Author: Daniel Bellino

Daniel Bellinohttp://thedannyreportdotcom.wordpress.comHello All ! I'm Daniel Bellino "Z" Best Selling Italian Cookbook Author and Publisher of Positano The Amalfi Coast ... I have traveled the World extensively and have been going to: Napoli, Capri, Positano, and The Amalfi Coast of Italy Since 1985 ... I live and write in New York's Greenwich Village. I am the Best Selling author of such Books as : SUNDAY SAUCE , The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKOOK, The FEAST of The 7 FISH, and the soon to be released POSITANO - Capri The Amalfi Coast , a book that tells stories of Napoli, Capri and Psoitano, and is part Cookbook of Regional Dishes of the area, as well as being a Guide Book of this region of Italy. I have been a Restaurant and Wine Professional for more than 30 Years, and I Created America's 1st Ever Venetian Wine Bar (Bacaro) in 1997, in Bar Cichetti, where I was the Head Chef / Wine Director and Managing Partner.

Steve Martorano King of Meatballs Gravy

The KING of MEATBALLS

And

SUNDAY GRAVY Too !!!

MAKING GRAVY with JIMMY KIMMEL

STEVE SHOWS JIMMY

HOW to MAKE GRAVY

GUILLERMO JIMMY & STEVE

“MANGIA la GRAVY”

“IT Ain’t SAUCE” !!!

IT’S GRAVY” !!!!

STEVE MARTORANO

SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino Z

DANIEL BELLINO MAKING SAUCE

Or IS IT GRAVY !!!!

I saw Steve Martorano on Jimmy Kimmel last night. Steve is great. He’s the King of Meatballs, and quite possibly GRAVY. Italian Sunday Gravy that is! Or is it Sunday Sauce … Steve empahtically says it’s GRAVY, “IT AIN’T SAUCE” !!! And Steve is adoment about this … Steve says, “If it has Meat it’s Gravy, and if it doesn’t as in the case with Tomato Sauce then it’s SAUCE … Basta!

Yes Steve is right about this, but that doesn’t mean others are wrong. And Steve has stated that without a doubt in Brookly, New York and South Philadelphia where Steve is from, they all call it Gravy … But there’s always a debate. Some simply call a Italian sauce made with Italian Pork Sausages, Meatballs, Braciole, Spare Ribs, and other meat items (even chicken), that if its tomatoes braised with meat, it’s GRAVY and not Sauce, aka Sunday Gravy .. But there are some who call this Sauce, or Sunday Sauce … Well, different people call it different things, and really there is no one right or wrong answer. I myself and all my family members in Jersey, we all called it Gravy, as do most in the New York, New Jersey, and Philadelphia areas do.

So why do I call my book Sunday Sauce you ask? Well because it can be. It can be called Sunday Sauce, and as a book title it just sounds better. And for those who don’t know, there is a whole science and method to naming, producing, selling, and marketing a book, thus for my book, the name Sunday Sauce …

And hey, I’m not going to get into a beef with Steve, the guy is awesome and one of the greatest ambassadors of all to what I consider a trully Great and Ligitimate Cusisine of Italian America, that being Italian-American Food (Cusisine).

Anyway, back to the Jimmy Kimmel Show, Steve and the Sunday Gravy … Steve showed Jimmy how to make it, with a bit of fun and funny ribbing by Steve of Jimmy … The Gravy was made, and Steve sat down with Guillermo and Jimmy and ate it.

Well Gravy? We have al sorts of Pasta, Zuppa, Pizza, Meatball Parms, Veal & Chicken Parm, Sausage & Peppers and lots more, but there’s one Italian-American dish that rains Supreme above all other, and that’s our beloved Sunday Sauce on Sunday, or as Steve would say,

“I Ain’t Sauce, It’s GRAVY” !!!!

BASTA la PASTA !!!!

“Yo CUZ” !!!!

