Mom Mom's Tiramisu

Ingredients: 

1 package of lady fingers 

3 (226g) containers of marscapone cheese 

18 Kahlua or Marsala wine (divided)

4 cups of coffee (or 4 cups of expresso mixture: 3 tablespoons of expresso to 1 cup of water) 

12 tablespoons of Sugar (divided) 

4 eggs (2 whole, 2 yolk) 

1 cup of heavy cream 

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl, measure your coffee mixture of choice. Either the expresso for very strong tiramisu or coffee for lighter tiramisu flavor. It should be approximately 4 cups. While the coffee is still hot, dissolve 4 tablespoons of sugar and 16 tablespoons of either Marsala wine or Kahlua. Marsala is traditional used in the original tiramisu recipes. Set aside and let cool completely. 

2. Prepare the marscapone mixture. In the a large bowl, whisk: 2 eggs, 2 egg yolks and 8 tablespoons of sugar with a whisk attachment until you can see ribbons. Wisk in marscapone cheese. Set aside.

3. Transfer the cheese mixture to a seperate bowl. Clean the kitchen attachments and bowl to prepare the cream. Whip 1 cup of the heavy cream, 2 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of salt until hard peaks form. Don't over mix because it will become like sour cream which is bad. Add to the Marsala mixture. Add two tablespoons of either Marsala or Kahlua and beat until smooth. Store in refrigerator while prepping the next steps. 

4. Set up your coffee mixture, a deep tray, and the lady fingers. Dip each lady finger into the coffee mixture. Hold it and feel for air bubbles escaping from the lady fingers. Don't let them soak too much because they will become soggy. Lay each finger in a line until the bottom is covered with a single layer of lady fingers. 

5. Add half of the cream mixture and spread evenly over the first layer of lady fingers. 

6. Start the second layer of lady fingers. When the layer is complete, add the remaining cream on top. Spread evenly. 

7. Sprinkle with your fingers or sift cocoa powder onto the top of the tiramisu. Refrigerate 8-10 hours before serving. Best after 24 hours refrigerated. 

This recipe was taught to me as a little girl by my grandma, who we call mom mom. She makes it with Kahlua, but always taught me the original way is with Marsala. 

Her name is Antonia. She was born in a small town outside Naples. 

She came to America after WWII. She lost many of her family in the bombings of Italy. She met and married my grandpa George. 

 

She settled in Astoria, New York with her brothers and sisters. My whole family lived and still lives on one block. They raised their children together and were all neighbor's. 

Her with her brothers and sisters. 

Top row: Tony, Phyllis, Joe,

Bottom row: Chester, Toni, Saverio 

Eventually they moved to Spring Hill, Florida. I spent every summer with my Mom Mom and Pop Pop in her pink house in Florida. She taught me how to be a lady. I learned needlepoint, to sew French knots, and read historical novels. I learned about important Italian figures like the Borgias and bible stories like Samson and Delilah. She taught me to cook, set a table, fold napkins into roses, host a party, waltz with Alice in her pristine living room, set my hair before Church on Sunday, play cards, always put my best heels forward, red nails are the best nails, don't serve anything in plastic, and that a good black polka dot dress is always in style. No finishing school could have done a better job with her grandchildren. 

I'm a girl living in 2016 who could go and live in 1926 due to my grandma. 

Nona Lombardi's Cassata

Ingredients: 

1 quart of milk 

1 pint heavy cream 

1 1/2 pounds of ricotta cheese 

15 eggs 

15-18 teaspoons of sugar 

Dash of cinnamon 

1 teaspoon of vanilla 

1 teaspoon of grated lemon rinds 

Extra sugar to sprinkle over the top. 

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well (you can use a hand mixer). When mixture is smooth and well blended, pour into ceramic or terra cotta pans. Do not use deep dishes and do not use metal pans. 

Bake until the tops are golden brown and  until a toothpick comes out clean and smooth. While baking do not keep opening the oven. When you take it out from the oven, it will fall a little. That is normal as it is like a soufflé. 

