Bellino and Pacino

 

AL PACINO

SICILIAN AMERICAN

FAMILY ORIGINS - CORLEONE SICILY

"BELLINO & PACINO"

Author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke highlights a favorite Spaghetti Aglio e Olio 

recipe associated with actor Al Pacino in his cookbooks, including Grandma 

Bellino's Italian Cookbook.  The dish represents traditional, rustic 

Italian-American cuisine often featured in Bellino's works detailing 

Sicilian-American culture. 

Key Connections between Bellino and Pacino:

The Recipe: The recipe, commonly known as a "Spaghetti Aglio e Olio" (garlic and oil) 

or a variation, is described as a favorite of Al Pacino, bringing to light his preference for simple, classic Neapolitan-style pasta.

• Cookbooks: Daniel Bellino-Zwicke writes about this association in Grandma Bellino's Italian Cookbook and references it in his Italian-American food narratives.
• Cultural Context: The works highlight the "Sunday Sauce" culture, linking popular Italian-American food, specifically meatballs and pasta, with figures like Al Pacino and Frank Sinatra.
• Themed Content: The content often evokes memories of classic Italian-American food scenes, similar to those in The Godfather.

BELLINO & PACINO

NONNA BELLINO'S ITALIAN COOKBOOK

PASTA - MEATBALLS - SOUPS

PASTA alla PACINO & MORE ...

AMAZON.com

Author DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

FAMILY ORIGINS - LERCARA FRIDDI SICILY

Settled in NEW YORK CITY 1906

Italian Cookbooks

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Sicilian Christmas New Years Cookies Recipe Cucciddati

 

SICILIAN "CUCCIDDATI" COOKIES

Cucciddati , also known variously as Buccellati, Italian fig cookies or Sicilian Fig Cookies, are fig stuffed cookies traditionally served at Christmas time.

The outer cookie is pastry dough, covered with icing and typically topped with rainbow sprinkles. The filling generally consists of some combination of walnuts, dates, figs, honey, spices and orange or apricot jam. The pastry is rolled around the filling, and rolls are either cut into short tubes, or curved around to form a "Bracelet".

When ring-shaped, these may be known as buccellati, meaning "little bracelets," and are a diminutive form of buccellato, a larger fig-filled ring cake. The ingredients are as varied as the names the cookies are called by, apparently a function of the town or region in which they are made. Other towns call them "nucciddati" (nut cookies), "zucciddati", "ucciddati", "vucciddati" and as in Serradifalco, pucciddati. That town's version includes ground figs and dates, nuts, and orange rinds

PASTRY DOUGH

1 cup Butter

1 cup Sugar

1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

2 large eggs

2 teaspoon Vanilla

3 1/2 cup All purpose fFour

The FILLING

2 cups chopped dried figs

1 cup orange juice (240 ml)

2 cup raisins

2 cups chopped Walnuts

2 cups Chocolate nibs (chips)

1/2 cup Honey

1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon

Zest of 1 Orange

The GLAZE

5 heaping tablespoons of confectioners sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons cold water

Nonpareils

Pastry preparation :

Cream together butter and sugar until sugar is dissolved.

Add baking soda to flour and mix 1 cup at a time of flour/soda to creamed butter/sugar.

Add vanilla.

Add 1 egg at a time. Blend well.

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

The FILLING

Chop figs in small pieces. Add orange juice and let it sit for a few hours until figs rehydrate. Add remaining ingredients and mix gently. This process can be done a day before.

Assembly

When ready to bake, cut dough into 6 equal pieces.

Flour surface and roll out to 9 x 12 rectangle.

Spoon filling along the long side of pastry, about 1 inch in diameter.

Roll filled pastry, wet the end and close, place seam down on parchment lined pan.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius) for about 25 minutes or until light golden color.

Let it sit on cooking rack for about 5 minutes as you prepare the glaze.

Mix confectioners sugar with water mix to a smooth glaze.

Before they’re completely cool brush top of cuccidati rolls with glaze.

Add sprinkles if you wish while confectioners sugar syrup is still wet.

ENJOY !!!!

