Many years ago, I received a
book from a friend called The Mafia Cookbook by Joseph “Joe Dogs” Iannuzzi. I
love this book! Not only are the recipes delicious, but Joe Dogs offers anecdotes that give us a peek inside The Mob. Although the stories are always interesting, often fun, and even exciting, the biggest take-away for me is that the Mafia is dangerous. It’s
not a group I’m interested in getting mixed up in. BUT that doesn’t stop me
from enjoying Joe's recipes. Here’s one of my favorites:
Caponata
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped into ¼
inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, smashed and
minced
½ lb prosciutto, sliced and
cut into ½ inch pieces
2 slices bacon
10 ounce jar black olives, drained,
pitted, and sliced
½ cup heavy cream
1 ½ lbs perciatelli pasta
(see image below)
1 cup Parmesan cheese,
freshly grated
3 egg yolks, beaten
Heat the oil in a large
frying pan. Add onions and garlic and sauté until translucent. Add proscuitto
and bacon and cook until bacon is crisp. Remove bacon and discard. (Here’s
where I disagree with Joe Dogs. I leave the bacon in the sauce!) Add olives and
cook until very soft, stirring often (about 10 minutes will do). Whisk in the
heavy cream until fully incorporated. This is your sauce. Keep warm. Meanwhile,
add pasta to a pot of boiling, salted water. Cook to al dente (check package instructions). Drain well (do not rinse) and
return hot pasta to pot. Add Parmesan to pasta and toss to coat. Add the egg
yolks slowly, tossing the pasta so that all strands are coated. Place pasta
onto a large platter and spoon cream sauce over top.
Serves 6 adult portions.
Serve with a green salad and
fresh bread for sopping up all that creamy, rich deliciousness!
Although The Mafia Cookbook I own is now out of print, you can get The Mafia Cookbook: Revised and Expanded which is available in Paperback and for Kindle.
