Best Eats in Capri Italy

SALUMERIA CAPPRI

Salumeria e Rosticceria

aka ITALIAN DELLI

I’ve got to say, Salumeria Capri Rosticceria has some of the best food in all of Capri .. I’ve eaten at a number of restaurants on Capri and the food they make at this little Salumeria is as good as any, and better than many, “I Kid You Not,” it’s that good. I got food from here every day (5 days) I was on Capri on this last trip, and loved everything I got here. The first day I picked up an Arancini (just to hold me over to dinner) and a bottle of water. The Arancini was awesome, so the next day when I was planning on going swimming at the Faraglioni I stopped off here to get another great Arancino. When I got there, I saw some tasty looking Melanzane Parmigiano (Eggplant Parm) and asked Mamma about it. She said she made it, so I asked for a portion along with my Rice Ball. I also picked up a bottle of water and a 1/2 bottle of Aglianco al Benevento (some local wine) to complete my boxed lunch for the beach. I paid then made my way on the 25 minute walk down to the Fragalioni that passed gorgeous homes and hotels on the Via Tagara before heading down the pathway to Da Luigi and the beach at The Fraglioni (with spectacular views along the way). I had a great time at the beach; swimming and enjoying my tasty boxed lunch from Salumeria Capri .. By my this day there I was treated like family. This was a great find that I recommend highly. Don’t miss it!

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Great Homemade RICE BALLS EGGPLANT PARMIGIANO, CROQUETTAS and more..

Beach Da LUIGI at The Famous FARAGLIONI Rocks on CAPRI

This is where I go swimming at least 1 day on each trip to CAPRI …

It’s a bit expensive at 25 Euros (about $27 US) as compare to staying on the

beach for free at MARINA PICOLA or MARINA GRAND and other beaches on Capri,

but I like to treat myself to the incredible beauty of this spot each time I visit the

beautiful ISLE of CAPRI …

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This was my Tasty LUCNH from SALUMERIA CAPRI

that I ate at the BEACH at FARAGLIONI …

MAMMA’S EGGPLANT PARMIGIANO, ARANCINI (Rice Ball),

Italian Mineral Water, and a nice 1/2 bottle of AGLIANICO di BENEVENTTO,

a local wine from East of NAPOLI .. (cost about $12)

I have to say that this was without question one of the Best Most Enjoyable Lunches

I’ve ever had in my entire life .. What could be better but to be on the

Isle of Capri, at one of the most beautiful beach spots in the entire World at the

famed Faraglioni Rocks of Capri ..

My Caise Lounge at Da Luigi, at Faraglioni CAPRI .. 25 EUROS and worth every Penny ..

Yes that was one of the most wonderful days and best lunches I’ve ever had.

A DAY I Shall Never Forget … Basta !

Want to Make ARANCINI ?

A SICILIAN RICE BALL ?

Recipe in

GRANDMA BELLINO’S COOKBOOK

At the SALUMERIA CAPRI

“BEST PLACE to EAT in CAPRI”

A receipt from a lunch at

SALUMERIA ROSTICCErIA CAPRI

Me in CAPRI

at Da LUIGI

at FARAGLIONI ROCKS

June 2015

Path to Da LUIGI, CAPRI

TOMATO MOZZARELLA PANNINO

from SALUMERIA CAPRI

My Tripadvisor Review of SALUMERIA ROSTICCERIA CAPRI

5 STARS

Sophia Loren with PIZZA

Che BELLA ?

Bellino on Braciole

BRACIOLE

I still remember Mommy tying up the Braciole with cord as I watched fascinated by the act. Little did I realize how monumental these actions were in our world, the World of Italian-America, the food and the culture. Braciole is epic in our world, and Meatballs even more so, as well as Sausages, Pasta, Gravy, Espresso, and Cannoli, they are all quite dear to us. And little did I know then as a young boy of just five, I would write of these thing one day. I’d write of Spaghetti, Meatballs, Marinara, Mussels, Artichokes, Sausages, Sunday Sauce Gravy, and mommy making the Braciole and Meatbballs. She’d have the butcher cut her slices of beef top-round that she’d season with salt, pepper, Parsley, Pignoli, and Pecorino. Then she’d roll them up jelly-roll style and before tying them with a string she’d brown them in olive oil that would start the sauce she’d braise them in. I watched intently, and someday I’d make Braciole of my own. Mommy would make the Braciole and cook in the tomato sauce. More often than not she’d make a whole pot of Gravy (aka Sunday Sauce) with these Braciole, Sausages, and Meatballs. This Sunday Sauce Gravy was usually made on Sunday or possibly the night before and we’d have just Spaghetti & Meatballs from this pot of Gravy on Saturday night, saving the rest to eat the next day on Sunday with everything else; Maccheroni with Gravy, the Sausage, Meatballs, and Braciole. And what a wonderful day it would be eating Braciole, Gravy and all the rest.

