Those who used to be on c2c may remember Roberto - he had some of the best recipes I've ever tried. They were all old family dishes and he always had a story to go along (and sometimes pictures) with every post.
Maryann and Cis, I'll be so glad to hear if you know of this and/or any of the dishes he mentions....recipes would be nice also.
I have a bowlful of hard cooked egg and when I did a search on Master Cook, this one of his popped up. I think everyone on here will thoroughly enjoy the story and hopefully the cold pizza. I printed it out to make, I hope it doesn't get buried. Enjoy!
Sfincuiuni - Cold Pizza
There were a few dishes that Grandma made that Mom could not make as well - This is one of them. I never really paid too much attention to Grandma's "Sfinciuni" when I was a kid - but it was my first cousin Frankie Vona's favorite and, as was custom back then when your birthday came around Grandma made you whatever you requested. More often than not we'd have a small party at Grandma's house because we all knew that we'd have a feast if we went to her, rather than her bringing the requested dish to the celebrant.
Frankie's birthday was near Halloween and beside the stuffed pizza Grandma would bake "Pani de Catstagna" - Chestnut bread - She'd always tell us that this was a bread of "Those Northern Gavones" and that it wasn't very good, but if we could stand it we were welcome to it. This was more of a mix between a bread and a heavy cake and it was made with chestnuts ground fine until it was almost a paste, raisins, figs, blanched almonds and flavored with a large amount of brandy. She'd usually make it the night before because, she said, the flavor improved somewhat with age and maybe you could eat it that way. Chestnut bread was one of the best things that ever came out of Italy - There were, as a matter of course, several injuries as family members vied for the bread of the "Northern Louts".
There'd be a large bowl of Chicken with Olives , Squid cooked in red wine, always Bowls of rigatoni and sauce with pork and chicken cooked in the sauce on the side. and one of my favorites - Nocchiolette, or hazelnut cookies. All the Aunts would bring a dish - Aunt Jaye did knock-out Meatballs, Aunt Mim brought a "Jambotte" which to her was a thick vegetable stew made with tomatoes and garlic and green beans - Mom's cousin Giggy wiould bring ravioli and lasagne and Mom would always bring a plate of small steaks that Dad had done on the charcoal grill, and her specialty a monstrous Insalat - Mom always made the best salad and even Grandma wouldn't challenge her in a salad shoot-out.
But, for Frankie, it was always Sfinciuni, and I have to admit, as I got older I aquired more of a taste for the pie and then it became my request (Tho I might mention that I spent perhaps as much or more time deciding what to ask Peppina to cook for me as I spent on my Christmas list).
I hope you try and enjoy this - The recipe is older than I am!
Crust:
1 block compressed yeast ( If available, or 1 packet active dry)
1-1.3 cups lukewarm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups sifted flour ( A generic term, but I use bread flour)
The people I send this to have probably forgotten more about making good dough than I'll ever learn, but I'll presume no former knowledge for any who don't do this a lot and give you broad strokes - Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it set covered until it foams - Add the oil then sift the flour and salt into the bowl and mix well - turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 5 - 10 minutes until smooth and elastic - Wash the bowl in very hot water to get it heated slightly and then oil the bowl with olive oil. tuck the dough under repeatedly stretching it slightly into a domed ball and place in the warm oiled bowl - cover and ler rise until doubled.
While the dough is rising prepare your filling which is compriosed of:
2 hardcooked eggs, sliced thin
6 - 8 anchovy filets chopped fine and sitting in a little of the oil they came in
1 small onion sliced thin
3 cloves garlic chopped med fine
small handful of black pitted olives, sliced or halved
a few ripe Romas, peeled, seeded and chopped fine
A lot of Peccorino Romano grated fresh,
a little fresh ground black pepper
fresh Basil, leaves torn or confettied
Olive oil for saute' and brushing the top crust.
Saute' the onion in the olive oil, in the last minute or so add the garlic and cook a minute or two then take off the heat and set aside
Divide the risen dough into 2 equal parts - pat one out into a 12 inch round pan ( Or rectangular, as you wish) Top the bottom crust with the sauteed onions and garlic, the chopped tomatoes, torn basil, then the sliced hardcooked egg and the chopped anchovies. Liberally top all of this with grated Romano and a bit of pepper.
pat out the other piece of dough and place on top of the prepared pie, crimping the edge all the way around to seal, then brush the top of the crust with olive oil and bake in a 425 deg F oven for half hour - 45 minutes til the crust is "joost-a nice" - Let stand a bit before you dig in to make the slices neater - I like mine completely cool dipped in an Olive oil, much mashed garlic and Balsamic vinegar dip.