STEVE MARTORANO

SAUSAGE MEATBALLS

CANNOLIS & GRAVY

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Danny Bolognese

The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK

Scavino Barolo Pizza Dinner New York

Paolo Scavino Barolo

Rocche Dell Annunziata 1990

There was another great winemaker dinner at La Pizza Fresca in New York last night. La Pizza Fresca is located on 13 East 20th Street in New York ‘s Gramercy Park .. The place has quite a uniqueness about it .. It’s a restaurant that’s makes some of the best Pizza in all of New York .. Or is it a Pizzeria? Well let’s just say it’s a Pizzeria / Restaurant, OK? Yes that’s what it is. And the Pizza, this restaurant is one of the few that’s certified as Vera Pizza Npolteana which is an organization that grades and certifies Pizzerias that meet the high standards of the best porperly made Naapoletan Pizza. La Pizza Fresca is one of only 1,000 Pizzerias in the world to be Vera Pizza Napoletan certified, nad just 1 of 100 in the United States ..

Well, anyway la Pizza Fresca makes some great Pizza. They also have a full menu of Antipasti, Pasta, Meat, Fish, and Poultry and they have one great wine list. Besides the great Pizza, La Pizza Fesca is realy into wine, and is in fact one of the top Italian Wine focused restaurants in New York. They have a great wine list that is very extensive and world class. And like they did last night that have many great wine dinners each year.

The wine dinner I attended this night was hosted by Elisa Scavino who is one of Enrico Scavino ‘s two daughters working with him in the family wine business in Peidmont. Well the dinner was awesome, we started with Beef Carpacio, followed by some awesome Pizza, Pizza Funghi (Mushrooms) and Pizza Bianco with Fontina Cheese, Black truffles, and Prosciutto. The Pizza was amazing. We drank Paolo Scavino Barbera and Nebbiolo Langhe with the Carpacio, and ewere quite fortunate to have a couple of Paolo Scavino ‘s fabulous Barolo with the Pizza .. Yes, with the Pizza we drank Scavino’s Barolo Carobric 2000 . This wine was phenominal. It was in perfect balance, full of great fruit and earthy flavors of Truffle and Mushrooms. You couldn’t ask more from a great Barolo from one of the great Barolo vintages of all-time in the 2000 .. Lucky we were at the dinner to follow this great Barolo with Scavino’s Barolo Bric del Fiasc 1998, 2000, and 2010 . Needless to say, they were all great, and drinking quite nicely.

We were then treated to an amaing line-up of an amazing 3 Vintage Vertical Tatsing of Paolo Scavino ‘s Barolo Reserva Rocche dell’ Annunziata. The vintages we had were 3 of the greatest Barolo vintages of all-time in the 1990, 2000, and 2001 … Wow what a treat?

It was a great night of socializing, drinking great Barolo accompanied with the awesome Pizza, Pasta, and Bue al Barolo (Beef Briased in Barolo Wine) and our gracious host Alisa Scavino talking about all the great winew we were drinking and of the histroy of the family’s winery founded by her grandfather Lorenzo Scavino. Bravo Elisa!

Alisa Scavino with Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

The Scavino Family

Paolo Scavino is an historical winery in the Barolo region. It was founded in 1921 in Castiglione Falletto from Lorenzo Scavino and his son Paolo. Farming has always been a family tradition and passion.

Enrico Scavino together with the daughters Enrica and Elisa, fourth generation, run the family Estate. He started to work full time in the winery in 1951 when he was 10 years old. A young winemaker who inherited the passion and devotion for the land he belongs to. Through over 60 years of experience his focus has been to invest on important cru of Nebbiolo to show the uniqueness of each terroir.

Their work is inspired by the love and respect they have for their territory and they pursue purity of expression, complexity and elegance for their wines from the three local grapes Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo.

These values and culture have been carried on and never changed.