Yes, I still remember Mommy making the Braciole she learned from her mom, my maternal grandmother Giuseppina Salemi Bellino who was born in Lercara Freddi, Sicily. Nonna Giuseppina learned to make Braciole and regional Sicilian dishes from her mom, my great-grandmother who was a Salemi, and that’s all I know of her. Yes, the Braciole recipe goes back to her and to Nonna Giuseppina, and then to my mother Lucia and then on to me and my sister Barbara, and brother Michael. That’s our story on Braciole. Basta!

Excerpted from Daniel Bellino-Zwicke ‘s soon to be released MANGIA ITALIANO ..

SUNDAY SAUCE

by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

Pizza Gino Sorbillo Comes to New York

One of NAPOLI ‘S Favorite PIZZERIAS

GINO SORBILLO

to OPEN in NEW YORK

but WHERE ???

Above picture GINO SORBILLOW on left ..

Supposedly Gino Sorbillo is planning to open several locations, the rumor goes, one in TIMES SQUARE, one at 334 BOWERY, and one around UNION SQUARE .. At this moment we’re not really sure, just that SORBILLO is definitely opening a SORBILLO PIZZA in New York, and rumor has it that the Bowery location may open in late Spring 2017 or in the Summer if they don’t make the Spring time line ..

Outside GINO SORBILLO PIZZERIA, Napoli, ITALY

Inside GINO SORBILLO NEW YORK

We beleive this is The TIMES SQUARE Location

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SUNDAY SAUCE

WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

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A PIZZA From GINO SORBILLO NAPOLI

Guy Fieri How Make Meatballs Johns 12th Street NEW YORK

JOHN’S of 12th STREET

The MOVIE

WORLD PREMIER

SPECTACLE THEATER

Williamsburg, Brooklyn

New York

JOHN’S

JOHN’S of East 12th Street

New York, NY

John’s is one of the last of a dying breed of Old School Italian Red Sauce Joints .. John’s has been a beloved East Village Italian New York Instituion since 1908, making it one of

New York’s oldest Italian Restaurants of which only a few of many remain. John’s is one of them.

John’s serves classic Old School Italian American food, including classics like; Clams Posillipo, Baked Clams Oreganata, Lasagna, Spaghetti & Meatballs, Manicotti, and more, including now rare items such as Speedino alla Romano and Veal Sweetbreads.

The wonderful Turn of The Century decor of John’s has been lovenly and painstakingly preserved with its 1908 decor still intact. John’s is lively and the old school waiters help round out the total picture of Italian Food with great old 1908 decor and animated service from the Black Bowtied Waiters.

Over the years John’s has seen the like of; John Lennon, Joe Jackson, Ray Davies, Carol Burnett, Montgomery Clift, Ron Silver, Rockets Redglare, Tom Crruise, Mimi Rodgers, and many other celebrites pass through its doors. Why don’t you pass through too? It’s great old Italian New York experience.

IN THE KITCHEN at JOHN’S

The OLD DAYS

‘

LUCKY LUCIANO

SUNDAY SAUCE

LEARN HOW to MAKE MEATBALLS alla SINATRA

RECIPE in SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

MAKING MEATBALLS at JOHN’S of 12th STREET

JOHN

aka MIKE ALPERT

Real Name MYRON WEINER

R.I.P.

MYRON SHOWS GUY FIERI How to MAKE MEATBALLS

SECRET RECIPES

SEGRETO ITALIANO

JOE MASSERIA HITS VALENTI

LUCKY LUCINIO Does The DIRTY WORK

Outside JOHN’S of 12th STREET

Smarting over the recent attempt on his life, which had left two bullet holes through his hat and another two holes through his coat, Joe Masseria plotted bloody revenge in epic Italian Renaissance fashion.

Chief Assassin

The target of his wrath was Umberto Valenti, a seriously wily character who had blasted those bullet holes through Masseria’s hat and coat. According to the New York Times in 1915, Valenti was:

A former Black Hand extortionist, it was rumored that Valenti had killed over 20 men, a number of whom had been Masseria’s closest advisors. The thirty four year old Valenti was the chief assassin of Salvatore “Toto” D’Aquila, the New York Mafia’s supreme ruler, a Mafioso who was locked in vicious mob war with Masseria and his chief strategist Giuseppe “the Clutch Hand” Morello.

