THE AUNT HELEN SPECIAL ...
Excerpted From "La TAVOLA" by Daniel Bellino Zwicke
Another one of Aunt Helen’s exclusive dishes that we all love
is her incredible preparation of “Uovo
con Spinaci e Parmigiano.” Translated to
English, this is Eggs Scrambled with Spinach and Parmigano. Yes, the dish does
not sound like much, but these few ingredients when properly cooked are tastier
than you could ever imagine, it is truly better than the sum of its parts. If I
had never eaten this dish and someone
was describing how tasty it is, I’d probably be wondering why this person is
carrying on so much over some mere
spinach and eggs. I’d be thinking that
they might have some kind of esthetical problems. Yet this dish perfectly
illustrates the true essence of Italian cooking, getting great fresh ingredients, letting the main ingredient shine, with a little embellishment
from a couple others. Of course, the dish has to be prepared properly as Aunt
Helen does. I made it once for a few of my friends, Jimmy, Ada, and Johnny. They all
went bonkers for it and always request it when-ever we have a dinner party.
They all ask me,
“Will you please make Aunt Helen’s Crostini?” Aunt Helen’s crostini is what
they call the toasted bread that’s
topped with the Spinach and Eggs. Aunt Helen used to give it to us as a Pannino (sandwich) on a
nice Italian roll. I can still remember the first time she made me one. I had
stopped over her house for a little
visit and as usual, Aunt
Helen always had some food on hand. “Like I didn’t know she
would. Ha-ha!”
“You want
something to eat Daniel,” she asked. I never say no to eating some of Aunt
Helen’s amazing food. She made me this sandwich with spinach and eggs stuffed
inside. Aunt Helen put the sand-wich in front of me and said,
“Here you go darling” When I took the first bite, it was a revelation. I was in heaven! I couldn’t believe my eyes (mouth, stom-ach,
and tongue).
That sandwich was “Lip Smacking Good.” I asked
her how to make it. “You just sauté some spinach in olive oil with a little butter, add the eggs and some Parmesan Cheese,” Aunt
Helen replied nonchalantly, as if it was
nothing. In a way it was nothing, because
it is very simple to prepare, simple that
is once you know what you’re doing. The key word being, know-ing, because as simple a dish may be, if you
don’t know the proper way of making it, you can
really screw it up. There is skill, experience, and a knowing touch involved in
making it, or any good dish for that matter. You have to season it properly, cook the eggs just so. Not too much, nor too
little, and you need the proper balance or ingredients. This dish of Spinach, Eggs, with Parmigiano
is what the true essence of Italian Food and
cooking is all about. You start with the best and freshest ingredients you can find. You prepare these ingredients in a simple manner, and Ecco, “You’ve got a tasty little dish. That is Italian!” That’s what
Aunt Helen does so well.
The AUNT HELEN SPECIAL "A SANDWICH
RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
2 small Italian Hero Rolls or Any
Roll You Like
4 large Eggs
Salt & Black Pepper
1 ½ cups chopped cooked Spinach
(fresh or frozen)
½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
or Grana Padano
2 tablespoons Olive Oil, 1
tablespoon Butter
1. Beat eggs with
Salt & Pepper to taste.
2. Sauté spinach
for 3-4 minute low heat. Season with Salt & Pepper.
3. Place eggs in a
bowl. Add grated cheese, Salt & Pepper, and beat eggs with a fork.
4. Turn heat up to
high. Add eggs and cook over high heat while constantly stirring eggs with a
wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the eggs are cooked completely. Remove
eggs from pan and leave on the side.
5. Add a tiny bit
each of olive oil and butter to pan and toast the rolls in t he pan until all
four halves rolls are lightly toasted.
6. Place the 2
bottoms of the rolls on plates, divide the scrambled eggs and spinach in to 2 equal
parts and place on each bottom half of toasted rolls. If you like at this point
you can sprinkle a bit of Salt & pepper over the eggs then top with a bit
more Parmigiano. Top with top of roll, cut each sandwich in half, and enjoy.
You your friends will love this one.
Note: As stated
before, you can serve these eggs on toasted Crostini Bread at a cocktail hour or
as the Antipasto or part of Antipasto Misto for the first course of a meal. You
can also serve the Uovo Strapazetti (Scrambled Eggs) on a plate by themselves,
with a Salad or some other vegetable on the side. Whatever you do, you will be
surprised how much flavor and how tasty this simple, versatile dish is. Bon Appetito!
AMAZON BEST SELLING ITALIAN COOKBOOKS
From Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
