Although Thanksgiving is uniquely an American holiday nearly every continent has some version in their own culture though not celebrated necessarily in November.  Those Thanksgiving events usually are a celebration of harvest or patron saints.

Italy, with its American transplants influence finds itself in many areas awkwardly scrambling to celebrate Thanksgiving. Finding a turkey, “tacchino” in Italy is, at best, troublesome.  You just can’t go to your local butcher or “macellaio”. It is not always that easy.  They usually have to be special ordered. A chicken, yes, turkey, rare. Now for the pumpkin pie!  Unless you have grown your own pumpkins just try to find a can of pumpkin puree!  Potatoes, sweet or mashed “pure’ di patate” and green beans “fagiolini” are a snap. Pecan pie another mystery as pecans are very difficult to find in Italy. So too, you can probably check cranberry sauce off your list.

And, just a side note, corn on the cob is never eaten but only grown for the animals!

However, those celebrating will find a way to improvise and the main concern is for family and friends to be together to celebrate and give thanks.

Following is a simple little sweet that you may enjoy with your morning coffee before your Thanksgiving festivities begin.

With this thought in mind, as we get ready for our sit down with our family for our traditional Thanksgiving dinner of Antipasti, pasta, “the turkey”, dressing, cranberry sauce, potatoes, sweet and roasted a few casseroles and whatever else we feel the need for before we even get to the dessert “dolci”, we would like to extend a wish to you……

We wish you and those you hold dear a bountiful Thanksgiving with the love of family and friends to share it with. Have a safe and happy holiday.

Anita and Charlie

The Augello Family

GOD BLESS AMERICA

GOD BLESS ALL THOSE WHO SERVE

SICILIAN ORANGE BUNDT CAKE

Serves : 12

This light cake is something Sicilian grandmothers often serve in the afternoon or even for breakfast. For a tender cake with a light texture, be careful not to overmix the flour into the batter.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 8 1/2 ounces), plus more for pan
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest plus 1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice (from 3 oranges), divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, plus more for greasing pan
• 3 large eggs

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350°F.

Stir together flour, orange zest, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Beat sugar, vegetable oil, and eggs with an electric mixer on high speed until almost white, about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Add orange juice; beat on low speed until combined, about 20 seconds. With mixer running on low speed, gradually add flour mixture. Beat until just combined, about 1 minute (do not overmix).

Transfer batter to a greased (with vegetable oil) and floured 9-inch tube or Bundt pan. Bake in preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool in pan 10 minutes. Invert cake onto a wire rack; let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Cake can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

However, or wherever you celebrate, Enjoy and have a Blessed Day!

ARANCICI RICE CASSEROLE

An easy to make casserole with the great taste

of Sicilian Rice Balls when I don’t have time to make

traditional Arancini.

1 LB GROUND BEEF	3 CUPS ARBORIO RICE – cooked
2 EGGS – beaten	1 TB OLIVE OIL
3 CUPS TOMATO SAUCE – or more as needed	1 CUP PEAS – frozen, allow to defrost just enough to spread – optional
1 ½ CUPS FRESH MOZZARELLA – shredded	¼ CUP PECORINO ROMANO CHEESE – freshly grated
1 TABLESPOON ONION – minced SALT – to taste PINCH OF GROUND CINNAMON – optional	1 TSP GARLIC POWDER – or to taste FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER – to taste

PREHEAT OVEN TO 400º

Coat bottom and sides of a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or grease.

Cook rice according to package directions and set aside to cool.

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and sauté while breaking up the meat for a few minutes.  Add the minced onion, garlic powder, salt and pepper and mix until well combined. Stir in the peas, trying not to mash them. Add 1 cup of sauce and stir in with the cinnamon, if using, while cooking until the meat is totally cooked.  Remove the pan from the heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine rice with 2 eggs that have been lightly beaten, half of the freshly grated cheese and 2 cups of sauce. Pour half of the mixture into the greased baking dish carefully spreading the rice out to all the edges. Add the meat mixture on top of the rice spreading out evenly to all the edges. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese and the shredded mozzarella. Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 – 15 minutes or until the cheese starts to turn golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. To serve, cut into squares and, if desired, top each with additional sauce.

NOTE: Arancini is a well recognized Sicilian specialty. However, various and similar recipes crop up in all dialects. My Grandmother made a version of Arancini which we just called “Polpette di Riso”or just “Riso Polpette”.  They were basically the same, however round in shape not oval, and minus the peas and usually with a tiny bit of sausage meat or a tiny cube of cheese, maybe mozzarella stuck in the middle. But very much in other ways similar to the traditional Sicilian recipe. As much as we all enjoy them, in either variety, they still are time consuming so when the hunger strikes this recipe fills in nicely. My family likes me to omit the peas, so I do and then I add a little sweet sausage meat.

BUON MANGIATA!