Add tomato sauce and spices. Simmer for about 15 minutes on low while you cook the pasta. Add the peas (drained) for the last 5 minutes of cooking the sauce. Add the bacon to the sauce. Drain pasta and top with sauce and grated cheese.

Dale Ingenito: goodwine@comcast.net

Joyce's Southern Style Pork Chops

4 3/4 to 1"thick pork chops

Lemon-pepper seasoning

2 Tbsp. margarine

2 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in 2 1/2 cups hot water

1Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1-cup rice

4 slices tomato 1/4" thick

4 slices onion 1/4" thick

4 slices green or yellow pepper 1/4" thick.

Sprinkle chops on both sides with lemon-pepper seasoning. In a heavy skillet brown chops in margarine over med-high heat. Remove to platter. Add dissolved bouillon cubes and Worcestershire sauce. Scrape skillet to loosen pan drippings. Stir in rice. Cook rice in bouillon mixture for half the time specified by package directions. Do not add salt. Place partially cooked rice and liquid in bottom of oiled baking dish. Arrange chops on top. Over each chop place one slice each of tomato, onion and pepper. Sprinkle liberally with lemon-pepper seasoning. Cover tightly with foil (I use a Pyrex dish with a glass cover not foil) Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until chops are easily pierced with fork.

1 cup uncooked rice

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter or margarine

2 quarts milk

2 eggs

1/2 pint heavy whipping cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Put rice, butter, milk and sugar in a large saucepan. Let simmer on low flame for 1 hour (stir often so rice doesn’t stick to the bottom) cook until it's thick but yet loose. In a bowl put eggs, cream and vanilla. Beat until slightly thickened. When rice is done shut the heat. Add the cream mixture stir well. Pour in a deep dish and let cool. Top with cinnamon and nutmeg, if desired. UMM UMM GOOOD.

Icebox Cake Aunt Antoinette’s Version

1 box of Chocolate Cook & Serve Pudding Mix

1 box Vanilla Cook & Serve Pudding Mix 1 box Nabisco Honey Maid Graham Crackers

These ingredients may be increased or   depending upon the size dish used. I use the glass Pyrex oven baking dishes 9" square size.

Line the bottom of the dish with crackers, in the same direction for each layer. Trim crackers to fit pan. Line with first layer of crackers.

Cook the chocolate pudding mix wait till slightly cool and pour over the crackers. By the time you clean the pot to get ready for the vanilla pudding, you can then place the second layer of crackers over the chocolates pudding (remember, same pattern as first) and then proceed to cook the vanilla pudding mix. When done, pour over the second layer of crackers, wait till slightly cool. Finish off with final third layer of crackers on top. Place in refrigerator either overnight, or approx. 6-8 hours until pudding is firm and serve by cutting as squares using the line of the crackers as guides. This can be served with whipped cream on top, or even ice cream.

Cuz Carm

crm@bellatlantic.net

Dale’s Salad

Mix the following all together:

Mixed salad greens of your choice

Shredded mozzarella

Approx. 1/2 cup of peas

Chopped scallions

Chopped green olives

Chopped black olives

Dressing: The amount depends on how much salad you are making, but I try to keep a 2/3 oil, 1/3 lemon juice ratio. All are approximate amounts.

2/3cup olive oil

1/3cup fresh lemon juice

2/3tsp of Lowry Garlic Salt

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

Ground pepper to taste

Pour on salad mix and enjoy. Dale Ingenito

Lemon Cake Pudding

1/4-cup flour

1/4 cup lemon juice

1-cup sugar

2 egg yolks, well beaten

1/4 tsp. salt

1-cup milk

1 tbsp. grated lemon

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Rind (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees

Blend flour, sugar, and salt in mixing bowl. Stir in lemon rind and juice, egg yolks and milk. Fold in egg whites. Pour into 1-quart baking dish or 6 custard cups. Set in pan of hot water (1" deep). Bake 50 minutes.

Mary Ellen Berg

Linguine with Clam Sauce

3 med. Cloves garlic

1 large onion

¼ cup butter

¼ cup olive oil

1/8 tsp. oregano

1 cup minced fresh parsley

½ cup dry white wine

2 cans (6 ½ oz.) chopped clams with juice

6 ounces mushrooms, sliced

Salt and & pepper to taste

1 LB linguine cooked and drained

Grated Italian cheese.

In a large skillet sauté onion & garlic in butter and Oil until tender. Stir in parsley, oregano,wine, clams with juice, & mushrooms. Simmer uncovered.

Serve over hot linguine

Irene Ceo Berg: ieceo@tampabay.rr.com

Pasta Fagioli

1 LB ditalini pasta

2 cans (around 16 oz each) cannelini beans

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

16 oz canned tomato sauce

2 or 3 TBS of olive oil

Pinch oregano

Pinch basil

Salt & pepper to taste

Grating cheese

Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add tomato sauce and beans (with the water from the cans). Add the spices and simmer for about 10 - 15 minutes.