Ronzoni Sono Buoni

Rigatoni No. 27

“Ronzoni Sono Buoni,”
if you are Italian and grew up in the New York area in the great
decades of the 1960’s and or 70s you know the slogan. We Italians do love our
pasta, we’re weened on it! Pasta is the main staple of our diet. Many are
fanatical about and love it so, they insist on having it several times a week.
I’m one. Pasta, can be covered in a wide variety of sauces, in some soups like; Pasta Fagoli (Pasta Fazool),
in Minestrone’s, with Pasta and Peas, and Pasta con Ceci (Chick Peas). Yes, we
are weened on it. Mommy gave me, my bothers and sister Pastina coated in a bit
of butter and Parmigiano when we were just toddlers and every so
often I have to pick up a box of Ronzoni Pastina, as I love and crave it still,
and of late as with many my age, you start craving things you loved as a child,
thus my stints with Pastina. “Ronzoni Sono Buoni,” it means, Ronzoni
is So Good, and that it is. This brand of Pasta, born in New York City at the
turn of the 20th Century has been a mainstay of not only
Italian-Americans of the East Coast but, for all. For years before the surge of
many a imported pasta product in the U.S., Ronzoni, was not the only game in
town for Macaroni, there was the Prince and Creamette, as well, but Ronzoni
dominated the market and though I don’t have stats, I would wage to say that 85
to 90 % of all commercial pasta sold in the New York, New Jersey, and
Philadelphia areas was Ronzoni, the pasta in the bright blue boxes, Ronzoni
Sono Buoni. God I wonder how many plates and bowls of Spaghetti, Ziti and other
Ronzoni pastas I ate over the years, starting with Pastina as
a toddler and moving to Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce or Meatballs,
Baked Ziti, Stuffed Shells and more. Oh “Stuffed Shells,” they bring back
memories of my mother who loved them. We had them often, along with Lasagna
made with Ronzoni Lasagana. You don’t see Stuffed Shells around that much any
more, they used to be on many a restaurant and even more home menus. There
popularity has waned, but every once and a while I’ll pick up a box of Ronzoni
large shells, just for the purpose of bringing back those memories of mom
making them and me loving them as a child. I’ll make a batch of
tomato sauce, cook the Ronzoni Shells, and stuff them with ricotta and
Parmigiano, bake them in tomato sauce, and “Voila” Stuffed Shells of
days gone by. I do the same with a Pastina as I still love the dish so, dressed
with butter and fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano, “makes me feel like a kid
again!” Yum, delicious little pleasure you can whip up in minutes and
bring back visions of your youth. All with some butter, Parmigiano and a box of
Ronzoni Pastina. That’s Ronzoni, every bit a part of my life and youth as
a spring ol Slinky, Etch-A-Sketch, The Three Stooges, Saturday Morning
Cartoons, and all the favorites of my youth, Ronzon Sono Buoni, “Ronzoni it’s
so good!”

Sunday Sauce

Italian Hot Dogs Jersey Style

An Italian Hot Dog you want to know? What is it? Well it’s a Jersey thing, and you’re not gonna find them anywhere else other the in-and-around Newark, New Jersey and some of the towns surround it. Burgers and Hot Dogs are really big in Jersey and there once was a guy named James “Buff” Racioppi who first served this thing called the Italian Hot Dog. James and his Italian Buddy’s used to have many a card game in Newark’s 9^th Ward way back when. One day Jimmy’s wife threw together something for her husband and card playing cronies to eat. She fried up some Sweet Bell Peppers, Potato, Onions, and Hot Dogs, and when everything was finished frying she put it all between some bread and served it to all the hungry card players. Well everyone just loved the sandwiches and whenever they played cards they begged for her to make the Italian Style Hot Dogs. These Hot Dogs were so popular and everyone just love them that Jimmy decide to open a little stand and sell them. You know the rest, the Italian Hot Dogs were a huge success and Jimmy Buffs Hot Dog empire was born (1932 in Newark, New Jersey).

And oh by the way, Jimmy Buff Racioppi is the one who always gets credit for inventing this awesome culinary delight, but the real inventor was Jimmy’s wife Mrs. Racioppi.

