10. Spaghetti con Scungilli
Italian American cuisine in Billy Joel’s home of Long Island is synonymous with the land itself. As Italian immigrants became more established, moving from the Manhattan to Long Island was a sign of prosperity and success. While Brooklyn Italians opted for the much closer Staten Island, in Long Island 25% of the population has Italian roots! This recipe from James Beard award winner Clifford A. Wright is a tribute to that history and culture. If you can’t find any spaghetti or are just bored of the same old pasta cut, give bucatini a shot instead! If you don’t know what the difference is between the two, read this.
9. Lasagna with Meatballs
This recipe from Leite’s Culinaria is an Italian American classic that unfortunately hasn’t always been given the respect that it deserves. Lasagna is a great and easy pasta cut to work with, but your lasagna is only as good as the ingredients in between the sheets.
8. Chicken Marsala with Mushrooms
This popular restaurant dish isn’t quite the same as what most non-professional recipes list. However the addition of gelatin here helps you get a step closer to that silky, white tablecloth recipe. From Serious Eats comes this recipe that is quick, creamy and delicious. Sides that work well are rice or noodles that are a bit wider like linguine or papparadelle.
7. Linguine with White Clam Sauce
Also known as Spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with baby clams), this dish sticks with the classic Italian rule of using thinner sauces with thicker pasta cuts. From the Splendid Table comes Lidia Bastianich‘s recipe that stays true to its southern Italian roots (clams are cooked in the shell).
6. Veal Parmesan
This breaded veal recipe is another Italian American classic! However concerns about animal cruelty relating to veal have put a damper on this recipe’s popularity. However the tethered pens of yesterday are thankfully becoming a thing of the past. From How to Feed a Loon comes this classic recipe that is exceptionally detailed in photos but takes a solid hour to make.
5. Tiramisu
Every holiday meal should be accompanied by a dessert that’s both delicious and easy to make a day or two in advance. This recipe from Pretty Simple Sweet is faithful to the original recipe, even giving excellent advice on not using cream cheese in place of marscapone.
4. Pasta e Fagioli Soup
With the constant emphasis on quick, easy and in a hurry recipes there has been 1 unfortunate casualty – beans. While you can buy them canned, you’re always better off taking the time to soak and cook them properly yourself. The health benefits are tremendous. And except for chili, they’ve pretty much become such a rarity in North American cuisine. From Once Upon a Chef comes this soup recipe that is filled with great pictures and suggestions (well, except perhaps on the elbow macaroni brand depending on how much money you want to spend). This classic dish is also a great way to recycle leftovers as well.
3. Calzone
This dish shouldn’t be confused with a Pizza Rustica, which is an Easter dish which is also basically a dough enclosed pizza. The website Proud Italian Cook has this popular take on pizza recipe that is filled with pictures and helps to you make an authentic calzone.
2. Eggplant Parm Sandwich
So whoever first thought to marry an eggplant with a slice of Parmesan Reggiano honestly probably didn’t have anything else left in the kitchen. And as always, if you’re not comfortable spending a lot of money for a high quality parmesan, don’t be afraid to try a more affordable substitute like Grana Padano. Not sure what the difference between the two is? Click here! Anyway, from Food and Wine comes this recipe that doesn’t yield the prettiest dish known to man, but it gets the job done.
1. Pizza Pie
This recipe from Serious Eats is the New York City classic take on pizza dough. However don’t be afraid to play around with your ingredients and have some fun. A toasty, thin crust pizza can be a great delivery vehicle for a delicious salad!
