Full Stomach, Happy Heart
A Creative Project
Great-Grandma Stella always made cooking look so easy, and my parents have tried replicating her finesse in the kitchen. Luckily for us, her cook book has been passed down so that we do not have to resort to the low-grade recipes online. Although her recipes are very vague and rather complicated, with just a little practice you’ll be looking like Ratatouille in Ralph’s Italian Restaurant.
Her book ranges from salads to drinks to entrees, each with their own uniqueness that I have yet to see in a restaurant. Every homemade Italian meal we make uses her recipes, and it has gotten to the point where we do not have to look at the recipe book anymore, it is engraved in our minds. I will attempt to share with you four of Stella’s best recipes, “Stella’s Sauce” and pasta, and I hope they are welcomed into your home with open arms.
September 1940, Aliquippa, Pennsylvania
9 a.m. Stella arrives back home after a trip to the local grocery store where she is a regular customer and well-known for her cooking finesse. The sun had just risen on a beautiful Sunday morning in Aliquippa, and Stella walks up the stairs to wake up her children for morning mass. The Steelers were set to play the Ravens in what was sure to be a Sunday night NFL classic. The excitement had been growing in this small town, and the game had been the talk of the steel mill for weeks now. Stella had been game planning this meal for at least a week, and to start off the day she decided to make some of her infamous punch before heading off to mass. The punch was a house favorite, and the kids loved it when their mom made this sweet and savory drink.
“Great Punch”
Ingredients:
1. one large can of orange juice
2. one large can of frozen lemonade
3. one large can of frozen pink lemonade
4. one quart of ginger ale
5. two orange slices
6. two lemon slices
7. one jar of drained cherries
This assortment of ingredients makes about three to four quarts. More ginger ale can be added if necessary.
5 p.m. Dinner time is on the horizon, and Stella brings out her appetizer dish before the big game to accompany the bigger feast. An Italian specialty, this anti-paste plate was a common part of every meal, but it seemed even more special when the Steelers were playing. Stella’s husband, John, gets up from the couch to take a break from all the NFL games on TV to go outside and play catch with the kids. In his mind, nothing was as special as throwing the ball around with his only son, who would soon be groomed into a great baseball player. Stella watches from the kitchen window and sees the two playing catch, while her two daughters were playing on the swings outside. It was a perfect day which she never wanted to end. With the anti-paste out on the table, the festivities had already begun.
“Anti-Paste”
For this appetizer of sorts, slice each of the following and place around a plate:
1. green peppers
2. tomatoes slice: 1 ½ on the bottom and save the other ½ for the 2nd layer
3. slice 2 hard boiled eggs and spread around
4. thin slices of salami
5. thin slices of provolone cheese
6. sprinkle pimientos all over
7. black olives.
Before starting, add salt and black pepper. Let it cook until golden brown. Add two green peppers cut up. Let it cook all together with the lid on until tender and the green peppers are cooked, but not too soft.
6 p.m. After throwing the ball around, John comes back into the house and wipes the sweat off his brows, ready to go to work on his specialty, the sauce. A neighborhood favorite, John had been groomed by his wife to cook this sauce so she could focus on preparing the other portions of the meal. This was a pregame tradition for John, an avid Pittsburgh sports fan, specifically the NFL Steelers. He made it look so easy, as if the making of the sauce was almost effortless. If he could have had a second job outside of the steel mill, it would have been as Stella’s assistant chef. Stella commanded the kids to go upstairs and finish whatever homework needed to be finished because once dinner started, it was family time only from that point onwards.
“Stella’s Sauce”
I have yet to master this recipe, but both of my parents always make this sauce so I am trying to learn from them. Remember, her word usage is vague and her proportions can be changed depending on personal preference, so don’t be afraid to mess things up the first time. Here is the preliminary list of items that will be used:
1. One pound of ground beef
2. Three eggs
3. 1 ¼ cups of breadcrumbs
4. ¼ cup of Italian cheese
5. salt, pepper, parsley flakes, and garlic powder
With this assortment laid out on the counter, put oil in a pan and cook the meatballs (the meatballs are easy to make, just roll up the ground beef into small balls). Add a clove of garlic to the pan. Let the meatballs brown a little, then remove the garlic and meatballs.
Next, remove the pan from the stove, and add 1 tablespoon of paprika, but be careful not to burn it. Quickly add three cans of tomato paste (store bought) and add nine cans of water. The cans of water should be approximately the same size as the cans of tomato paste.
In the sauce, add some salt, pepper, and a bay leaf. Let the sauce cook for at least an hour. Add the meatballs. Sometime instead of meatballs, you can use a lean piece of beef, sausage, or spare ribs. Remember to always add salt to the water when cooking your spaghetti.
7 p.m. Once the sauce was thrown in the pot, it was time for Stella to start making the pasta. She clears off the kitchen counter and prepares a nice spread. This was her office, and no one was to interfere in her work space. Stella’s spaghetti was the grand finale her long day’s work in the kitchen. If you were to ask anyone in the neighborhood what their favorite meal was, the answer was always her pasta. Stella was not about tio let any of her children go hungry, so she doubled up the spread for the big game. Everyone in Pittsburgh knows that big games means a big stomach, and Stella came prepared with her A-game.
“Homemade Spaghetti”
Last but not least is my personal favorite recipe, homemade spaghetti. Perhaps the seemingly easiest recipe to make, it is rather complicated when combining all the ingredients. The ingredients are simple:
1. six eggs
2. three cups of flour
3. a dash of salt
Place all the flour on a tabletop, and add a well in the middle. Add the eggs one at a time to the well. Slowly mix a little bit of flour into the eggs while stirring with a fork. Move the fork in a vertical circular motion, making sure not to let any egg slip over the side of the well (beginners beware of this problem). After all the eggs have been added, don’t be afraid to get down and dirty by mixing the rest with your hands. Once the mixture is mixed well, place a large bowl over the kneaded dough and let it sit for a while. You are now ready to make whatever kind of pasta you wish, just simply use a pasta maker machine.
8:30 p.m. The game is about to kick off and Stella places the last dish on the table. All of the fixings are right in the center, drawing the attention of every family member. Stella, after a long, but fun day, finally sat down at the table, but not before she made sure everyone’s plate was full. In Stella’s house, a prayer is always said before each meal, no matter how big or small. Everyone around the table holds hands and Stella starts the prayer with a “Dear God” and ends it with an “Amen and Go Steelers!” It was finally time to dig in. Bon appetite!