My Dad used to take use to all the Diners, Hot Dog & Burger Joints around. We’d go to Jimmy Buffs maybe 3 or 4 times a year. My mom learned how to make these tasty Italian Hot Dogs and we’d have them at least once a month when we couldn’t make it down to Jimmy Buffs. My mom made them so good, they were just as good as Jimmy Buffs. Now you can make them too.

INGREDIENTS :

4 Hero Rolls

1 small Red Bell Pepper and one Green, seeded and sliced

2 medium Onions, peeled and sliced

8 best quality Hot Dogs

2 Idaho Potatoes, peeled and slice ¼” thick

Salt & Black Pepper

¼ cup Canola Oil

Place the potatoes in a small pot of water. Add 1 tablespoon Salt. Bring the water to a boil and cook the potatoes at the boil for 2 minutes. Turn heat off and drain the potatoes in a colander, shaking off as much water as possible.

Add 1/3 of the oil to a medium frying pan. Turn heat on to medium and add the Hot Dogs. Fry the Hot Dogs until they get golden brown and crunchy on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Turn heat off and leave in pan covered with aluminum foil.

Place the ¾ of the oil in a large frying pan and heat to high. Put the potatoes in the frying pan and season with a little salt & Black Pepper and fry the potatoes on high heat for 6 minutes. Add the Bell Pepper to the pan, turn down the heat and cook the peppers with the potatoes on low heat for 10 minutes, stirring as you cook. Add the onions, season with Salt & Pepper and cook the onions with the Peppers & Potatoes over low heat for 8 minutes.

Put the Hot Dogs in with the Peppers, Onions, & Potatoes and cook on very low heat for 2 minutes. In the mean time, split the rolls in half but not all the way through, leaving a sort of hinge on one side of each roll. Place in the pan that the Hot Dogs cooked in, turn heat on to high and toast the rolls until they get a little crunchy.

Place two Hot Dogs on each roll and fill each roll with some of the Peppers, Onions, & Potatoes mixture. Serve to your buddy’s and enjoy.

The HALF & HALF

The half & half is even better that the regular Italian Hot Dog. To make one, instead of putting 2 Hot Dogs in each roll with the Peppers, Onions, & Potatoes, you cook up some Italian Sausages and put one Hot Dog and one Sausage Link into each roll with the Potato, Onions, and Peppers and you’re all set with a Italian Hot Dog Half & Half. You’re gonna Love It!

Excerptd From THE RAUGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke aka Danny Bolognese

BIG DOG of ITALIAN WINE AGAIN

Winemaker of Sassicaia & Punica Wines SEBASTIANO ROSA

with Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke and Roberta Morrel of Morrel WInes

Get Toegther for a lillte Wine and Chat at Kobrand Italian Portfolio Tasting

at The Bowery Hotel, New York, New York

Alberto Chiarlo with Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Alberto Chiarlo the proprietor of Michele Chiarlo Wines

of Piedmonte got together for a tasting of Alberto’s latest vingtages

of wine, including Barbera Le Orme, Barolo Tortoniano 2010,

Michele Chairlo Barbaresco 2011, Barolo Cerequio 2010,

and Barolo Canubi Michele Chairlo 2007 & 2001 Vintgaes ..

Daniel said the whole line-up of wines was absolutely Amazing! everything was in perfect balance, full of flavor and a joy to drink.

Emelia Nardi with Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

Tatsing some Great Brunello and Rosso di Montalcino

The 1999 Il PARETO From Nozzole Was ROCKING !!!

I normally don’t go crazy for non-native Italian Varietals when drinking Italian Wine. That said, I absolutely loved the 1999 Vintage of Tenuta Nozzole’s “Il PARETO” a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon based wine that was amazing. It was full of flavor,perfecting and a absolute Joy to Drink. I loved It!

The WINES From MASI Where Also AMAZING !!!

Masi Agricola

I loved all of the Amarone ‘s that Masi was showing at the Italian Portfolio Tasting ..

The were showing Amarone Mazano 2007 which was really nic and heavy on the prune flavors.

The 2007 Amarone Campolong was awesome as was the Amarone Costera 2009 ..

