Fabulicious!: Teresa's Italian Family Cookbook (3 page)

Joe with his siblings, Peter and Maria.

That’s how it is with us Italians. Family is the cornerstone of Italian life. Our entire social structure, our economy, our politics, and, of course, our food is centered around family. We spoil our kids rotten, so much so that they never want to leave home. Albie and Christopher Manzo are adorable, but don’t let them fool you. Their “L” in “GTL” (Gym-Tanning-Laundry) is “Leave it for Mom.” That’s just how it is, and how we moms like it. I lived with my parents until I moved in with my husband (that’s how good Catholic girls where I come from do it). My mama and papà still come over to my house almost every day (and no, contrary to Internet rumors, they do not live with me, and they do not live in my basement—my house doesn’t even have a basement!). I see my brother, Joe Gorga, his wife Melissa, my niece Antonia, and nephews Gino and Joey several times a week. Same with all of Joe’s sisters and brothers, their families, my cousins, my aunts, and my mother- and father-in-law . . . and no, we don’t always get along. Do I sometimes wish my cousin would stop with the lame jokes? Yes. Do I wish my baby sister-in-law didn’t copy everything I do down to the shoes I wear and the chairs on my front porch? Of course! But you know what they say: “You can’t pick your family.”

Me with another famous Italian mom, Caroline Manzo.

Well, half of them anyway. You can’t help where you were born, but you can go out and make your own family. To me, family is everything—not just the family I came from, but also the family I made. I think it’s the most important thing we ever do in life—to find and build our own family. And to me, “family” is not just the people you are related to, it’s the people you love. Your spouse, sure, and your children, but also your partner, your best friend, your dorm mates, your sorority sisters, your friends at church . . . they’re all your family.

I get letters all the time from people telling me they wish they were Italian or they wish they were part of my family. Let’s clear this up right now: YOU ARE! Italians count their close friends as family. And you, sweetheart, are as good as gold. I wish I could have every one of you to dinner at my house, but for now, let me bring my kitchen to yours.

So welcome to my Family Cookbook! Salute!

Tanti Baci,

Teresa

Oh, and that Meatball Throwdown on
Rachael Ray
? I want a rematch! I thought we were cooking
authentic
Italian food. Caroline deep-fried her meatballs. Deep-fried? Who does that? Does she serve fried Twinkies for dessert? You could deep-fry a sock and it would taste better than a baked meatball . . . although I guess you might not live long enough to enjoy it!

There I go smack talking again. Buckle up, Baby Dolls. This is not your mama’s cookbook.

I
f you bought my first, unbelievably successful
New York Times
best-selling cookbook,
Skinny Italian, grazie, grazie, grazie
from the bottom of my heart. If you didn’t, there are a few things you missed that are crucial to cooking my way (which, of course, is the right way). Since you’ll need them for this book, here are the Cliffs Notes, or Spark Notes, or whatever they call cheating in school by not reading the actual book these days . . . .

Let’s get this out of the way right away. I know you’ve heard it pronounced “Jew-dice,” but the correct way to say my last name is like this (quickly, and with an Italian accent please): Judy Chay. Get it right. Tell your friends. (Thank you. Thank you very much!)

In
Skinny Italian,
I dedicated an entire chapter to this healthy liquid gold (
Chapter 3
: Blessed Virgin Olive Oil). I told you to use it every single day. It’s a little more expensive than vegetable oil, yes, but what you’ll save in medical bills later will more than make up for it. I try to never, ever, ever use vegetable oil. Not even
when I’m baking. And you’ll see in this entire book, there is not
one recipe
that calls for vegetable oil of any kind, including that crazy canola oil.

Of course, there are tons of different kinds of olive oil, and in my last book, I told you how to shop for it, store it, and serve it. Here’s the take-away: only use EXTRA-VIRGIN OLIVE OIL. Period. Nothing else matters. If you can, look for a bottle with olives picked and pressed in Italy, but the most important thing is the EXTRA-VIRGIN part.

To be a great cook, you have to know a few basic things about how to cook with herbs. For the most part, use FRESH basil, garlic, parsley, rosemary, and thyme. Use DRIED oregano and sage. Most herbs can go into your cooking at any time, but you should add basil and parsley toward the end.

It goes without saying that the better quality ingredients you use, the better your final dish will be. Fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese cooks and tastes better than plain Parmesan, but it’s also harder to find and a bit more expensive. Get the best your budget can afford. If you want to substitute Parmesan, feel free. Your recipes will still rock, I promise. Just promise me you won’t buy anything powdered in a non-refrigerated can.

When I’m in the kitchen, I have my hands in everything. And I mean everything. Part of enjoying your food is touching it, caressing it, working it good with your hands. I do a lot of mixing with my hands. I knead with my hands. You can use fancy mixers and kitchen tools, but to me, the best cooking involves just you and the food. (You know I’m all about “cleansiness” so of course I always have clean hands when I cook.)