However, Masseria’s seemingly supernatural bullet dodging powers had given the hard noised, but superstitious, Valenti second thoughts. Second thoughts that had him suing for peace and walking into an ambush in one of New York’s most storied Italian restaurants, John’s of 12^thStreet, on August 11, 1922, a restaurant that has been used as a set on Boardwalk Empire and the Sopranos.

Well Dressed Gunmen

Whether or not Valenti sampled the chicken parmigiana before being croaked has been lost to the winds of history. However, some time around noon, Valenti and six laughing companions emerged from their luncheon. Walking eastward, smiles turned into frowns. Suddenly, Valenti spooked and bolted towards Second Avenue as two slick, well-dressed gunmen whipped out revolvers and fired. Gangland legend holds that one of the shooters was none other than Charley “Lucky” Luciano, Masseria’s newest protégé (the other shooter was probably Vito Genovese).

The FEAST of The 7 FISH

Italian Christmas

Pandemonium on 12^thStreet

As the shots flew, pandemonium broke loose on 12^th Street. Whirling around, the feared assassin drew a revolver just as a bullet flew through his chest.

A teenage witness told the New York Times:

Luciano’s Escape

Despite Valenti’s death, the friendly Luciano and his pals weren’t done yet. A crowd formed to block the gunmen’s escape so the mobsters opened fire, hitting a street sweeper and a little girl visiting from New Haven Connecticut. The shots dispersed the crowd, and the hitmen disappeared into a nearby tenement.

Should I Bring Pajamas?

Masseria was arrested for the murder. During his arrest, he supposedly grinned and asked the police:

… whether he would need a nightshirt remarking, that the last time he slept in the station house they forgot to give him a pillow or pajamas.

For a job well done, Joe Masseria elevated Luciano to a leadership position at his headquarters in the Hotel Pennsylvania. All murder charges were eventually dropped, and Masseria, on his way to becoming Joe the Boss, set his sights on Valenti’s overlord, Toto De Aquila, New York’s boss of bosses.

However, John’s of 12^th had another infamous last meal lined up twenty years later. The victim would be Carlo Tresca.

BASTA la PASTA !!!!

How to Make Spaghetti Carbonara

HOW to MAKE SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

GENNARO CONTALDO

SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

HOW to MAKE PERFECT SPAGHETTI CARBONARA

ANTONIO CARLUCCI

WHER to GO For The BEST CARBONAR in ROME, ITALY

Da Danilo

Vaunted as the best carbonara in Rome, this was the first good carbonara I ate here. Beautifully presented with crispy bacon shards placed on top and swirled throughout the spaghetti, this carbonara is neither too heavy, nor too light, neither too rich, nor too eggy. A little bit goldilocks, this carbonara is just right. The spaghetti is cooked al dente, at first it might seem too much so, but they know what they are doing. Booking is essential.

Via Petrarca, 13. Esquilino area.

Tel: 06 772 00111

trattoriadadanilo.it

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Da Enzo

Busy and bustling you couldn’t get a more Roman trattoria. The service is brisk but fun, “Why are you in Rome? English teachers? Can we have lessons?” The last time I went, we were early enough and lucky enough to get a table without a reservation, and by the time we left the queue outside was enormous. Another rigatoni alla carbonara, this pasta dish is cheesy and peppery with the eggy sauce left at the bottom to mix in yourself. Crunchy strips of salty guanciale (just how I like them) completed the dolce/salato, or sweet and savoury, effect. Yum!

Via dei Vascellari, 29. Trastevere

Tel: 06 581 2260

daenzoal29.com

Da Sergio

Recommended by my friend Silvia as her especial favourite, Da Sergio is a smallish trattoria hidden away in the side streets around Campo dei Fiori. For those of you who like your food a little more on the rustic side, this is the sort of carbonara for you. Homely and rich with less attention paid to the presentation and more focus on the flavours. Maybe the pasta sauce isn’t quite as silky smooth as some of the others, maybe the spaghetti is not so al dente, but overall a carbonara here is a dish that tastes of home.

Vicolo delle Grotte, 27. Campo dei Fiori area.

