Mamma makes a home made garlic bread called Frezena, which is crunchy and not like your typical North American garlic bread. To start, her baked bread looks like a super sized doughnut, however, for this exercise or recipe you can use a french loaf or your own home made bread. Just cut it in half, place on cookie sheet or pan and follow instructions below.

Ingredients:

1 clove Garlic per side
Drizzle of olive oil
Drizzle of Vinegar (Red)
Parsley to taste
Loaf of Baked or homemade Bread

Directions: Read more…

Ingredients
3 cups water
1 1/2 tbsp yeast
1 tbsp salt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
8-9 cups flour

Toppings
grated cheddar cheese
chopped ham

Directions
Mix all ingredients with exception of toppings into mixing bowl. Let rise for about 30 minutes, depending on your yeast might be longer. Knead and place dough on table and let rise for second 30 minute interval.

Using your rolling pin flatten dough
add ham and cheese to top
roll dough like preparing a cinnamon bun
cut and put on sheet pan
sprinkle cheese on top
let sit for 15 minutes before baking

Bake for 20 minutes until brown at 350 deg F

Variation: substitute ham with spaghetti sauce

Makes about 36 or 3 dozen buns.

Gravy Recipe Ingredients

2 cups turkey juice
1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp beef boullion
pepper and salt

Directions

• in your pot add approximately 2 cups of turkey juice. Stir in about 1/2 cup flour until there are no lumps.
• remove the gravy fat
• add potato or carrot water until gravy consistency is met
• add 1 tbsp beef boullion powder
• pepper and salt to taste

I know what you are thinking…Italians cannot make gravy. Mamma’s gravy recipe is a keeper, which she perfected during the 30 plus years experience running a commercial kitchen !  Mangiare!

Directions

Cut ribs in smaller bite size pieces or about two inches wide
Boil ribs for 15-20 minutes and then remove from water

Add black pepper, seasoning salt, sprinkle with oregano and garlic

Bake in 350 degree F oven for about 1/2 hour
Remove and add your favorite BBQ sauce
Place again in oven at about 200 – 250 degree F for another 30 minutes

Keep in oven on low heat until ready to serve. Mangiare !

This is a tasty summer treat, appetizer or snack. Bruschetta literally means toasted bread in Italian.

Ingredients
1/2 fresh garden tomato or plum tomato
1 oz Feta cheese, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 basil leaf
Salt and Pepper

Serves 1 person

Second time around try adding sweet or white onion, diced and a sprinkle of oregano.

In a bowl, add cheese, tomato and olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste and place on your favorite cracker or bread. Garnish with basil and Mangiare!

This is a specialty sweet bread that Mamma makes only at Easter time. This sweet bread has a heavier consistency than your typical bread and the finished product has a yellow color tinge to it. The Kids will gobble it up and it will soon become an annual Easter tradition.

Ingredients

7 Eggs (whisk)
7 teaspoons Baking powder
3 cups sugar
Flour (approx 5 cups)
2 cups vegetable oil
1 cup milk
8 ml Salt or 1/2 tbsp
6 eggs (for decorative purposes, twist dough over raw egg)

Directions

• Beat the 7 eggs well with whisk.
• Add 3 cups sugar, add 2 cups of vegetable oil, 8 ml salt or little more than 1/2 tbsp salt, 1 cup milk. Whisk well to add more air.
• Add flour to make a dough consistency (approx 5 cups) and add 7 teaspoon baking powder.
• Roll and twist the dough in strips, add decorative egg (raw, shell still intact of course), shape as per above image.   Use thinner strip of dough to wrap the egg on the top or for the last layer.

Bake at 300 deg F  for about 35 minutes.

Makes about 6 loaves.

This sweet bread is a treat Mamma gives to all the grand-children each year and it is also known as pane di pasqua in Italian.

This authentic Italian honey bread recipe is from Concetta and it is called Mustazzoli. It is often served at weddings and special events.

MUSTAZZOLI (Concettas’ recipe)

1 medium sized jar of liquid honey
5 eggs
1-1/2 cups water
4 tsp (heaping) baking powder
Flour

Mix in enough flour to absorb the liquids.  Knead to make a firmer dough than bread.   Concetta makes it in the evening, leaves it over night and then cooks it in the morning.  Bake at 325 deg F till firm and brown.

You can use 1/2 jar honey for a smaller batch of Mustazzoli. This will make a few long narrow loaves, but they freeze well.  The more times you make this Italian Honey Bread the better the recipe will turn out so stick with it.  Mangiare!!

These tasty treats are called Scawaylay and are worth the effort. You  will not find these Italian pastries in any North American Pastry shops or Bakeries so make the effort to perfect them.

Ingredients

4 eggs
4 tbsp olive oil
8 tbsp Sugar
1 tbsp Vanilla extract
2 tsp baking powder

Flour – enough to make a pie dough consistency.

Instructions

In a mixing bowl add eggs, olive oil, sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder and blend together.  Slowly add flour until the consistency is same as pie dough.

Roll pastry with rolling pin until thin. Cut the pastry in strips and then twist.  Deep fry, let cool and coat with honey.  You may find it beneficial to have several plates to move your pastries to during each stage. Let stand and sprinkle with sugar…Mangiare!!

This is a very tasty side dish Mamma makes for family dinners. Simple, quick and easy!

Ingredients

• Bag of Mushrooms – Agaricus Mushrooms like a Portabello

• Grated Parmesan Cheese

• Butter

Instructions:  Heat a medium size frying pan, add some butter.  When pan is ready, add sliced mushrooms and cook for approximately 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  Mangiare!!

Ingredients:

5 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 package Bertolini Lievito Vaniglinato (16 g)
4 cups flour
jam of choice

Cook at 500 deg F for 4-5 minutes. Keep close watch and remove when they are golden brown. These are Italian cookies Mamma style, Mangiare.

These Italian cookies are typically made at Christmas time and are filled with your favorite jams.