Mom`s Cookbook

Mom’s Cookbook
Angelina Mannino’s Recipes
Published September, 2009
This book is dedicated to the memory of Angelina (Jeannie) Mannino. We love her. We miss her. We’re hungry! We hope you enjoyed our little walk down memory lane. We shared may joys and many heartaches that all began and ended with food. Even today, the smell of certain foods brings back events from the past. In loving tribute to Angelina (Jean) Pugliani Mannino January 26, 1928—August 31, 2000 May her memory and recipes live on forever 36 If one is valued by the love she gave, our mother/grandmother’s value was immeasurable. But the best form of her love was food – glorious food! She did it all: bore three children, worked to support her family, traveled, sewed and loved to sing...but most of all she cooked. Exquisitely. Anyone lucky enough to enter her house to smell, see and taste what was on the stove, was changed forever and always came back for more. As an accomplished baker, she lifted many a holiday spirit with her endless array of Christmas cookies. Our childhood home was a mélange of food, love and laughter at the typical Italian table! Many of her recipes were handed down from her mother and unfortunately, were not put in writing. This is a compilation of what we saved from her written recipes. Her children, Charlie, Marcy and Angel; her grandchildren, Sonya & Angie (Charlie), Lisa & Vincent (Marcy) and Daria & Bianca (Angel); and her great‐
grandchildren (as of this writing) Kiersten, Alex & Hailey (Vincent) ,Dakota, Dallas &Dalton (Sonya), and Baldo (Lisa) invite all to join in a celebration of her life, and the love that we felt daily through her cooking. Angel Angel & Barry Grandchildren Daria & Bianca 2 35 Table of Contents Appetizers and Side Dishes Marcy Marcy & Bob Artichoke Pie 22 Caponata 26 Chicken Pinwheels 18 Rice Balls 16 Stuffed Mushrooms 25 Stuffed Squash Blossoms 20 Grandchildren Lisa & Sauces Basic Tomato Sauce 11 Pesto 12 Main Dishes Vincent Easter Pizza (Meat Pies) 30 Eggplant Parmigiano 15 Escarole Soup 28 Lasagna 14 Manicotti 9 Meatballs 29 Pasta Fagioli 27 Pasta & Peas 23 Spedina 21 Stuffed Peppers 13 Traditional Macaroni & Cheese 19 Great Grandchildren Kiersten, Alex & Hailey Kayleigh, Taylor & Baldo Desserts Biscotti 4 Sesame Cookies 17 Sweet Easter Pie 7 Tiramisu 34 24 3 Charlie Biscotti 
2 eggs 
1/2 c sugar 
1/2 c + 2Tbl flour 
1 tsp anisette seeds (anise) Charlie & Cathy Mix together eggs and sugar and beat well for 10 minutes. Fold in flour and anise. Form a log about 3” wide and a foot or so long. Bake 375 degrees for 20 minutes Remove from oven and slice while hot. Put the sliced pieces back on the cookie sheet and cook until golden...about 15 minutes. Grandchildren Sonya & Angie Great Grand‐
children: Dakota, Her brothers, Louis (Louie) and Pasquale (Patsy) Dalton & Holy Communion ‐ mom and her sister Tina 4 Dallas 33 MMMMMMMMMM….saved the best for last! Lungs and Brains Yep, she actually has a recipe for them! The family would spend hours around the table...talking, laughing and always eating! The food was nonstop. Below are Grandma and Grandpa Pugliani and the sisters . From left to right: Rose, Anna, Teresa (Tessie), Angelina (Jeannie), Mary with friends (some would later be‐
come their husbands). Our family had an abundance of one and not enough of the other...you figure out which is which…. 32 5 Seafood, Seafood, Seafood…... Born Angelina Pugliani to Dominick and Angelina Pugliani January 26, 1928 in New York City, New York. She had 5 sisters: Tina, Mary, Tessie, Anna and Rose, and 2 brothers: Louie and Patsy. Every Christmas Eve we would have the traditional Italian 7 seafood dishes, which varied over the years but always included lobster and shrimp. Other items were scallops, octopus (pupa), squid, scungilli and I can’t even remem‐
ber the rest. And, we would usually leave the kitchen when we saw the live lobsters and mom standing over them with the huge knife. 6 31 Sweet Easter Grain Pie Patiera di Grano Filling: Easter Pizza (Meat Pies) 
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1 lb ricotta cheese 3 thick slices of prosciutto ham 1/2 lb dry sausage 4 eggs Grated cheese and pepper to taste 
2 lbs Ricotta 
10‐12 eggs (well beaten) 
½ glass milk (sugar to taste) 
2 tsp cinnamon 
2 Tbsp wheat grain (raw‐‐buy ¼ lb wheat in bakery and soak night before) 
2 tsp rye or rum 
2 tsp vanilla 
1 whole lemon rind and orange rind 
¼ lb cooked fruit or dried citron Remove skin from sausage and cut into pieces Mix all together and let settle ½ hours Cut ham into pieces Add to ricotta, eggs, cheese and pepper Sweet dough: Mix thoroughly Place in pan with crust (I believe this was a pizza dough crust). Cook on high for about 5 minutes, then lower flame to medium. Cook until firm. I remember her baking this in the oven, but not according to her recipe above. The recipe may have been origi‐
nally from her mother...pre oven days! 30 
3 c sifted flour 
Pinch salt 
3 Tbsp sugar Mom, her brother Patsy and sister Mary. Patsy was killed in Anzio dur‐
 1 c shortening ing WWII, shortly after this photo Roll out dough, in pie pan was taken. He was 19 years old. 
