Included in this chapter are some of the family’s dishes cooked by Terry, my wife who was born in Ferrara; other recipes are dishes that my mother-in-law had in her cooking repertoire; Mrs. Danila Occhiali’s mother was originally from Tuscany and she and her father’s family were natives from Emilia-Romagna.

When working at the focacceria, Joe’s of Avenue U in Brooklyn, NY, our family eatery, we prepared some well-liked, not strictly Sicilian dishes, adapted to the Sicilian taste and adopted from famous Italian recipes popular in Italy and beyond.

In fact we prepared and served lasagna Bolognese, North Italian style veal dishes, baked vegetables, artichokes Roman style and scungilli to name a few dishes.

In most European cooking, the preparation of food either professional or homemade follows precise rules dictated by practice and traditions. On the contrary in  Italy  in each locality and in each settlement of the Italian peninsula the cooking reflects the history of its people: their origin and a reason for their traditions and eating habits.

In  France  cooking is almost a science with strict standards followed religiously by their executors. It is like a piece of classical music where variations are very minor accordingly to the ability of the piano player and noticed by an expert music lover or on the table by a sophisticated gourmet.

The music played by Italian cooks is  Soul music played by ears, following the theme and rhythm and executed each following his or her own individual judgment.

Italian cooking is artistry: in professional or home cooking fantasy, originality and know-how are used to create delightful dishes, at times substituting or combining a few ingredients and exploring new dimensions in the sense of taste.