Tel: 06 686 4293

Flavio al Velavevodetto

Rigatoni alla Carbonara is served in this Testaccio institution. Generous strips of crispy bacon in a seemingly too bright yellow sauce that reflects the quality of the eggs. With a good balance of flavours, this carbonara was voted the 2nd best in the city, and the best pasta of the day by my fellow diners. Don’t worry about the big portion size in the photograph: it was taken of a large communal bowl!

Via di Monte Testaccio, 97. Testaccio

Tel: 06 574 6841

flavioalvelavevodetto.it

L’Arcangelo

The food here is something finer and offers a little more than the average trattoria. However, for their carbonara they stick with tradition. The rigatoni are cooked to perfection and slicked in a silky, glossy sauce. Italian friends who dined with me agreed that this was the real thing. So good, none could possibly go to waste; one friend even fare la scarpetta – wiped his plate clean with bread (literally, “do the little shoes”). What better endorsement could there be?

Via Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli, 59. Prati

Tel: 06 321 0992

SOPHIA LOREN

“Everything You See I Owe to SPAGHETTI” !!!

PERFECT SPAGHETTI CARNONARA

Da DANILLO

ROMA, ITALY

Saint Josephs Day New York

Festa di San Giuseppe

SICILIAN AMERICAN FOOD WINE & TRAVEL CLUB

Our Saint Joseph’s Day Feast at CAIO VINO Restaurant, New York

Author Daniel Bellino, Silvio, Paola, Carolina, Linda, and ???

Our Sicilian American Group celebrated another Festa di San Giuseppe today. It was another wonderful day of getting together with friends around the Sicilian Table and the most important holiday of all to Sicilian as it celebrates the Patron Saint of Sicily, Saint Joseph, aka San Giuseppe …

Their was a great famine in the Middle Ages and Sicilians prayed to their Patron Saint San Giuseppe to let it rain so crops could grow and the people might be fed. These Sicilians who prayed to San Giuseppe that if he answered their prayers that they would have a great feast to celebrate and honor him. It rained, crops grew, and the people kept their promise to Saint Joseph and had feast all over Sicily to celebrate the Saint and the occasion .. It is now tradition to celebrate and on honor Saint Joseph every march 19th .. We have traditional foods that are prepared and eaten at our Festa di San Giuseppe like Maccu (Fava Bean Soup0, Pasta con Sarde (Pasta with Fennel, raisons, and Sardines), and Sfinci (Saint Josephs Day Pastry) of baked or fried dough filled with Sweet Ricotta and Candied Fruit.

So it was, once again that our little group of about 50 once again celebrated San Giuseppe at our favorite Siclian Restorante in New York, Cacio e Vino on Second Avenue in New York’s East Village, a neighborhood that at one time was great Sicilian enclave in New York that housed non other than one Charles “Lucky” Luciano who moved to the Lower East Side of New York in 1907 when his parents Antonio and Rosalia immigrated to the United States from Lercara Friddi, Sicily when young Salvatore (Lucky’s real first name) was 9 years old …

Anyway we had a wonderful dinner with our traditional menu of Maccu (Fava Soup), Caponata, Arancini (Sicilian Rice Balls), Sicilian Pizza, Pasta con Sarde, and Saint Josephs Day Pastry, Sfinci …

See the pictures and for some great recipes of Sicily’s favorite dishes, see Grandma Bellino’s Italian Cookbook / Recipes From My Sicilian Grandmother by Daniel Bellino “Z”

Our MACCU

Sicilian Fava Bean Soup

RECIPE

Our SICILIAN PIZZA with ANCHOVIES

and a Glass of NERO d’AVOLA

Yummm !!

Our PASTA ????

PASTA con SARDE

DOLCE

SFINCI al SAN GIUSEPPE

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GRANDMA BELLINO’S ITALIAN COOKBOOK

Recipes From My Sicilian Grandmother

by Daniel Bellino “Z”

FRANK SINATRA

Salvatore Lucinao

aka

CHARLES “LUCKY” LUCIANO

Ode to The Artichoke – Pablo Neruda

ARTICHOKES

Original Painting by ELISABETH FRASER

A POEM to The ARTICHOKE by PABLO NERUDA

ODE to The ARTICHOKE

The artichoke
With a tender heart
Dressed up like a warrior,
Standing at attention, it built
A small helmet
Under its scales
It remained
Unshakeable,
By its side
The crazy vegetables
Uncurled
Their tendrills and leaf-crowns,
Throbbing bulbs,
In the sub-soil
The carrot
With its red mustaches
Was sleeping,
The grapevine
Hung out to dry its branches
Through which the wine will rise,
The cabbage
Dedicated itself
To trying on skirts,
The oregano
To perfuming the world,
And the sweet
Artichoke
There in the garden,
Dressed like a warrior,
Burnished
Like a proud
Pomegrante.
And one day
Side by side
In big wicker baskets
Walking through the market
To realize their dream
The artichoke army
In formation.
Never was it so military
Like on parade.
The men
In their white shirts
Among the vegetables
Were
The Marshals
Of the artichokes
Lines in close order
Command voices,
And the bang
Of a falling box.