Roberto
Maryann and Cis, I'll be so glad to hear if you know of this and/or any of the dishes he mentions....recipes would be nice also.
I have a bowlful of hard cooked egg and when I did a search on Master Cook, this one of his popped up. I think everyone on here will thoroughly enjoy the story and hopefully the cold pizza. I printed it out to make, I hope it doesn't get buried. Enjoy!
Sfincuiuni - Cold Pizza
There were a few dishes that Grandma made that Mom could not make as well - This is one of them. I never really paid too much attention to Grandma's "Sfinciuni" when I was a kid - but it was my first cousin Frankie Vona's favorite and, as was custom back then when your birthday came around Grandma made you whatever you requested. More often than not we'd have a small party at Grandma's house because we all knew that we'd have a feast if we went to her, rather than her bringing the requested dish to the celebrant.
Frankie's birthday was near Halloween and beside the stuffed pizza Grandma would bake "Pani de Catstagna" - Chestnut bread - She'd always tell us that this was a bread of "Those Northern Gavones" and that it wasn't very good, but if we could stand it we were welcome to it. This was more of a mix between a bread and a heavy cake and it was made with chestnuts ground fine until it was almost a paste, raisins, figs, blanched almonds and flavored with a large amount of brandy. She'd usually make it the night before because, she said, the flavor improved somewhat with age and maybe you could eat it that way. Chestnut bread was one of the best things that ever came out of Italy - There were, as a matter of course, several injuries as family members vied for the bread of the "Northern Louts".
There'd be a large bowl of Chicken with Olives , Squid cooked in red wine, always Bowls of rigatoni and sauce with pork and chicken cooked in the sauce on the side. and one of my favorites - Nocchiolette, or hazelnut cookies. All the Aunts would bring a dish - Aunt Jaye did knock-out Meatballs, Aunt Mim brought a "Jambotte" which to her was a thick vegetable stew made with tomatoes and garlic and green beans - Mom's cousin Giggy wiould bring ravioli and lasagne and Mom would always bring a plate of small steaks that Dad had done on the charcoal grill, and her specialty a monstrous Insalat - Mom always made the best salad and even Grandma wouldn't challenge her in a salad shoot-out.
But, for Frankie, it was always Sfinciuni, and I have to admit, as I got older I aquired more of a taste for the pie and then it became my request (Tho I might mention that I spent perhaps as much or more time deciding what to ask Peppina to cook for me as I spent on my Christmas list).
I hope you try and enjoy this - The recipe is older than I am!
Crust:
1 block compressed yeast ( If available, or 1 packet active dry)
1-1.3 cups lukewarm water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups sifted flour ( A generic term, but I use bread flour)
The people I send this to have probably forgotten more about making good dough than I'll ever learn, but I'll presume no former knowledge for any who don't do this a lot and give you broad strokes - Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let it set covered until it foams - Add the oil then sift the flour and salt into the bowl and mix well - turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead 5 - 10 minutes until smooth and elastic - Wash the bowl in very hot water to get it heated slightly and then oil the bowl with olive oil. tuck the dough under repeatedly stretching it slightly into a domed ball and place in the warm oiled bowl - cover and ler rise until doubled.
While the dough is rising prepare your filling which is compriosed of:
2 hardcooked eggs, sliced thin
6 - 8 anchovy filets chopped fine and sitting in a little of the oil they came in
1 small onion sliced thin
3 cloves garlic chopped med fine
small handful of black pitted olives, sliced or halved
a few ripe Romas, peeled, seeded and chopped fine
A lot of Peccorino Romano grated fresh,
a little fresh ground black pepper
fresh Basil, leaves torn or confettied
Olive oil for saute' and brushing the top crust.
Saute' the onion in the olive oil, in the last minute or so add the garlic and cook a minute or two then take off the heat and set aside
Divide the risen dough into 2 equal parts - pat one out into a 12 inch round pan ( Or rectangular, as you wish) Top the bottom crust with the sauteed onions and garlic, the chopped tomatoes, torn basil, then the sliced hardcooked egg and the chopped anchovies. Liberally top all of this with grated Romano and a bit of pepper.
pat out the other piece of dough and place on top of the prepared pie, crimping the edge all the way around to seal, then brush the top of the crust with olive oil and bake in a 425 deg F oven for half hour - 45 minutes til the crust is "joost-a nice" - Let stand a bit before you dig in to make the slices neater - I like mine completely cool dipped in an Olive oil, much mashed garlic and Balsamic vinegar dip.
Roberto
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
www.achefsjourney.com