1 egg Fill and bake 1 hour at 375 7 Jeanie & Jimmy met in 1941. She was only 13 and he was 16 when they were introduced by her friend, Connie. They walked around Fourth Street Park, had fun and she quickly devel‐
oped a crush on him. Although she kept coming around to see him, Jimmy felt she was much too young for him and showed no interest. She starting writing to him when he left for the service, and a relationship developed over the years. Meatballs 
1/2 lb ground beef 
1/2 lb ground pork 
2‐3 eggs 
1/2 small onion‐minced 
1 clove garlic—minced 
**Bread crumbs 
Grated Italian cheese—to taste Mix everything together (sorry...these are not exact amounts—mom just mixed everything until she felt it was the right consistency. ) Fry meatballs until brown and then put into sauce. **Dad always wanted her to make her meatballs like her mother be‐
cause he claimed they were nice and moist. Every time he mentioned her mother’s great meatballs (which was every time she made meat‐
balls) she would tell him that, if he wanted her to, she’d go dig her up. Okay, pretty morbid but funny to us. However, the secret of her mother’s meatballs is that she used left over bread and soaked it in milk! If he knew, it would have made him sick (he won’t eat anything white: mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, etc….really!) So, she used packaged Italian bread crumbs. 8 29 Escarole Soup 
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1 head of escarole‐rinsed well 16 oz can chicken broth 1 egg Grated Italian cheese Small meatballs (you can also add cooked spare ribs) Cut the escarole into pieces and put into large pot with chicken broth. Add meat and let cook until the escarole is soft. Scramble the egg with the grated cheese then drizzle into the soup. Really, it’s that simple. If you use spare ribs (tasty variation) cook the ribs well then cook longer in the soup so they are tender and fall apart. Mom used to call this “belly wash” and would make it every New Year’s Day. Manicotti Shells: 6” or 8” frying pan 
1 c flour 
2 eggs 
1 c water Mix together Grease pan slightly Pour scoop of mix into pan and swish around to make thin crepe; repeat until mix is gone Cook only one side Put on waxed paper to cool Filling: 
3 lbs ricotta 
1 lb shredded mozzarella cheese 
6 eggs 
Salt & pepper to taste Mix together Fill cooked side of crepe and fold Cover with sauce Bake 30 minutes at 325 28 9 Pasta Fagioli 
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1 Tbl olive oil 2 cloves fresh garlic—minced 8 oz chicken broth 10 oz can crushed or pureed tomatoes 8 oz can cannellini beans (Great Northern beans) 4 0z Ditalini pasta (or any small shaped pasta) Grated Romano, Asiago or other Italian cheese Salt & pepper to taste In medium sauce pan, heat olive oil and add minced garlic until lightly browned. Add tomatoes and stir Add chicken broth into mix Cook for about 20 minutes Add beans and let cook while preparing pasta Cook pasta separately in boiling water until al dente (don’t over‐
cook) When pasta is done, drain well and add to soup Cook about 5 – 10 minutes longer Serve hot and sprinkle with grated cheese for extra flavor 10 27 Caponata (Eggplant appetizer) 
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1 onion 12 green olives 2 c tomato sauce 1 eggplant 1 c celery (optional…I usually omit this) ¼ c red vinegar 2 Tbls sugar Pignoli (pine nuts) Cook eggplant with onion until soft Add tomato sauce Chop olives and optional celery and add to mix Add vinegar, sugar and pignoli Let cool Serve on sliced Italian bread or crackers Mom’s Basic Tomato Sauce Since Mom never used measurements, I sat with her one day to try to determine the amounts she used when making her sauce. This is an approximation: 
2 Tbls olive oil 
1 large can of plum tomatoes or crushed tomatoes 
2—6oz cans tomato paste 
1 clove garlic (chopped) 
1/2 onion (chopped) 
3 leaves fresh basil 
Salt & pepper to taste Strain the tomatoes (she used a food mill...you can use a food processor or just use a can of crushed tomatoes). Put in saucepan and cover over low heat If you are making meatballs, fry them first in the olive oil, then put into the saucepan with the tomatoes Using the same frying pan, sauté the garlic and onion. Add to‐
mato paste and cook together. Add to sauce pan. Add water by using the tomato paste can to clean it out. The amount of water used depends upon the desired thickness (dad liked his sauce like water...we always complained so she would remove some for dad and add water to his portion). Add fresh basil, salt & pepper and simmer until ready to serve. 2‐4 hours stirring occasionally 26 11 Stuffed Mushrooms 
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Pesto Dad always had an amazing garden and the basil was fresh and plentiful! 