My favorite Amarone of the day was Seregho Aligheri 2008 which is one of the few wines in the world aged in large Cherry Wood Cask .. The wine was AMAZING !!!

Goodfellas Gravy alla Prigione

The LATE GREAT

CHARLIE SCORSESE

Making GOODFELLAS GRAVY

MARTIN SCORSESE ‘S GOODFELLAS

Starring Robert De Niro

Joe Pesci

Ray Liotta

and

Charlie Scorsese

RECIPE For GOODFELLAS GRAVY

alla PRIGIONE

SUNDAY SAUCE

WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Best Pizza in America DiFara

DiFara Pizza

Dom DeMarco

The MASTER

“Yes,” Eating Pizza Made by The Maestro DOM DeMARCO

Is a Religious Experience !!!

Much has been said of the now famed Pizzeria (DiFarra Pizza) on Avenue J in Brooklyn, New York the Capital of Thee Best Pizza in the whole United States of America, bar-none, even Manhattan. Brooklyn lays claim to the Top two Pizzerias in the country, the top of the list 1 and 2, number 1, The Best and number 2, the second best. Well no, I don’t know if I should put it that way, as it sound s as one is better than the other, which is not ht e case, as they are both equally good, equally Great and equally the Best Pizza and the Best Pizzerias in the United States, though they are are little different than one another. The Pizza at both Totonno’s on Neptune Avenue in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York and Di Farra Pizza on Avenue J in Brooklyn are both otherworldly specimens of some the Finest Pizza on other and the Undisputed Best Pizza in America.

Wow, got off on a tangent about both Di Farra and Totonno’s when I just intended to talk about Di Farra Pizza, Dom DeMarco the Maestro of Di Farra’s and the Religious experience that it is to go there, watch Dominic masterfully make Pizza after glorious Pizza (without the help of anyone else), to watch in awe and anticipation and Salivation til you finally get yours (after about a hour or hour and a half wait), you hold it in your hand like a precious baby, and then to sink your teeth into it, savoring each wondrous bite after the other. “Yes,” it is truly a religious experience, that is, if you are a great lover of this wonderful invention, created in Napoli, spread throughout the the Italian Peninsular and then across the Atlantic to America from Italian Immigrants where Gennaro Lombardi opened the First Pizzeria in America on Prince Street in New York City some 100 years ago or so.

Back to Di Farra and Pizzaiolo Extraordinaire, Mr. Dominic DeMarco. It is Dominic that makes Di Farra what it is, it certainly isn’t the Pizzeria itself which is ultra plain and even appalling to some. Mr. DeMarco’s pizzas are just about as close to absolute perfection in the Pizza Making World, a world in which New York City excels and has only one rival in Naples, Italy and the whole of Italy itself. Mr. De Marco has the magic touch, with perfect dough, the perfect balance of ingredients, tomato and other ingredient ratio to cheese, and this include Mr. Demarcos judicious use of Olive Oil which is right-on and a little magic touch that whoever complains about it, just does not know there Pizza and Italian Food on a whole. We Italians love our olive oil. And those who complain are unaware that it is a condiment that adds the final last touch to many dishes before they are eaten. Dominic knows this and should not be discourage against his generous use of it by those who do not understand the proper essence of the Italian Table. So please, keep your traps shut, if you don’t like it don’t eat it, this countries finest examples of the Pizza Art.