This RECIPE is Compliments from author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

EXCERTED From GRANDMA BELLINO'S ITALIAN COOKBOOK

RECIPES From MY SICILIAN NONNA

AMAZON.com

"AZZURI"

ITALIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM

TEE SHIRT

Chicken Scarpariello Recipe

 

CHICKEN SCARPARIELLO

CHICKEN with SAUSAGE and PEPPERS

SHOEMAKERS STYLE

RECIPE

POLLO SCARPARIELLO

HOW to MAKE CHICKEN SCARPARIELLO

SHOEMAKERS CHICKEN

RECIPE

CHICKEN SCARPARIELLO

MY SHOEMAKER GRANDFATHER'S RECIPE

And GREAT SICILIAN RECIPES

AMAZON.com

Yes, my Grandfather Nonno Filipo Bellino was a Shoemaker in the town of Lercara Friddi, Sicily,

40 minutes south of Palermo. Frank Sinatra's father Saverio Antonino Martino Sinatra was born in Lercara Friddi and his father was a shoemaker in the town. You might recognize another famous name of someone born in Lercara Friddi, and that would be Salvatore Lucania, better known to millions as Charles "Lucky" Luciano.

Anyway, my grandfather was born and raised in Lercara Friddi where he was a shoemaker, and you can bet money that Frank Sinatra's Shomaker Grandfather knew my shoemaker Grandfather 

Filipo Bellino. They were both around the same age, give or take a few years.

My grandfather immigrated to America through Ellis Island, New York in 1902. Filipo then

settled in Lodi, New Jersey where he set up a Shoemake Shop on Main Street, marrying 

Giuseppina Salemi. Filipo and Giuseppina lived upstairs from the Shoemaker Shop and had 4 children, my Aunt Lilly was born first, then Uncle Jimmy (James) veteran of WW II and recipient of the Purple Heart in The Battle of The Bulge, Uncle Frank was the 3rd child. Frank Bellino was in 

The United States Marine Corps during World War LL, in the Pacific Theater. Then came Uncle Tony who was also in the US Army in WW II where he was head of The Officers Club at 

The George V Hotel in Paris after the Allied Forces Liberated the city.

My mother Lucia (Lucy) was the youngest, born in Lodi 1923 ...

Fillipo Bellino of LERCARA FRIDDI SICILY

And LODI, NEW JERSEY USA

The BELLINO'S

FILIPO, LUCIA (Mommy) ANTONINO, GIUSEPPINA

LODI,  NEW JERSEY

Sometime around 1940 ???

FRANCIS ALBERT SINATRA

CHARLES "LUCKY LUCIANO"

From LERCARA FRIDDI , SICILIA

And The LOWER EAST SIDE of NEW YORK

East 10th Street

Octopus Salad Recipe Polpo

 

INSALATA di POLPO

 

"OCTOPUS SALAD"

 

 

 

 

   Octopus Salad

 

Along with Tuna, Swordfish, Sardines, and Mussels, Octopus is one of Sicily’s most favorite of seafood items. If you like, use the preparation here for cooking the octopus, and you can make the Octopus Salad, or at the point where the Octopus is finished cooking you can serve it hot as Bolito di Polpo, along with boiled potatoes or some sautéed Broccoli Rabe or other vegetable as you like it. We love our Polpo, and if you make it either of these two ways, boiled and served hot or as the Octopus Salad, you’re sure to love it too! Buon Appetito!

 

 

 

 

RECIPE :

 

1 – Frozen Octopus about 2 lbs. washed

1 Bay Leaf

2  or 3 Corks

¼ cup Olive Oil

2 large Potatoes, boiled until tender

2 stalks Celery, washed and cut to ½” pieces

Juice of 1 Lemon

1 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar

½ teaspoon each of Sea Salt & Black Pepper

¼ teaspoon Red Pepper flakes (optional)

¼ cup Fresh Parsley, washed, dried, and chopped

 

 

 

Place the Octopus in a large pot with Bay Leaf and Corks if you have the. Cover the octopus with water and bring to the boil, then immediately lower heat so the octopus is cooking at a gentle simmer. Let cook for 1 hour, uncovered. Turn lid off and let the octopus sit in the hot water. After 30 minutes, remove octopus from the water and drain in a colander. Shake off excess water and let the octopus rest in the colander for 30 minutes.

 

Cut the potatoes into 1” cubes. When the octopus is cooking, cook the potatoes in boiling salted water until just slightly tender, about 7 minutes.

 

Drain the potatoes and let cool.

 

Cut the Octopus into 1 /2 inch pieces and put in a large glass or ceramic bowl with the potatoes. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix.

 

Your Insalata di Polpo is ready to serve. Serve as an antipasto, as part of a mixed antipasto or as a main course if you like.