1 cup fresh basil  pepper to taste  1/2 c olive oil  1/2 cup grated Italian cheese  2 cloves garlic  1/3 c pine nuts Wash basil & dry. Blend basil and 1/2 of the garlic, 1/4 of the oil; add more garlic & leaves a little at a time; add remaining oil gradually. Remove from blender and add cheese , nuts and pepper. Use on Italian bread or as sauce for pasta. 12 1 pound whole mushrooms ‐ the larger the better 6 oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts Olive oil and 1 Tbl Butter 1 large shallot (or two small ones) Bread crumbs Italian Romano or Asiago cheese (or grated Italian cheese of your choice) Clean mushrooms and remove stems (hopefully without break‐
ing the mushroom. If it breaks, put those pieces into the mix too. Dice artichoke hearts without the marinate, but keep the mari‐
nate for later. Dice mushroom stems, shallots and add to the artichoke hearts Put a small amount of olive oil in pan, add butter and sauté the diced mix until brownish Remove from pan and add breadcrumbs and grated cheese Slowly add the artichoke marinade until it makes a pasty mix Place the whole mushrooms in a lightly greased pan and drizzle some olive oil on each mushroom Put mix inside each mushroom Bake at 350 degrees for about ½ hour—
45 minutes or until the top becomes brown and crispy 25 The sisters: Rose, Jeannie, Tessie, Annie, Mary & Tina Godiva Tiramisu 5 oz. Godiva Liqueur, divided 1/2 cup strong black coffee or espresso 16‐20 ladyfingers 1 lb. mascarpone cheese 2 eggs, separated 1/3 cup confectioner's sugar 3‐4 oz. dark chocolate, grated/shaved Mix 3 oz. of Godiva Liqueur with coffee, and set aside. For each serving, trim 4 ladyfingers to fit along the sides and bottom of a 1 cup soufflé dish. Pour 1 oz. of the reserved coffee into each soufflé dish and set aside. Beat together the mascarpone cheese, egg yolks, sugar and remaining 2 oz. of Godiva Liqueur until smooth. Whip the egg whites until stiff, and fold into the cheese. Divide the filling evenly among the soufflé dishes; sprinkle with chocolate and refrig‐
erate overnight. (She used one large bowl instead of separate small dishes) Desserts were always plentiful. She added her own special twist to Tiramisu but making it with Godiva Liqueur. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Rich but worth every calorie. Stuffed Peppers This recipe actually comes from her sister Annie, but it was an interesting and deli‐
cious change from the usual meatloaf type stuffing she usually used in her peppers. There are no measurements so make to your taste. Cut peppers in half, boil, drain, and let cool. Mix the following together and stuff into the peppers: 
Raisins 
Feta cheese 
Swiss cheese 
Egg 
Chopped spinach (drained) Fry the peppers slowly on pepper side, then turn over to con‐
tinue frying Stuff with mix and bake 350 until browned 24 13 Pasta and Peas Lasagna 
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16 oz pkg lasagna noodles 16 oz Polly‐O ricotta cheese 16 oz Polly‐O mozzarella cheese 1/2 c grated Romano cheese Garlic powder 4 eggs Salt & pepper to taste Tomato sauce Cook lasagna per instructions on box, let cool. Mix together all three cheeses Add eggs, garlic powder, salt & pepper Coat pan with tomato sauce Layer lasagna, then cheese, then small amount of sauce Continue until cheese mix is finished End with layer of lasagna Pour sauce over top and sprinkle with more grated cheese Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes Let settle 10‐15 minutes before serving (you can also layer with meatballs or sau‐
sage for a meat lasagna) This recipe was written for Dad by Mom hence the very specific instruc‐
tions. “5” on their stove was medium heat and you can use any color strainer you have! 14 23 Artichoke Pie Eggplant Parmigiano or Eggplant Rollatini 
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1 large eggplant 4 eggs 2 c Italian seasoned bread crumbs Flour to coat 1/2 c olive oil 8 oz mozzarella cheese Grated Romano cheese Tomato sauce 1 tsp garlic powder For rollatini you will need the above plus:  8 oz ricotta cheese  1 egg Slice eggplant thin Scramble eggs (add more eggs as needed) Dip eggplant in egg then flour, then egg again, then bread‐
crumbs Fry in olive oil until lightly brown Coat pan with tomato sauce For parmigiano: Make little “sandwiches” of two fried eggplant slices with mozzarella in between. Put in pan, add sauce and continue making layers. Bake at 350 for ½ hour—45 minutes For rollatini—mix ricotta with garlic powder and egg; put mix onto eggplant; add a strip of mozzarella; roll eggplant and put in pan until all are used. Bale at 350 for ½ hour—45 minutes 22 15 Rice Balls Mom made rice balls every New Year’s Eve. We stayed up to see the ball drop and then ate freshly made rice balls...and sausage and peppers….nonstop food fest! 
