Zucchini 'Pizza'

Zia Elia came over to see our newly remodeled kitchen. My great aunt Elia is Aduccia's youngest sister. (You remember grandma Aduccia from the previous post) We were a little subdued because our bubbly Italian friend, Marie, had suddenly passed away. We especially enjoyed cooking together this day because 'Life is short'. Or as Zia Elia so eloquently quoted in her lilting Italian: 'Oggi insigura e domani sepoltura'

Zia Elia's versatile sidedish, Zucchini Pizza, can be served warm from the oven, or chilled in the fridge to carry off to a summer picnic. Aunt Elia suggests it as an antipasto, too. *Antipasto translates into 'before the meal', the first course. *

Zucchini 'Pizza' Squares

3-4 cups diced zucchini (very small dice)
4 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 cup chopped onion (very small dice)
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 Tablespoons chopped parsley
1 1/2 cups Bisquick mix (heaping)

In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add vegetable oil, cheese, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, and oregano. Mix well with a large wooden spoon. Add Bisquick and mix. Add zucchini and mix it in.

Pour onto greased cookie sheet with a lip, or a greased hotel pan. Carefully spread the mixture into a thin, even layer (about 3/8"). Bake at 350* for 25-30 minutes until top surface is evenly golden brown. When completely cooled, cut into squares.

You can print out this recipe by double-clicking on the title or right here

Zucchini di Aduccia

Back in the day (late 1950s early 60s), friends and relatives used to bring my Grandma 'Aduccia' the surplus zucchini from their gardens. She made this version quite often, because it was her husband Marshall's favorite. Though grandma's been gone for 33 years, her daughter Donna (my mom) helps us revisit those times by making her recipe for us. These zucchini were so fresh from the market that mom said you could have cut them with a butter knife.

Zucchini di Aduccia

3 zucchini (approx 1 ½ lbs), sliced
1 small yellow onion, peeled and sliced thin
1 egg
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon butter (unsalted)
1 Tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Saute the onion in the butter and vegetable oil over medium heat. When onions become translucent (not brown) remove them from the pan and set them aside.

Add sliced zucchini to the pan and stir gently, coating them with the butter and oil in the pan. Reduce to medium low heat and cover.

Simmer for about 15 minutes, checking and stirring, and turning them in the pan a few times until tender. Season zucchini with salt and pepper, and return the onions to the pan.

In a small bowl, beat egg with fork, adding 1 Tablespoon of milk and 1 teaspoon of Parmesan, then add scrambled egg mixture to zucchini and onions.

Continue to stir, quickly but gently, until egg is cooked, less than 1 minute.Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top and serve.

You can print the recipe by clicking here: Zucchini di Aduccia

Pickled Peppers

This first post was going to be highly sentimental....my mom making her mothers favorite zucchini recipe. I spent the morning expectantly searching each stand at the farmers market for just the picture perfect-looking zucchini and onion. Came home, photographed the ingredients, even texted my sister on this auspicious occasion. Called Mom, ....and left a message. She wasn't home!

OK-Plan B. We grew some banana peppers in our own garden this year. Lee thought they were easy to grow, and that we could 'pickle' them. (Neither one of us has ever pickled anything in our lives) While at the market, I got some to supplement the ones at home, ready to pick (exactly 4). This afternoon I confidently, ignorantly, boiled the jars and sliced up the peppers. Winging it, I added boiled vinegar and water, a pinch of salt, a few peppercorns, a dash of sugar, mustard seed and some celery salt to each jar. They look pretty good. You can print out the recipe by clicking here: Pickled Peppers di Pietro

We'll take another stab at the pickled peppers next week: my Aunt Elia has promised to find Aunt Thelmas recipe....maybe Mom will make the zucchinis tomorrow.

Julie

Andiamo...Getting started

Buon Giorno!

There are a lot of simple truths about your life when you are Italian. You go to church. (There is only One) You obey your dad. You eat pasta. LOTS of pasta.

My name is Julie Scalzitti Krueger Massey. I am a first generation American...both of my parents, Frank and Donna (Gigliotti) Scalzitti, were born in Montenero, Italy. They immigrated to the United States in the early 1940s. Many of the 'Montenerese' settled around the Great Lakes after coming through Ellis Island: good jobs were obtainable in the steel mills and on constructions sites in the growing suburban areas of the PostWar era. The Italian Americans made a new home for themselves and their families around the neighborhood Catholic churches and markets in heartland cities such as Erie, Pennsylvania, Lorain, Ohio, and Chicago, Illinois. (I was born in Lorain, Ohio in the summer of 1963)

The 'paisano's spent many hours together in their new country. In fact, the people from Montenero formed a social club in the 50s aptly named 'The Montenero Society'. As I grew up, I enjoyed a wonderful bond with a very large, very boisterous (some would say 'loud') very emotional and very involved extended family. We laughed altogether, cried altogether, prayed altogether and shared our lives.

One thing that really was not shared were recipes. Not because of trademarked secrets, but just because most everyone grew their own tomatoes and other vegetables and prepared their own meals at home, eating out was highly unusual, and even suspect. Cooking all day, canning tomatoes, certainly eating with the family on Sundays, were an accepted part of everyday life. No big deal.

I think it is a very big deal. I felt loved and cared for and special because of it.

So.....that is why I wanted to compile this cookbook. I wanted to express to all the Montenerese, those who loved me so dearly, those whom I knew so well, and those whose spirits I will meet one day, this common bond of our culture.

Mangia!

Baci, Giulia