 

 

 

This recipe has been Excerpted from GRANDMA BELLINO'S COOKBOOK

 

Courtesy of author Daniel Bellino "Z"

 

 

 

 

 

 

RECIPES From My SICILIAN NONNA

 

DANIEL BELLINO "Z"

 

MANGIA BENE !

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HOW to COOK OCTOPUS ?

 

RECIPE & INSTRUCTIONS

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Busiata Pesto Trapanese Sicilian Pasta

BUSIATA

con PESTO TRAPANESE

Learn How to Make

BUSIATA con PESTO TRAPANESE

TRAPANI

SICILY

COOKING SICILIAN

RECIPES

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Sicilian Fried Steaks

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     BISTECCHE PALMERTIANO    


Steak al Palermo  This Steak preparation from Palermo is the favorite way that Palermitani like to eat Steak when they are eating it, which is not all that often. Well not all that often 50 years ago or more when most of the population was quite poor. These days however, it’s a much different story, people have a little more money these days, and can afford a steak dinner every now and then. Though in the past few years with the world’s economy in a downturn, maybe they can’t afford steaks all that much once again. This is one reason that the cut of steak is usually cut from the rump or other cheaper cut of beef. In the recipe here however, we have you using Sirloin Steak, though more expensive, it’s tastier and more forgiving when cooking it. It will be tender, and not tough as a Rump Steak would be. The dish is almost like a Veal Milanese, a famed Northern Italian dish, Veal Milanese which is quite expensive. Besides it being marinated and that it’s beef instead of veal, though similar, the Steak Palmertiano is quite different than it’s much more expensive northern cousin. Being in the Provencia di Palermo in Lercara Friddi, this dish was known to my Sicilian grandfather, who was so poor he only ate it a few times in his life. In America he could have it a bit more often, which was just once a year, cooked by his wife Giuseppina for Philipo’s Birthday as a special birthday treat. Make it and treat yourself as well every-now-and-then.   RECIPE : 4 Sirloin Steaks, cut 1/3 of an inch thick ¼ cup Olive Oil, the Juice of 1 Lemon 3 cloves Garlic, peeled and sliced thin 1 bay Leaf ¼ cup chopped fresh Parsley ¼ teaspoon dry Sicilian Oregano 6 tablespoons red wine 1 cup Breadcrumbs 1 Lemon, cut in quarters Get your butcher to cut you 4 Sirloin Steaks at a thickness of ¾ of an inch each, and have him pound the steaks flat. Place olive oil, garlic, Lemon Juice, Oregano, wine, and half the fresh Parsley in a shallow glass baking dish and mix all together. Place the steaks in the marinade and let marinate for at least 3 or hours or overnight. After the steaks have marinated, remove from marinade and shake off excess. Coat steaks with breadcrumbs on both sides.

  Put 8 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large frying pan that is big enough to cook two teaks at a time. Heat oil to high and add two of the steaks. Cook the steaks over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Turn steaks over and cook on second side for three minutes. Remove the two cooked steaks and place in a 200 degree oven on a plate or pan to keep warm. Cook the other two steaks the same as the first two. When all four steaks are cooked, plate onto 4 plates and sprinkle on the remaining Parsley over the steaks. Garnish each plate with a lemon wedge and serve steaks with a Mixed Green Salad, Potatoes, or whichever vegetable you like. This Recipe was Excerpted from GRANDMA BELLINO'S ITALIAN COOKBOOK by Daniel Bellino Z - Reicpes from My Sicilian Nonna  ...

 

SICILIAN FRIED STEAKS

alla PALERMITANA

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GRANDMA BELLINO'S

ITALIAN COOKBOOK

SICILIAN & Other Italian Recipes

by Daniel Bellino Z

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MAKE EXTRA FRIED STEAKS

to Make STEAK SANDWICHES For LUNCH the Next Day

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MANGIA BENE SEMPRE

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Sicilian Spaghetti Ricci di Mare

SICILIAN SPAGHETTI RICCI di MARE

 

Spaghetti with Sea Urchin

 

Learn How to Make It

 

Watch The VIDEO Below

 

GET GRANDMA BELLINO'S ITALIAN COOKBOOK

 

 

RECIPE

SPAGHETTI RICCI di MARE

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RECIPES From My SICILIAN NONNA

 

by Daniel Bellino "Z"

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Barolo Rolling Stones New York Steak