And on to the religious experience of Di Farra, Dom DeMarco and the mans artistry with Pizza. There is nothing quite like it in the entire Pizza World. There does not exist, to my knowledge any place in the world that has an elderly man making a hundred plus Pizzas a day in a place that has endless lines, day and night. Pizza that are so perfect, words can not describe People line up for greatness and artistry, and for a couple of slices of the most marvelous pizza this side of Naples, and to watch this passionate little old man work his heart out, not getting, not allowing anyone else to make a pie at his beloved Pizzeria. The man is elderly. He’s worked his whole life. He makes such a magical thing that people line up each and every day to see him and eat one of his many masterpieces. With business like this, he could hire to other Pizzaiolos to help him, doubling or tripling his business and and financial intake. He could hire two guys and make pizza aloing with them, or sit back and get three guys to do it. At his age, he’s entitled to. But know, Dom DeMarco loves what he does, he loves his Pizza, each and every one that passes that counter and into thousands of appreciative hands. The man feels that no one else can make a Pizza the way he does and wants to serve to his customers. No one else who has his skills, his passion and love for the Pizza, thus he does it all himself. And this my friends is the reason that going to Di Farra’s to watch Dominic the maestro in action, all by himself while hundreds of people line up every day, waiting an hour and a half to two hours just to get a Pizza (not just any old Pizza mind you). “It’s a Religious Experience.” Truly! A show and there is nothing like it in the World, Dom DeMarco, a man and his Pizza, America’s Best, and something to rival that other World Pizza Capital, Napoli.

by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Caprese Salad Recipe

INSALATA
CAPRESE

Salad of Mozzarella
Tomatoes & Basil

As the name might imply, this salad
(antipasto) comes from the beautiful Island of Capri in the Bay of Naples. Well
yes, this salad made of fresh Mozzarella, Tomatoes, and Basil (Baz-ZEE-na-gOl)
is eaten all over this lovely island by both natives and the many tourist who
go to Capri to delight in its natural beauty, make a pilgrimage to the famed
Grotta Azzura, swim its pristine deep blue waters, and of course eat some tasty
local food of which the Insalata Caprese is the most famous of all.

This salad is the easiest thing in the
world to make, with the hardest part being to find perfect rip tomatoes to
complement the fresh mozzarella and basil. Once you find good fresh rip
tomatoes, and you’ve got your mozzarella and basil, all you have to do is slice
the tomatoes and mozzarella and dress all with a little salt & pepper, the
basil, and good quality Italian Olive Oil and you’re all set. Put on some nice
Italian Music, get a nice bottle of white or red wine that comes from the
region and you’re all set. Pretend you’re on Capri and you’re in Heaven.

INGREDIENTS :

1 pound Fresh Mozzarella

3-4 ripe Salad Tomatoes (washed)

8 fresh Basil Leaves (washed & dried)

3 tablespoons Italian Olive Oil

Sea Salt & Black Pepper

1.
Slice the Mozzarella into 8 equal slices.

2. Place the Basil leaves
one-on-top-of-the other. Roll them up. Slice the roll of basil leaves to get
thin slices of Basil.

3. Put half the olive oil onto a plate.
Slice the tomatoes into 12 equal slices. Place the tomato slices down on the
plate of olive to coat each tomato slice with olive oil. Turn each slice over.
Sprinkle a little salt and black pepper over each slice of tomato. Evenly
distribute the Basil over all 12 slices of tomato.

4. Get 4 clean plates that you will be
serving the Caprese Salad on.

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5. Place one slice of tomato down on the
plate. Then lay one slice of mozzarella halfway over the tomato slice. Add
another slice of tomato to go halfway over the 1^st slice of
mozzarella, then place another slice of mozzarella halfway over the 2^nd
slice of tomato. Place a 3^rd and final slice of tomato over the 2^nd
slice of mozzarella. Repeat this process until you have four plates of Caprese
Salad of equal portions. Serve to your guests and enjoy.

INSALATA CAPRESE

A UNIQUE WAY TO SERVE

CAPRESE SALAD

FRESH MOZZARELLA TOMATO & BASIL

Humprhrey Bogart in Capri During Filming

of BEAT The DEVIL

Clock Tower

Piazza Umberto

Capri Town

CAPRI, ITALY

Recipe For Italian Rice Balls

ARANCINI in CAPRI

A Plate of Fresh Made Arancini

Rice Balls

ARANCINI

Excerted from Daniel Bellino-Zwicke’s forthcoming book;