Behind the recipe: 

This is a very old world and traditional Italian recipe. It isn't sweet like modern custards, so if you are planning on making and having it come out as sweet as boxed custard be forewarned! But it is a glimpse into a life at the Lombardi table in Italy, over 70 years ago. 

My great grandmother, Maria Guiseppe Lombardi would make this for her kids and husband on Easter. My grandmother Antonia eventually learned to make it by watching her mother, and even made it her own by making it sweeter. In her letter to me she wrote 

"I have had this recipe for 55 years. Nona had no written recipes, they were all in her head. We had to watch and decipher the measurements as well as we could, and this is VERY close to her wonderful cassata."

I am told she used to make it every year for Easter, and make the sign of the cross over every pan of custard before placing it into the oven. She used to make it terra cotta pans from Italy just for her making cassata.

My father recently was craving this custard and hadn't had it since he was little. So my grandmother sent me the recipe, and after I made it he tasted it and said "that's nona's cassata". 

A very simple spaghetti squash side dish

This is a great recipe for those who need a health side dish! 

Ingredients: 

1 large spaghetti squash

Spinach 

2 cloves of garlic 

oil 

Directions: 

1. Clean and halve your spaghetti squash. Remove the seeds. With a fork make jokes over the bottom of the squash. Brush with a mixture of oil, salt, and pepper. Place face up into a deep ceramic tray and full with 1 cup of water. Bake at 400 degrees for an hour. 

2. Remove from the oven and let cool. With a fork, scrape along the edges of the squash, pulling apart the strands of squash. Place into a bowl. Repeat with other half. 

3. In a large saucepan on medium high heat, heat the oil and garlic. When garlic is translucent add in the spaghetti squash. Mix well. Add in 1- 1 1/2 cups of water and increase the heat to high. 

4. Add in the spinach and combine with the squash. When all the water has evaporated, remove from heat and serve. 

Ashley's Turkey Stuffed Acorn Squash

Ingredients: 

1/2 stick of butter 

Olive oil 

3 acorn squashes, cleaned and halved 

1 lb of ground white meat or dark meat turkey 

2 stalks of celery 

1 large onion, diced 

4 cloves of garlic, diced 

3/4 cup of chicken broth 

1 Green apple, diced 

2 tsp pepper 

2 tsp salt

2 tsp Rosemary (optional) is 

1 egg 

1/2 cup of shredded or shaved parmeasean cheese 

3/4 cup of breadcrumbs 

2 cups of fresh spinach 

Directions: 

1. Clean and dry your acorn squashes. Cut them in half and remove the seeds. In a small bowl, melt the 1/2 stick of butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Add 2 tablespoons of oil to the butter and dash of salt and dash of pepper. Stir and then baste the tops of the acorn squash with the mixture. Don't forget to get the insides of the acorn squash. The remaining mixture can be evenly distributed into the pockets of the acorn squash. In a ceramic or glass dish, place your squash and fill with a cup of water. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. 

2. In a large frying pan, drizzle oil twice around be pan. Heat up the oil on medium-high and add in your celery and onions. Add the pepper, salt and rosemary stir well. After 5 minutes add the garlic. Stir to mix well. When the onions and celery look translucent, add in your turkey meat. Chop it finely with a wooden spoon to get it broken up and distributed evenly among the onions and celery. Add in your apple and stir well. When most of the meat is no longer pink, add in chicken broth. Increase the heat to high and stir in the spinach. The heat and broth will allow the spinach to wilt enough so you can mix it in with ease. Continually mix the meat and vegetables until the juices are gone. 

3. Transfer meat mixture to a large bowl. Add in breadcrumbs, 1 egg, and  1/2 cup of shredded/ shaved parmeasean cheese. Combine evenly. 

4. After 50 minutes remove the squash from the oven. Stuff each acorn squash with an even amount of stuffing. Put more of the shaved cheese on top. 

5. Bake for 20 minutes at 350. 

Thank you so much to my best friend Ashley for introducing me to squash and for always sharing your recipes!