Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Italian Rice Ball Recipe Cook Italian

 
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 3rd 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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Screen Shot 2015-07-29 at 11.31.15 PM
AL PACINO

Thursday, April 23, 2015

Steve Martorano Meatballs Sunday Sauce 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 !!!!

Italian Gravy






"Yo CUZ" !!!!



STEVE MARTORANO


SAUSAGE MEATBALLS

CANNOLIS & GRAVY
Meatball & Rib Gravy

CLEMENZA MEATBALL SUNDAY SAUCE RECIPE



PETE CLEMENZA 

Shows

MICHAEL CORLEONE (Al Pacino)

HOW to MAKE GODFATHER SUNDAY SAUCE

alla CLEMENZA



"Then You Shove-In
Your MEATBALLS & SAUSAGE" 


aka GRAVY !!!!



RECIPE in SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino "Z"



Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Torrisi Boys Santina Two Stars NY Times

SANTINA
in
THE MEATPACING DISTRICT

.
.
.
 CARBONE-NY-ME

photo Copyright Daniel Bellino-Zwicke

2 STARS FROM NEW YORK TIMES
The TORRISI BOYS




RICH TORRISI
&
MARIO CARBONE

Roast Peppers




RIGATONI

PASTA alla NORMA

.
.
1b7e8-screen2bshot2b2015-03-102bat2b11-26-192bpm





 ITALIAN GRAVY !!!!

SUNDAY SAUCE

by Daniel Bellino Z

.
.

SANTINA REVIEW NY TIMES

Monday, April 20, 2015

VERRAZZANO CHIANTI NEW YORK


Castello Verrazzano, Greve in Chianti







Friends of Chianti

Cavelieri Luigi Cappellini (L)
Meets with Author Daniel Bellino "Z"
at
NEW YORK PUBLIC LIRBRARY
42 nd Street
NEW YORK, NY




VERRAZZANO
CHIANTI CLASSICO

GREVE in CHIANTI







BRUNELLO Di MONTALCINO

COL D'ORCIA

2009



I Drank some Col D'orcia Brunello today at the Palm Bay Portfolio Tasting
at the New York Public Library Main Branch (42nd Street)
in New York ttoday ..  I drank both the 2009 & 2010 Vintages and they were both spectacular, text book Brunello  ... I loved both these vintages equally and not one more than the other. Both were perfectly in balance and drinking wonderfully at this moment in time (April 2015).




Wine Director Daniel Bellino Z

Tatste Some Brunello

with
Count Francesco Cinzano

of Col D'Orcia

at DeGrezia
in
NEW YORK










Sunday, April 12, 2015

AL PACINO & PASTA

AL PACINO
and AGLIO OLIO
"SPAGHETTI THAT IS" !!!
SPAGHETTI AGLIO OLIO
alla AL
AL PACINO & AGLIO OLIO
Al Pacino and Aglio Olio you ask? What about it? Well it’s just that Spaghetti Aglio Olio always reminds me of that great fellow New Yorker Sicilian American, the one-and-only Al Pacino from da Bronx. It’s not a big deal, just a wonderful little memory for me. When I was the Wine Director at the famed Barbetta Restorante on Restaurant Row in New York’s Theater District (where Al often performs on stage), Al Pacino used to come and eat there every now and then. He never wanted anything to fancy, but something that just about all true blooded Italian-American wants, and that dish is Spaghetti Aglio Olio, plain and simple, yet it’s in our blood. That’s what Al wanted and that’s what we gave him, and Al loved it and you will too.
Recipe Excerpted
from
Grandma Bellino's Cookbook
 
RECIPE
Spaghetti Aglio Olio
the Way AL Likes It !!!
"Al Pacino That Is"
Recipe Excerpted From Daniel Bellino's Grandma Bellino's Italian Cookbook
Note : Note, the recipe for Spaghetti Aglio Olio as Al Pacino likes it and as it's written in Daniel Bellino's Grandma Bellino's Cookbook, encompasses Two-Recipes-In-One .. You have the Recipe for Spaghetti w/ Garlic Oil & Anchovies, and to make Spaghetti Aglio Olio the way AL Likes It, is by making this recipe, but omitting the ANchovies to end up with Spaghetti Aglio Olio, just the way the Great Al Pacino likes it. Mangia Bene!
INGREDIENTS :
¼ cup best quality Italian Olive Oil
6 cloves of Garlic, peeled and minced
½ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
6 Anchovy Filets minced fine
1 pound imported Italian Spaghetti
¼ cup Italian Parsley
Put a large pot with 4 quarts of water on the stove. Add 2 tablespoons salt and bring to the boil.
Place Olive Oil and Anchovies in a large frying pan and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Add garlic and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes. Add red pepper and continue cooking on low heat until the garlic begins to turn slightly brown. Turn heat off and let rest.
Add spaghetti to the boiling salted water. Cook spaghetti according to directions on package. Two minutes before the cooking time on package start testing the doneness of the spaghetti by taking a strand out of the water and biting into it to see how far cooked it. By doing this you’ll be able to determine if it needs to cook a bit longer or if it’s ready.
Once the past is finished cooking, quickly remove it from the heat and drain into a colander, reserving about 4 tablespoons of the pasta cooking water to add to pasta sauce.
Add spaghetti back to the pot it cooked in and drizzle on a little olive oil and mix. Pour the garlic anchovy sauce and the reserved pasta water over the spaghetti with half the chopped Parsley and mix well.
Divide the spaghetti among four pasta plates or bowls. Sprinkle the top of each plate of Spaghetti with some chopped parsley and serve.
The GODFATHER
Micahel Corleone (Al Pacino), Captain McCloskey (Sterling Hayden),
and Sollozzo (Al Lettieri)
"GET THE VEAL. IT'S THE BEST in THE CITY"
MICHAEL NEVER ATE HIS SPAGHETTI AGLIO OLIO
BUT SOLLOZZO GOT HIS
MICHAEL GETS HIS REVENGE
GET THIS RECIPE AND MUCH MORE
in
GRANDMA BELLINO'S ITALIAN COOKBOOK
RECIPES FROM MY SICILIAN GRANDMOTHER
by Daniel Bellino "Z"
ONE LEAST PICTURE of AL
Al Pacino
as 
Bobby Deerfield
1977
HE'S a HANDSOME FRIGGIN DEVIL
ISN'T HE ???
ALSO by DANIEL
His # BEST SELLING
SUNDAY SAUCE
01ff9-sunday-saucesmall1
 
GNOCHHI POMODORO
 
Notice AL PACINO on COVER
 
of Daniel Bellino Z's SUNDAY SAUCE
 
WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK
 
 
Author Daniel Bellino "Z"
 
MAKING SAUCE
 
 
aka GRAVY
 

POSITANO

 
 
POSITANO
POSITANO
 
 
JUST BECAUSE  !!!!
 
 
"IT'S SO BEAUTIFUL"
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GRANDMA BELLINO'S ITALIAN COOKBOOK
 
RECIPES FROM MY SICILIAN NONNA
 
by Daniel Bellino "Z"