Greenwich Village Newport Steak, French & Italian Wine Dinner on Thompson Street in           "The Village."  My buddy Chris B. and I had another nice little Wine-Dinner this past Sunday with his girlfriend Maria ... It was quite the dinner ... We had some really nice wine to drink, with cheese a Steak-House Salad, and the famed Newport Steaks of Greenwich Village ... Chris gave me a call on Wednesday and said we where on for dinner this coming Sunday Night (Jan. 12, 2014) .. We were both quite excited for a nice dinner and the prospect of drinking some great wines and The Newports, our favorite steaks. "A little Cote de Beaune" Chris uttered, immitating Miles in the greatest wine movie of all-time "Sideways" And so it was to be "a little Cote de Beuane" from Michele Bouzereau  2001 and  Sancere from Les Mont Damnes 2012, both wines quite lovely and very good examples of their prospective zones ... Chris always picks out nice White Burgundy's and the Bouzwereau was no exception, it was wonderful ... Anyway, let me get back to the Newports and the order of things as concerned the dinner which was awesome as usual, and maybe a bit more awesome than usual ...  So Friday I called Chris and asked hwo many we were gonna be for dinner as the butcher shop is closed Sunday and I was going to get the steaks on Saturday for Sunday .  We agreed on the 3 of us so I was set with the number of Newport Steaks I needed to pick up ... Oh yes, and the butcher shop in question was none other than the butcher shop where the Newport Steak was invented by one Italian-Butcher named Jack Ubaldi way back in 1947 ..  Jack wanted to able to sell his cuts of Tri-Tip Sirloin more readily, so instead of selling 

  

  Our THREE NEWPORTS From FLORENCE MEAT MARKET,  GREENWICH VILLAGE


continued Tri-Tip in one piece which didn't sell as well, Jack cut the Tri-Tip Sirloin into 3-4 individual Steaks from the one triangular cut of beef .. He named the Steak after the Nike-like logo on a box of Newport Cigarettes and the rest is history as they say .. Florence Prime Meat Market is still open on Jones Street in Greenwich Village and that's where I get my Newports, either there or at Pino's Prime Meats on Sullivan Street which cuts a Great Newport and makes tasty home-made Italian Sauages as well .. Pino's is great, but I prefer and give an edge to Florence Market as they are the originator of the Newport and they look of the shop is much "Cooler" with all its original old fixtures ... 

 

Our Line-Up of WInes For The Night

                                                           NEWPORTS In THE PAN

NEWPORTS COOKING on 2nd SIDE

So I go to Florence and ask them to cut me 3 nice Newport Steaks .. One of the butchers goes to the walk-in (Refrigerator) and comes out with a nice fresh looking Beef Tri-Tip .. He puts it down on the thick wooden butcher block and starts trimming the tri-tip of some of its fat .. He then cuts me off three nice 2 1/2" thick Newports and wraps them in butchers paper .. The counter lady tells me it $18.99 for the Newports (about $6.50 a piece for 3 Prime Steaks). "A Bargain." I pay the lady, get my steaks and walk the 3 blocks back to my apartment, where I 
put my Newports in the frig to the next day.   

The Hearts of Romain with Tomato Onion & Bleu-Cheese Dressing 

"A STEAK HOUSE SALAD"

So I get to Chris's house and as I'm climbing the stairs to his apartment I can hear some great Jazz playing . It was Dexter Gordon and quite fine . I was tired from walking up 5 flights of stairs, so I told Chris to crack open a bottle of wine, "I need to relax." Chris cracked open the Cote de Beaune Bouzereau, and it was quite nice and everything you'd expect from a nice mid-road White Burgundy. We both loved it .. Chris broke out some nice Brie Cheese and we sipped the wine, ate cheese and relaxed listening to some nice tunes before I started on the dinner; prepping the salad, the mushrooms, potatoes, and onions for our dinner to come .. 

 

FLORENCE MEAT MARKET GREENWICH VILLAGE "HOME of THE NEWPORT STEAK"[/caption] Learn How To Make GREAT STEAKS, SUNDAY SAUCE MEATBALLS and More in SUNDAY SAUCE When Italian-Americns Cook by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE 

 

NEWPORTS on The PLATE With MUSHROOMS & ROAST POTATOES ...

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REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS "THE PERFECT DESSERT"

by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

LEARN HOW To MAKE GREENWICH VILLAGE NEWPORT STEAKS

HOW to COOK a GREENWICH VILLAGE NEWPORT STEAK

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 The ROLLING STONES, NEWPORT STEAKS, ITALIAN WINE, 

& REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER CUPS   

Yummmmm !!!!!!

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