GREATEST HITS ITALIAN COOKBOOK

100 Recipes of Italian-America’s Favorite Dishes

Rice Balls are
a great favorite of the South of Italy where they can be found all over the
place, in restaurants and trattorias, grocery stores, Salumerias, at Wine Bars,
and caffes. Arancini are beloved by Italian-Americans as well, but nowhere near
the extent that they are eaten in the mother country of Italy. I love them, as
they remind me of the many places I have eaten them on wonderful ttrips to
Italy. I especially remember having real tasty ones on the beautiful Isle of
Capri and one wonderful Salumeria, Capri Sulumeria Rosticceria near the Piazza
Umberto. I had come up from Marina Grande after a boat trip around the island
and a visit to the Blue Grotto, followed by a wonderful swim at the beach. I
took the little yellow bus up to Capri Town. After getting off the bus I
spotted this lovely little Salumeria and popped in. I saw the Arancini on the
counter and just had to have one. I got a bottle of water and walked over to
the terrace of the piazza to admire the gorgeous view of Capri at this
particular location, which is absolutely spectacular. I took a seat on the
bench, cracked open my water and dug into the Rice Ball (Arancino). Wow! It was
delicious, and one of the best I’d ever had. After that, I went back to the
Salumeria every day for an Aracini or two, including the day I was going to
swim at the famed Faroglioni Rocks. I first stopped by the Salumeria and got
one of their tasty Arancino along with some Eggplant Parmigiano made by Mamma.
I got some water and a small bottle of local Aglianico Wine from Benevento. I
took the scenic walk down to the Faraglioni where I swam all day and had one of
the most memorable lunch’s of my life. The setting was one of the World’s most
beautiful, at the Faraglioni on the beautiful Isle of Capri with my wine, the
eggpalant, and my tasty Arancino from the Salumeria Capri. It just doesn’t ever
get any better than that. Basta.

Arancini

Conical Shaped Rice Balls

RECIPE:

The FILLING

½ pound Ground
Beef

3 tablespoons
Olive Oil

1 small Onion,
peeled and minced fine

½ cup Tomato
Sauce (optional)

Salt &
Black Pepper to taste

3/4 cup Frozen
Peas

RICE :

1 pound Arborio
Rice

4 cups Chicken
Broth or water

1 small pinch
Saffron

2 tablespoons
Butter

½ cup grated
Parmigiano Reggiano

1 extra Large
Egg

Salt &
White Pepper to taste

½ pound of
Provolone or Cacciocavalo Chesse,

cut into small
chunks

BREADING

½ cup Flour

2 beaten Eggs

2 ½ cups Plain
Breadcrumbs

4 cups Canola
Oil for frying

Place the
ground beef and onions in a pan with the Olive Oil and cook on a low flame
until beef is cooked through, about 12 minutes. Season with salt and black
pepper, about 1/ teaspoon each, or to your taste. Add peas and cook for 2
minutes. Turn heat off, and set aside to cool.

Add Chicken
Broth (or Water if using) to a 6 quart pot with the rice, butter and ½ teaspoon
salt. Bring liquid to the boil and stir as you do this. Once the liquid comes
to the boil, turn heat to lowest flame possible and let cook without stirring
for 16 minutes. Turn heat off and let rice set in the pot for 12 minutes.

Place the rice
in a large glass bowl and let cool for 15 minutes.

Once the rice
is completely cool, add ½ teaspoon white pepper and a ½ teaspoon of salt and
the grated Parmigiano and mix. Add 1 beaten Egg and mix.

Take a handful
of rice and place between both your hands and roll into balls that are just
slightly smaller than a baseball, or you can make smaller if you like. Once you
have shaped the rice into a ball, hold the rice ball with your left hand and
push the thumb of your right hand into the ball to make a hole that goes to the
center of the ball, making a hole that you will put the beef filling into.

Take about a
tablespoon of the beef filling and put it into the hole. Place 1 or 2 pieces of
the Provolone into the hole. Press rice around the hole to cover it up, and
then round the rice between your two hands again to make the Rice Ball into a
perfect ball shape.