Cook the pasta. Put cooked pasta in bowl and toss with bean mixture and grated cheese.

Dale Ingenito: goodwine@comcast.net

Saltimbocca

1 LB cutlets veal or chicken cut thin

1/4 LB Prosciutto mozzarella or Muenster cheese

Flour

Cooked escarole or spinach

Garlic

Olive oil

White wine

Grating cheese

Flour cutlets and fry in oil with the garlic. After they are browned add ½ cup white wine & cook about 3 minutes. In a serving dish place escarole or spinach with a little juice. Put cutlets on top and add a little more wine. Put a slice of prosciutto and cheese on each cutlet. Sprinkle on some grating cheese. Bake at 350 degrees till hot and cheese is melted about 15 to 20 minutes.

Dale Ingenito

Laurie Monteforte's Rice Balls

2 cups of rice--- cook this in 4 cups of water with 3 Chicken Bullion cubes

(You can cook rice in advance ---since it works better when rice is cold.)

1 bunch of fresh parsley (equals ¾ cup) minced into pieces

¾ cup of grating cheese (parmesan or Romano)

1 cup of shredded Mozzarella

2 eggs

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients together.

Form into balls about the size of a golf ball. Roll in Italian Bread crumbs to lightly coat them.

Then refrigerate before frying them. (This is a tip from Aunt Marie)

Fry in vegetable oil until lightly brown.

Keep warm in low temp oven. Enjoy them!!!

Will make about 20 Rice Balls.

You may also use this with half rice and half left over mashed potatoes-

Which is how Aunt Marie or Aunt Dolly would make them.

Laurie: SunnieLaurie@aol.com

Japanese Stir-Fried Spaghetti

1 LB spaghetti, broken in thirds

1 small head cabbage shredded or bok choy

1-2 bunches scallions, cut in ¼ inch pieces

3-4 cloves garlic minced

1 LB bacon freeze and cut in ¼ inch pieces

Soy sauce to taste about ¼ to ½ cup

Start water for spaghetti. Brown bacon, drain fat and reserve. Remove bacon and place on a paper towel. Stir-fry in bacon fat or veg oil the scallions and garlic until partially cooked. Remove and set aside. Stir-fry the cabbage in bacon fat or veg oil stirring occasionally, cover and cook till partially limp. While cabbage is cooking cook spaghetti. Add the scallion and garlic mixture to the cabbage and toss. Drain spaghetti and add to the cabbage mixture with a little more bacon fat and toss. Add crumbled bacon, soy sauce and toss. Cover and let heat through for a couple of minutes. Toss and Serve.

This meal may be made in advance and reheated.

Ellen Mitterando La Rocca

 Italian Pie Aunt Rose’s Version

2 9 in piecrusts

½ lb ricotta

½ LB mozzarella

¼ LB ham

¼ lb salami

Piece of pepperoni

¼ cup grated Italian cheese

3 eggs

Dice or cut in strips the ham, salami and pepperoni and mozzarella and put in a bowl. Add the ricotta, eggs and Italian cheese and mix. Put in piecrust cover with top crust brush with some egg white mixed with water.

Bake in 400-degree oven till golden brown.

This is a traditional holiday appetizer. It is usually served warm not hot. It is rich so cut in small pieces. There is a real name to this recipe other then Italian Pie but I don’t remember it!!

Rose Ceo Oliveto.

Aunt Marie’s Meat Pie Recipe

Dough

2 ½ cups flour

1 pkg yeast

1 cup of warm water

½ tsp. Salt

Add salt when dough has absorbed the water. Knead.

Put in oiled bowl and let rise about 2 ½ hours. Has to be springy.

Meat Recipe

1 lb Chop meat

Minced onion

Grated cheese

Mozzarella

Parsley

1 can of Del Monte Sauce

2 eggs

In a pan brown chop meat and minced onion.

Add grated cheese and sprinkle in shredded mozzarella, parsley and can of Del Monte Sauce.

Mix all together over low heat.

Beat 2 eggs, put into mixture and mix in.

Shut stove off cover and let stand until ready-

After dough has risen break off pieces and roll out circles. Put chop meat in, fold over and press ends together.

(Looks like a calzone)

Fry in about 1 inch of oil. Brown lightly on each side.

Ann  Conroy, a  friend and neighbor from Parkchester for many years, recently mailed me this recipe.

I  should have known Ann would have saved it  since she was always right there to get the first meat pie!

Ann, thank you so very much.

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This page was last updated:Thursday February 10, 2005 12:35 PM