MANGIA!!!

Italian food!  My favorite to eat and my favorite to cook.  I love the freshness of the ingredients, the boldness of flavors, the simplicity of the recipes and the universal appeal of the dishes.  Is there anyone who does not have a favorite Italian dish?

My husband and I have visited Italy many times... and since it is  my contention that you can never get a bad meal in Italy, we are adventurous when selecting places to eat...Sometimes we just stop in somewhere when we are hungry, and sometimes we head off to a place that was recommended.  Such was the case on a visit to Florence.  We had arrived in Florence after a nice drive from Rome.  We unpacked, and realized it was almost dinner time, so we asked the concierge to recommend a place to dine.  He gave us the name of a restaurant and verbal directions.  My Italian was rather limited to "Bon giorno" and "grazie" but I thought that we understood enough of his Engtalian to get us there. We started out just fine, got a little confused and as we doubled back, thought that we had, at last, come to the right place. We entered a charming room, with stuccoed walls and a beamed ceiling.  Tables were set with starched white cloths and red and white checked napkins.  Little bunches of yellow and red flowers set in crocks were surrounded by four low candles in tiny glasses.  We were ushered to the only unoccupied table in the room.  A waiter approached and handed us a wine menu.  With his direction, we chose a bottle of Chianti Classico. A basket of warm focaccia was placed on our table beside a bowl filled with black and green olives.  A cruet of olive oil was brought to fill the little saucers at each setting. The buzz of conversation surrounded us and I became aware that this was not the place we were supposed to be.  This was a neighborhood place frequented by local residents.  At the table beside ours I noticed a man eating alone.  He was elegantly dressed in a business suit, silk tie and Gucci loafers...his expensive leather briefcase sat on the empty chair beside him.  Our order taken, I now concentrated on my foccacia and olives...but could not take my eyes of of our neighbor...because when his soup arrived he suddenly pulled off his jacket and dug in, tearing great chunks of bread from the loaf on his table, and dipping it into his bowl.  Our antipasto arrived and I turned away to enjoy the wonderful array of food before me.  As we finished, our neighbor was about to begin his attack on a stuffed veal chop.  He undid his tie and placed it on top of his jacket,undid his top shirt button,  rolled up his sleeves and began to eat.  He was not kidding!!!  Our main course came...four-cheese pasta with lobster for me and veal chop with truffle sauce for my husband.  Outragously delicious!  As we savored this meal, I heard little sounds emanating from the next table..."Ummm...ummmm..."  A sip of wine..."Ahhhh..."  People were trying not to stare but we all seemed fascinated by this man's love affair with his dinner!  A slight film of perspiration began to shine on his forehead and a lock of his heretofore neatly combed-back jet black hair fell forward onto his face.  This was indeed a man in a state of rapture. "Ummmm...ummmm..." A piece of bread torn off, now rolled in the juices on his plate..."Ahhhh..." A sip of wine...  Our waiter appeared to remove our completely empty plates.  He smiled a knowing smile as he looked over at the man beside us. (At that point I began to wonder if this eating show was actually a tourist attraction!)  Mangia Man was also ordering dessert.  We were so full we just ordered espresso and biscotti... but he had a custard and then cappucino and biscotti.  More moans of ecstasy...and then... just like that...he buttoned his shirt, replaced his tie, put on his jacket, ran his fingers through his hair to smooth it, picked up his briefcase and left!  As we paid the waiter, he said in very broken English..."He come every night here... Every night he make noise like lover to food...he forget other people eat too...he coming for long time here but never talk, just to order..."  We paid and left.  On the walk back to the hotel I thought about Mangia Man and suddenly realized that he did what we all would like to have the abandon to do...to pay homage to this outstanding food with noise and gusto.  Back at the hotel we saw the concierge who said we had indeed gotten lost but in a really good way as we had landed in a fabulous restaurant with a huge local following...and then he asked, "Uh...was there a man there..."

In keeping with the theme and with the sounds of Mangia Man's rapture still in my ears, here are some if my biggest Italian crowd pleasers...
My sister-in-law gave me this recipe for Italian Antipasto Salad years and years ago and I have served it to raves many times...Ummmmm....ahhhh!  Fabulous for a big crowd!

                                                                     

                                                                       
Antipasto Salad
2 jars large green olives, drained
1 jar large black olives, drained
2 jars Progresso Tuscan Peppers drained (slice if necessary)
2 4 0z. jars of mushroom caps, drained
1 can smoked baby oysters w/ juice
1 can smoked baby clams w/juice
2 sticks of pepperoni, sliced
1/2 lb. thin slices genoa salami, rolled
1 lb. slices of ham or proscuitto, rolled
1 lb Provolone cheese cut in chunks or slices rolled
2 jars marinated artichoke hearts w/liquid (cut artichokes in half)
8 plum tomatoes cut in 1/4ths
1 head Boston lettuce
1 head iceberg lettuce
1-On a large tray, preferably with raised sides, or a huge, low bowl break up and tear 2 heads of lettuce, dress with oil and vinegar and mound in the center to form a hill.
2- In a very large bowl add all ingredients except the meats (and provolone if you are rolling it) and toss gently to mingle flavors
3-Arrange on tray on top of lettuce and then toss lightly with lettuce
4-Arrange meats (and provolone) around the salad

Over the years I have tried many recipes for  what my Italian friends call "gravy"... I have moved around ingredients, added, subtracted and the following is what I came up with...hearty, flavorful, and the sugar seems to prevent heartburn!!!!

                                                                             
 My Own Italian Sauce
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 extra large cans of crushed tomatoes (a brand like Redpack that is not too watery)
1 extra large can of tomato sauce
1 extra large can (largest size) tomato paste
1/2- 3/4 cup hearty red wine
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup fresh minced basil
fresh thyme leaves and fresh minced rosemary to taste
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
salt, pepper to taste
1 tbsp. sugar
olive oil
OPTIONAL...1 1/2 lbs well seasoned ground beef or chicken, sauteed and fat drained
1- Heat 3 tbsp of olive oil in a large, deep pot.  Saute onions and as they begin to become transparent add garlic...as soon as garluc begins to have aroma add tomatoes, tomato saice, tomato paste, herbs and seasonings, wine and sugar (and meat if this is not a vegetarian sauce).  Cover and cook at a simmer for about 45 minutes to an hour...remove bay leaf.  Serve over pasta or meats. 
This can be frozen and stays well in freezer.  I use plastic containers and always have some of this as a go-to meal in my freezer.

Fastest, Easiest Baked Ziti Ever!
1 lb. ziti cooked
1 med. whole milk mozzarella cheese, cut in cubes
1small package shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmigiana cheese
1 16 oz. whole mil/k ricotta cheese
sauce (about 3-4 cups) or whole 16 oz jar
Set oven to 350 degrees
Spray a baking dish with Pam
1- Drain pasta and mix with sauce so all pasta is well covered and pour into baking dish
2- Add the cubed mozarella cheese  and mix through then add the ricotta and mix through
3-Spread shredded mozarella and  parmigiana cheeses on top of pasta
4- Bake until cheese melts on top and edges bubble or brown about 15 minutes at 350 degrees