2 lbs rice 
1 dozen eggs 
4 14 oz cans chicken broth 
1 pkg bread crumbs 
½ lb ground beef 
1 small can of peas 
1 can tomato paste 
Italian grated cheese to taste 
Oil for deep frying Spedinas (Rolled Beef) 
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Scallions Bread crumbs Crisco (you can use olive oil) Eye Round Beef sliced and pounded  Bay leaves  Canned whole tomatoes  Salt & pepper Soak bay leaves in water Brown scallions with salt & pepper Lay out meat, spread small amount of oil on meat Sprinkle with bread crumbs Add scallions and tomatoes Roll meet and tie with thread Spread oil over meat and roll in bread crumbs Cut in pieces (to make like shish ke‐
bab) alternating with small onions and tomatoes on skewers Roast in oven or on a BBQ grill Cook rice with broth ‐‐ add 2 cups water Let rice cool Add eggs 2 at a time with cheese until you reach right texture Fry meat, drain and add tomato paste & peas and cook about 15 min Roll rice into ball and stuff meat mixture into middle Roll ball in eggs then in bread crumbs Deep fry until nicely browned 16 21 Squash Blossoms Stuffed with Ricotta 
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1 cup whole‐milk ricotta 1 large egg yolk 1/4 cup finely chopped mint 2/3 cup grated Italian cheese, divided 12 to 16 large zucchini squash blossoms 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all‐purpose flour 3/4 cup chilled seltzer or club soda About 3 cups olive oil for frying Prepare squash blossoms: Stir together ricotta, yolk, mint, 1/3 cup grated cheese, and 1/8 tea‐
spoon each of salt and pepper. Carefully open each blossom and fill with about 2 rounded tea‐
spoons of ricotta filling, gently twisting end of blossom to enclose filling. (You may have filling left over.) Whisk together flour, remaining 1/3 cup grated cheese, 1/4 tea‐
spoon salt, and seltzer in a small bowl. Heat 1/2 inch oil to 375°F in a 10‐inch heavy skillet. Meanwhile, dip half of blossoms in batter to thinly coat. Fry coated blossoms, turn‐
ing once, until golden, 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer with tongs to paper towels to drain. Coat and fry remaining blossoms. (Return oil to 375°F between batches.) Season with salt. Sesame Cookies 
4 cups flour 
1 cup sugar 
4 eggs 
1/2 tsp salt 
2 sticks margarine 
2 Tbls baking powder 
1/4 c milk* Preheat over to 300 degrees. Make cookies into small loaf‐looking shapes. Roll in sesame seeds. Bake 15‐20 minutes (*Her notes: do not use the milk in the mix; however, I think you roll the shaped cookies in the milk and then roll in the sesame seeds so that they stick better) We always had a amazing vege‐
table garden and nothing went to waste. One of the most unique things mom used to make was stuffed flowers from the zucchini plant. Although it sounds weird, they were deli‐
cious! 20 17 Chicken Breast Pinwheels Macaroni and Cheese 
1/2 lb elbow macaroni  2 cups milk  2 Tbls butter  1/2 lb cheddar cheese (cubed)  2 Tbls flour  Bread crumbs  Salt & pepper Cook and drain pasta and place in a buttered pan. Melt butter in a sauce pan and slowly add flour. Slowly blend in milk, stir‐
ring continuously until it thickens. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add cubed cheese and continue stirring until melted. Pour over macaroni and place in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake in slow oven (300?)for 30 minutes. 18 19