But
Then
Maria
Comes
With her basket
She chooses
An artichoke,
She’s not afraid of it.
She examines it, she observes it
Up against the light like it was an egg,
She buys it,
She mixes it up
In her handbag
With a pair of shoes
With a cabbage head and a
Bottle
Of vinegar
Until
She enters the kitchen
And submerges it in a pot.

Thus ends
In peace
This career
Of the armed vegetable
Which is called an artichoke,
Then
Scale by scale,
We strip off
The delicacy
And eat
The peaceful mush
Of its green heart.

Thanks to Emiko and Marco for bringing this to my attention.

An Artichoke

Oil on Board

Artist Unknown

PABLO NERUDA

MANGIA ITALIANO

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

RECIPE For SICILIAN STUFFED ARTICHOKES

in GREENWICH VILLAGE ITALIAN

Fava Beans n Artichoke Stew – Friteddi

If you’re in the southern hemisphere get to the markets quickly before the spring ends and some crucial ingredients disappear. This dish is a classic Sicilian plate originating in the west of Sicily. Late in the artichoke season throughout Italy, you will find fave beans being sold right next to artichokes, so it’s inevitable that they will find themselves in some recipes together. The further south you make your way in Italy you will see an increasing abundance of both artichokes and fave beans. The dish photographed above is from Trattoria Piccolo Napoli in Palermo A Slowfood listed restaurant specializing in seafood with a generous offering of vegetable antipasti and side dishes.

You may know fave beans as broad beans where you come from. Once they are removed from their pods they need to have their skins removed. (This is not absolutely essential and certainly wasn’t done in the past when every little morsel counted.) The easiest way to remove the skin from each bean is to toss them into boiling water for half a minute. Remove and refresh under cold water. You will notice the skin wrinkle and lift off the bean, which then can be easily removed with a knife or your fingers. You can also make this with dried fave beans which will need soaking overnight. It’s not the same as the fresh experience but the flavor is unmistakable. It’s also ok to use frozen peas but remember to halve the weight indicated in this recipe (in Grandma Bellino’s Italian Cookbook).

FRITEDDI alla SICILIANA

aka

FRITELLI

RECIPE in GRANDMA BELLINO’S ITALIAN COOKBOOK

RECIPES FROM MY SICILIAN GRANDMOTHER

by DANIEL BELLINO Z

AVAILABLE on AMAZON.com … CLICK HERE

FRANK SINATRA Eats !!!

Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner dine out at Patsy’s in New York.

Frank’s favorite restaurant. Frank Sinatra’s family, on his father’s side

is from the Sicilian town of Lercara Friddi Sicily south of Palermo … Frank’s father

Severio Anthony Martino Sinatra was born in Lercara Friddi in 1892 and immigrated to

New York City in 1903 … The famed Mafia Kingpin Charles “Lucky” Luciano was also born

in Lercara Friddi in 1897 … His family immigrated to The Lower east Side of New York

when he was just 9 years old … Best Selling Italian Cookbook Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke’s

Maternal Grandparents Giuseppina & Phillipo Bellino were born and married

in Lercara Friddi Sicily and immigrated to New York City in 1904 and later relocating

to the Italian conclave of Lodi, New Jersey where Phillipo opened a Shoemaker Shop

on Main Street where they raised their 4 children Lillian, Frank, Anthony, and Daniel’s mother

Lucia …

SALVATORE LUCIANO

aka

CHARLES “LUCKY” LUCIANO

Lercara Friddi, Sicilia

ITALY

MANGIA ITALIANO

Coming Soon !

