May 2012

Foodbuzz 24×24: Mangia! An Italian Feast

Ask anyone who is Italian, and they’ll tell you that their culture revolves around food. Growing up, Sunday afternoons meant a big pot of sauce on the stove, homemade Italian bread in the oven, and fresh pasta being cranked through the old-fashioned pasta maker. It was an all day affair that took place at my grandparents; my grandma would put the sauce on the stove early in the morning, and my grandpa worked on the homemade garlic bread and pasta. Dinner was always at 5:00pm sharp, whether you were there or not! Don’t bother coming if you were running late – there usually wasn’t any food left!

I’ve known my husband for almost seven years, and during that time he has enjoyed many Sunday meals with my grandparents. However, my in-law’s have yet to try my grandma’s famous sauce. Their idea of an Italian meal is spaghetti sauce out of a jar, pasta out of a box, and a frozen loaf of garlic bread. As their daughter-in-law, I felt that it was my responsibility to show them a true Italian meal – with everything made from scratch!

When I planned the menu I choose things that were typically found on the table during a Sunday meal. Lots of fresh pasta, mountains of meatballs, and of course, lots of red wine! After such a filling meal, we usually don’t have much room for dessert, so I kept it simple with some traditional pizzeles.

The Menu:

Homemade Fresh Pasta

Grandma’s Spaghetti and Meatballs

Four Cheese Ravioli

 Garlic Bread

Pizzeles

Don’t worry, we had a salad too, I just forgot to snap a pic. We didn’t eat just carbs. My in-laws were very impressed with the food, and we had a great time chowing down pasta and sipping on wine.

Sponsored by Foodbuzz as part of their Foodbuzz 24×24 program.