Old Memories and Frittatas | Sicilian Stories – Page 2

My mother goes on that when my grandfather had a client in the barber chair, the kids had to remain completely silent. If anyone dared act up, my grandfather would appear with a leather shaving strap in his hand. That shut everyone up very quickly. She goes on to explain that my grandfather had a fierce temper that would result in beatings for any child that dared cross him. My grandparents were poor, uneducated and were living through the Great Depression. Every child that could find work turned over their paycheck to my grandfather.

Money was extremely scarce and the young family had to struggle to make ends meet. In order to feed her family, my grandmother would take the subway into the lower east side of New York City every week and would go to the meat markets to shop for the family. No, she did not buy steaks and roasts. She would fill her shopping bag with the cuts of meat the Americans threw away; kidneys, liver, brains, pig’s feet, tripe and other delicacies the Americans would never eat. Pasta with the simplest of ingredients was filled in when the “meat” ran out. These were very hard times but the family lived they best way they could and ultimately survived and grew.

Many of the foods they ate in those days were by no means healthy by today’s standards. The alternative “meats” mentioned above were loaded with cholesterol and although some of us Sicilians today would try some of these unusual dishes, they are in no way a staple of today’s diet. At least not for most of us. I will confess however, I have every intention of trying a “Stighiole” or “Pane Ca Meusa” when I hopefully get to Palermo in November. I don’t think one splurge of cholesterol in a lifetime will be harmful. I just have to try these delicacies!

One of the more healthy alternatives that many Sicilian and Spanish immigrants incorporated into their diets was the simple FRITTATA. Yes, the simple and delicious frittata. The dish that caused me so much shame and embarrassment whenever my mother would pack my school lunch and I would discover a frittata sandwich in my brown paper bag. The teasing and laughing I would endure from my classmates in the school cafeteria has scarred me for my entire life! Every time I make a frittata I have a flashback….”Ma! Stop making me those potato and egg sandwiches to bring to school! Everyone is making fun of my lunch!” I will admit however, I did love her frittatas and could easily eat the entire thing.

My mother explained that my grandmother would make frittatas with anything she had on hand. A frittata with green peas. One with onions. Some with broccoli. Some with sausage and mozzarella cheese. My all-time favorite was potatoes, zucchini and onions which I still make today. The combinations my grandmother created go on and on. All were absolutely delicious and I looked forward to these treats.

The word, “frittata” comes from the Italian verb “friggere” or “to fry”. The dish itself appears in Spain (where the “Tortilla Espanola”, an egg concoction resembling a frittata which is made with fried potatoes and served with salsa.) The frittata is also a dish of the Italian “cucina povera”, “peasant food”. It was a meal of the lower-class farmers that wanted to use their leftovers. Just mix whatever ingredients you had on hand with eggs and you had a meal. The ingredients used in a frittata were of low cost and eggs were plentiful and an essential part of the diet. The perfect “cucina povera”.

So, having just made a delicious frittata for today’s lunch, I decided to write this article and share my love for this simple dish. I am sure you all have your favorite frittata as well and I welcome you to share your masterpieces with the group.

Here is my recipe. Feel free to change anything you like to suit your taste and mood. There is no one frittata recipe so have at it! When you have finished your creation, snap a picture and add it to this post. We would all love to see your frittatas!! Don’t be shy!

Sicilian Old Memories | Read more – Page 3 >>

Philip Cabibi