Fall in Love with Pasta Norma and Boston's Little Italy

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Guest Blogger:GeGe Tan

October is the Italian-American Heritage Month; for Maria, having an Italian heritage has a very special meaning. “Being Italian to me means being part of a shared language and culture, appreciating the esthetic sense of many things and styles,” said Maria.

This week, Maria’s friend Frankie Imbergamo, the author of The Good Life Favorite Italian Recipes, is here to share his childhood story about growing up in the North End of Boston, as well as the history of Little Italy.

Boston’s Little Italy

The North End used to be an Italian neighborhood, and now it has evolved into a must-visit spot famous for having countless Italian restaurants and bakeries all lined up on the narrow street.

Frankie said he learned traditional Italian cuisine from his mother and grandmother when he grew up in the North End. Italian families love to celebrate dinner night with home-made wine and crispy bread on the weekend at a restaurant owned by one of the relatives.

Frankie said that after having a nice meal at an Italian restaurant, instead of ordering a desert, people would go to a coffee shop to get a cup of cappuccino or some cannolis. “You can hear some Italian music, they put some Italian music on, it’s a nice little atmosphere, and it brightens up the night a little too,” said Frankie.

Pizzeria

Pizzeria Regina in the North End is one of the oldest pizzeria places in the country. They have a brick oven that is over 150 years old, which Frankie said is the key to making amazing Italian pizza. You can find different styles of pizza in Little Italy; Pizzeria Regina makes thin pizza, while Galleria Umberto makes Sicilian style pizza.

The secret of meatballs

In addition, Frankie gave some of his tips on how to make good meatballs. Make sure the breadcrumb you use is freshly grounded in a bakery. Use good-quality, grated Pecorino Romano cheese, as well as fresh garlic and parsley. Don’t forget to put enough eggs, Frankie said he normally uses 4 eggs for 2 pounds of meatball.

Pasta Norma

To celebrate the upcoming National Pasta Day, Maria has a delicious recipe of Pasta Norma to share with you.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of spaghetti
• 1 pound of red plum tomatoes (can be substituted for canned tomatoes)
• 3 small eggplants
• 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic
• 1 handful of fresh basil, washed and chopped
• 6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Instruction:

1. Wash and thinly slice eggplants.
2. Place eggplant slices in a bowl of cold water, add a dash of vinegar and a sprinkle of sea salt, soak for 2 hours.
3. Peel the tomatoes, remove seeds, and cut into small pieces.
4. Place 4 tablespoons of olive oil and garlic into a sauté pan.
5. Once garlic begin to turn golden, remove from the pan.
6. Add in tomatoes, basil, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 15 minutes over low to medium heat.
7. Drain and dry eggplant slices.
8. In another saucepan, put 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sauté the eggplants until both sides are brown.
9. Place the eggplants on a paper towel to soak up excess oil.
10. Boil a pot of water and cook the spaghetti until it’s al dente.
11. Drain the spaghetti, place it in a sauté pan with tomato sauce.
12. Add in eggplants, toss everything until the spaghetti is coated with tomato sauce.
13. Serve with grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

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