Almost every family has at least one special dish that’s been handed down & enjoyed. I know, in my family we have special dishes; those are the recipes that I love sharing with all of you here on Diva Eats Italia. What I love about them is the simplicity of the recipes & the stories behind them, which I love hearing.
With this in mind, last week I asked my facebook followers, if they had a special family recipe that they would like to share. The first response I got was from Marc Pierotti, from Illinois. The recipe I posted here is one Marc’s grandmother (Nonna) would make.
Marc’s Nonna was from a very small village in the Province of Massa-Carrara; in the region of Tuscany. (yes this is where the marble is from) The village was so small, there were only 900-1000 villagers that lived there; now there are only about 300. Maybe this is why they have big families, so they can have company!
Like everyone else that came from Italy, they lived a simple life & ate simple food. They would use what the land had to offer them. Marc’s Grandfather (Nonno) would shoot blackbirds. Half of his kill would be used in this recipe & the other half would be put into her tomato sauce. This is truly a peasant dish!
I’m glad Marc didn’t include blackbirds in the recipe he shared. I don’t think my neighbors would appreciate me shooting birds in our suburban neighborhood. And, I doubt very much that Whole Foods sells them. Nonetheless, Marc’s Nonna’s recipe was delicious. I love the combination of the chicken with the sausage, but then again, as far as I’m concerned, sausage makes everything taste better. I also love the addition of the green beans, since they’re one of my favorite veggies. This is a must try. The only thing Marc didn’t mention is, that you better have plenty of Italian bread on hand. You’ll need it to sop up (scarpetta) all the yumm-ee juice at the bottom of the pan.
Thanks Marc, for being kind enough to share this delicious dish & letting us take a peak into your family.
Gustatela!
D I V A
continuare per la ricetta (recipe)>>
D I V A
Some of my family’s recipes:
Pitta con Verdure (Broccoli Rabe stuffed bread)
White Bean & Prosciutto Soup
Scrippelle Imbusse (soup with egg crepes)
Chopped Antipasti Salad
Pepperoni, Potatoes & String Beans
Gnocchi
