Before we get to this edition’s special recipes, I would like to again invite everyone who reads this column to consider sharing one of your family’s heirloom recipes. I’m sure there are some outstanding recipes used by our residents that have been handed down from generation to generation. That’s what this column is all about. Have you got one to share? If so, please send it to me at greengeezer9@comcast.net.
Vince (Chuck) Maniscalco is my personal cooking guru. When we met in Sun City, we learned that both of us had grandparents born in Sicily, the island a short distance from the southern coast of Italy.
This led to discussions of food and cooking, specifically Sicilian dishes and pastries. This guy blows my mind with his great knowledge, skill, and passion for the foods of our heritage. Chuck loves to feed people, especially his family, a trait common among Italians. He has an inventory of pots and pans, canned goods, and cooking utensils that rival some restaurants. Chuck makes his own Italian sausage that is so good, my mouth waters just thinking about it.
I have been bugging him for some time to share his basic “gravy,” the word many Sicilians prefer to use for their pasta sauce. As a bonus, he also contributed his recipe for meatballs. Don’t be afraid to try these recipes. You will be richly rewarded. Here’s Chuck’s story and recipes:
Jan (Chuck’s wife) and I were born and raised in Milwaukee, WI. We met in high school and married shortly after graduation. After 54 years, we have three children (two girls and a boy), 10 grandchildren, and a great-grandson. I worked for a concrete and building supply company as a payroll clerk and 38 years later retired as an operations manager. Jan was a stay-at-home mom who did a wonderful job of raising our family and still managed to work part-time when the kids grew older. We both retired at 55 and have enjoyed traveling, cruising, and spending time with our grandchildren.
We moved to Sun City in November 2009, after living in Wisconsin for 69 years, to be closer to our daughter and grandchildren, who live in Algonquin. We love the community and all the wonderful people we have met. Since I retired, I do most of the cooking, which I enjoy. These two recipes have been in our family for three generations.
Sauce Ingredients:
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 T extra virgin olive oil
2 29-oz. Hunts tomato sauce
1 29-oz. Hunts tomato puree
2 12-oz. Hunts tomato paste
4 cups water
1 T and 1 tsp salt
4 T dry sweet basil leaves
4 T sugar
1 tsp pepper
I use an 8 qt. pot with a thick bottom to cook all of the above. Sautee onions in olive oil until translucent, add garlic, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a medium simmer. Stir every 15 minutes so bottom doesn’t stick.
Meatballs Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chuck
1 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 T parsley, finely chopped
3 T Romano cheese
1 jumbo egg
Mix all ingredients and form into balls (approx. 10-12). Using 2 T olive oil, brown meatballs lightly, and then add to sauce. At this time, you can also brown one or two links of Italian sausage or country ribs, adding those to sauce. After all meat is added, bring to a light-to-medium simmer for 1-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent the bottom from sticking. If it splatters, cover partially.
— Vince (Chuck) and Janice (Jan) Maniscalco