Check Out Daniel’s other Books

on AMAZON.com

The Devine Amalfi Coast – Capri – Italy

POSITANO .. Classic View … photo by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Positano, Italy

The POSITANO COOKBOOK

SORRENTO

View of CAPRI From ANACAPRI

photo Copyright DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

Marina Picolo CAPRI with FARAGLIONI ROCKS in Distance

photo Daniel Bellino Zwicke

FIAT CINQUACENTO 500

photo Copyright Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Amalfi

photo by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Minori with Ravello Above

View of Minori from Villa Maria Agro Lemon Farm

“WORLD’S BEST BREAKFAST”

My BREAKFAST Villa Maria, Minori Italy

photo Daniel Bellino Zwicke

;

Me & Vincenzo the Owner of Villa Maria Agroturismo

My Lunch at Villa Maria .. PACCERRI FRUTTA di MARE

CAPRI Looking Down On The FRAGLIONI

with SORRENTO in The Distance

SFOGLIATELLE in NAPOLI

PIZZA in NAPOLI

at Da GAETANO PIZZERIA

“MOLTO BUONO”

PASTA

at a SHOP in NAPOLI

View of Mt. VESUVIO from Sorrento

ALTRANI The AMALFI COAST

CAPRI

LEARN HOW to Make SUNDAY SAUCE alla CLEMENZA

Catherine Scorsese Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Joe Pesci kisses Catherine Scorsese

GODDFELLAS

Directed by Martin Scorsese

Scorsese’s mother Catherine, who was born on Elizabeth Street, appeared as Tommy (Joe Pesci)’s mother, and she famously cooked for the cast and crew of her son’s movies. When Jimmy Kimmel asked Martin Scorsese about shaving garlic with a razor—that’s what Paul Vario (played by Paul Sorvino) does in prison—the director said, “My mother made a dish called chicken with lemon and garlic and if you go to Francis Coppola’s restaurant he has it on the menu… It’s pretty good, pretty close… The garlic was cut so thin and she would put it on the chicken and the chicken would be roasted… and the garlic would blacken and then disappear into the lemon juice. It was delicious.” Mmmm.

Catherine Scorsese died in 1997, at age 84. Martin Scorsese published a book of her recipes, and his famous friends remembered her cooking: Robert DeNiro said, “She made the best pizza I’ve ever eaten. I always wanted to serve it at TriBeCa Grill,” while Harvey Keitel said, “In my memory, Catherine was the epitome of a warm, loving Italian mother. She enjoyed watching me eat as much as I enjoyed eating her cooking.” And Pesci said, “Katie was one of the sweetest ladies I ever met. She was a true innocent. She never did anything bad; she never knew anything bad. In terms of her cooking, it’s a toss-up as to who’s a better cook, Katie or my mother.“

CATHERINE and The BOYS

From R to L : Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci, Catherine Scorsese, Rober DeNiro

Late Night Eating Scene in in Goodfellas …

Italianamerican

THE SCORSESE FAMILY COOKBOOK

by Catherine Scorsese

The Pasta Sauce

The recipes in Catherine Scorsese’s cookbook, ”Italianamerican” (Random House, 1996, $21), range from pasta e fagioli to ricotta pie. The book, also by Georgia Downard, contains the standbys of thousands of southern Italian immigrant households that, by adding or withholding specific ingredients, intensely personalized each recipe.

The pasta sauce recipe, below, was included in the credits of a 10-minute Scorsese film, ”Italianamerican,” which recorded a visit by the director with his parents at their home. The movie was shown at the New York Film Festival in 1974.

Catherine Scorsese’s

Pasta Sauce

Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

1 large onion, peeled and minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cans (28 ounces each) whole tomatoes in thick puree

2 cans (16 ounces each) tomato sauce

2 cups water

1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste

3 large cloves garlic, peeled

2 carrots, peeled

1 all-purpose potato, peeled

5 tablespoons minced fresh basil, or 1 tablespoon dried

5 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, or 1 tablespoon dried

Salt to taste

Cayenne pepper to taste

1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

6 ounces ground pork

6 ounces ground veal

6 ounces ground beef

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan.

1. In a 6-quart, or larger, saucepan or casserole, cook the onion in the oil, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.

2. In a blender or food processor, puree tomatoes and sauce. Add tomato mixture to pan along with water, tomato paste, garlic, carrots, potato, 3 tablespoons of basil, 3 tablespoons of parsley, salt and cayenne to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and, stirring occasionally, cook, partly covered, for 30 minutes.

3. In a small bowl, soak the bread crumbs in the milk until softened.

4. In a large bowl, combine bread-crumb mixture with meat, egg, Parmesan, remaining 2 tablespoons basil and parsley, salt, cayenne and 1/2 cup of sauce. Gradually shred and add meat mix to sauce, a little at a time. Partly cover, and bring sauce to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Before serving, remove garlic cloves, carrots and potato.

5. Use about 2 cups of sauce for each pound of pasta.

Yield: about 12 cups.