Continue this
process until all the rice is gone and made into Rice Balls.

Get 3 small
shallow bowls and put the flour in 1 bowl, the breadcrumbs in another bowl, and
the beaten eggs into the 3^rd bowl. Take a rice ball and put it into
the bowl with the flour and gently roll it around until it is completely
covered with a light coating of flour. Gently shake off any excess flour.

Now place the
ball into the eggs and completely cover with the egg. Gently shake off any
excess egg.

Now roll the
rice ball with the egg on it into the breadcrumbs until ball is completely
covered with breadcrumbs. Shake off excess. Repeat these last 3 steps with each
rice ball until they are all coated with breadcrumbs.

Place the
canola oil (or any vegetable oil) in a medium sized frying pan and heat to
high. Fry a few rice balls at a time until golden brown. Fry all the rice balls
and place on paper towels and let cool a few minutes before serving, at which
point they will still be hot, but not too hot. Or you can let them cool further
and serve at room temperature with or without Marinara Sauce on the side.

NOTE: To make
the Rice Ball that I describe in my little story above, substitute pieces of
fresh mozzarella cheese for the beef mixture and you will have a rice ball like
the one I had on my lovely little Isle of Capri. Either way, both ways are
equally tasty.

This Recipe is a Gift form Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke to Celebrate the release (July 2015) of his latest book ; Grandma Bellino’s Italian Cookbook … Recipes from My Sicilian Grandmother ….. Broadway Fifth Pres, NY NY

CAPRI SALUMERIA ROSTICCERIA

Near The Piazza Umberto, CAPRI

Just Past The Bus Stop

ARANCINI, PANNINI, PIZZA

and Other GOODIES at CAPRI SALUMERIA

PHOTO TAKEN by Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

From Summit of Mt Solaro

Anacapri, Capri ITALY

My Favorite Lemonade Granita Stand in Capri

Near The Caeser Augustus Gardens, Capri

Behind The Qusisanna Hotel

SUNDAY SAUCE

When Italian-Americans Cook

by Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

d7eaf-screen2bshot2b2015-06-222bat2b1-31-372bpm

GRANDMA BELLINO’S ITALIAN COOKBOOK

Recipes From my Sicilian Grandmother

by Daniel Bellino Z

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Rice Balls on Capri

ARANCINI in CAPRI

A Plate of Fresh Made Arancini

Rice Balls

ARANCINI

Excerted from Daniel Bellino-Zwicke’s forthcoming book;

GREATEST HITS ITALIAN COOKBOOK

100 Recipes of Italian-America’s Favorite Dishes

Arancini

Conical Shaped Rice Balls

RECIPE:

The FILLING

½ pound Ground
Beef

3 tablespoons
Olive Oil

1 small Onion,
peeled and minced fine

½ cup Tomato
Sauce (optional)

Salt &
Black Pepper to taste

3/4 cup Frozen
Peas

RICE :

1 pound Arborio
Rice

4 cups Chicken
Broth or water

1 small pinch
Saffron

2 tablespoons
Butter

½ cup grated
Parmigiano Reggiano

1 extra Large
Egg

Salt &
White Pepper to taste

½ pound of
Provolone or Cacciocavalo Chesse,

cut into small
chunks

BREADING

½ cup Flour

2 beaten Eggs

2 ½ cups Plain
Breadcrumbs

4 cups Canola
Oil for frying

Place the rice
in a large glass bowl and let cool for 15 minutes.

Once the rice
is completely cool, add ½ teaspoon white pepper and a ½ teaspoon of salt and
the grated Parmigiano and mix. Add 1 beaten Egg and mix.

Continue this
process until all the rice is gone and made into Rice Balls.

Now place the
ball into the eggs and completely cover with the egg. Gently shake off any
excess egg.

NOTE: To make the Rice Ball that I describe in my little story above, substitute pieces of
fresh mozzarella cheese for the beef mixture and you will have a rice ball like
the one I had on my lovely little Isle of Capri. Either way, both ways are
equally tasty.