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# 80 JUNE 20 , 2016
# 80 june 20 , 2016
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THE INTERVIEW:
LEE CASAZZA
Let’s cook Italian American: We the Italians like it!
In our journey between
Italy in the US it's time we
address one fundamental
topic regarding the relationship that links our two
countries: the Italian American cuisine. It is a delicate, important topic, and so
we decided to interview
somebody who has written a book about it.
Lee Casazza is the author of “Big Mamma's Italian-American Cookbook”,
featuring 116 recipes prepared by her and three
generations of the Casazza and Noviello families. She also has a blog,
here. We thank Lee and
her husband Bob for their
patience and for sharing
their passion for the Italian
American cuisine with our
readers and us.
Lee, please let’s take a trip
down memory lane. First
8 | WE THE ITALIANS
www.wetheitalians.com
By Umberto Mucci
of all: how, and why, and pizzerias and restaurant.
when was the Italian Ame- Italian American food derican cuisine born?
fined the joy of being Italian in America. Sunday
The Italian Americans dinners for Italian Ameriwere skilled at making can families were special
from the very most from events, full of memories
the very least and they and love. The food broubrought with them diver- ght them together.
se traditions of food and
recipes. They were parti- Which are the most facularly identified with the mous recipes of the Itaregional origins in Italy lian American cuisine?
and adjusted them with
the characteristics of their Let me start with Eggs in
new home. This included Purgatory (1). The eggs
different ingredients and represent the souls of
new dishes related to new the human beings and
food and to the local taste the fiery tomato sauce
of the new places they li- surrounding the eggs reved. This American food present their suspension
and recipes later spread between heaven and hell.
across the country and
became Italian American
food.
Italian Americans were
proud of their heritage,
they loved food and family. They honoured what
they valued and they were
integrating into the American society. More than
any other ethnic group,
Italians were probably
best known and eventually loved for the food they
created. This introduced
Americans to the Italian
lifestyle: from nonna’s kitchens, family bakeries,
(1)
There's Veal or Chicken
Parmesan; Stromboli (2),
it's similar to calzone. That
is also our family favourite,
it is called “Sunday Gravy”,
because it is cooked all
day and served with meatballs, beef, (or you can
add braciole) and Italian
sausages.
(2)
Then there’s Chicken Cacciatore with polenta (3).
And Chicken Vesuvio (4),
that’s chicken baked with
potatoes and oregano,
and the chicken skin gets
very dark. There’s also
grinders or panini, hot or
(3)
(4)
WE THE ITALIANS | 9
www.wetheitalians.com