Page 11 - Italian American Herald - February 2020

ITALIAN-AMERICAN HERALD
THE CHEF’S PERSPECTIVE
FEBRUARY2020 | ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM 11
myself. No butter for us. Served with a salad, this was a tasty treat.
The other dish that comes to mind was also simple and delicious. If you remember last month, I mentioned purchasing some very thin sliced pork cutlets from Bagliani’s Market in Hammonton, New Jersey. I had four nice cutlets in the freezer that I had pulled out to thaw earlier that evening. While the cutlets were thawing, I sautéed some onion, garlic and chopped frozen spinach in a saute’ pan with a spray of my oil blend. As soon as the mixture began to produce that delicious aroma, I pulled it from the pan and set it aside to cool. In a small bowl, I combined some ricotta cheese, shaved parmesan cheese and a sprinkle of mozzarella cheese. To this mixture I added an egg, the zest of a half lemon, salt, pepper and parsley mixing well to fully blend. Once the cheese was combined, I folded in the cooled spinach onion and garlic. The entire mixture went back into the refrigerator to set up for about thirty minutes. While I
was waiting for the cheese mixture, I gently pounded the pork cutlets even thinner
than they were. You may think it odd. But I didn’t dredge the pork with any flour. I was thinking that I would do a semolina dredge until my wife tenderly reminded me that we were supposed to be careful of our calorie intake. I gave her my best big tough-guy look and then obeyed like a good husband. Anyway, the cheese and spinach was ready.
I sprinkled a touch of salt and pepper onto the pork. Using a tablespoon, I placed a dollop of the spinach cheese mixture onto each cutlet. Carefully I rolled each cutlet around the filling forming a roulade. Using a hot saute’ pan sprayed with my oil mixture I seared the seam side of the roulade first. As soon as it caramelized, I turned each roulade over allowing it to sear on the other side. I should have mentioned that I had preheated
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Pork cutlets stuffed with spinach and ricotta, pan-roasted in the oven.
my oven for high broil. Quickly, I topped each roulade with the rest of the spinach cheese mixture and placed the pan into the oven under the broiler.
All these steps happened quickly as to avoid overcooking the pork. In just a few minutes, the entire top was golden in color and the filling was hot and just starting
to run. I removed the pan from the oven, allowing everything to sit for a few minutes to rest. I served this with broccoli spears and lemon. That first bite
was a flavor extravaganza. This was a great meal that was easy to prepare and light on the calories.
With a little creativity and a few simple
modifications to your recipes, eating better healthier meals is possible. Of course,
it doesn’t hurt to have some “gentle encouragement” from my wife. Mangia (eat) with intent, coupled with your passion and creativity. You will enjoy great meals and a healthier lifestyle. IAH
Delaware Italian Cinema Series underway at Padua
Italian-American Herald
WILMINGTON – The 10th annual Delaware Italian Cinema Series is underway at the Ballad Room of St. Anthony of Padua Grade School, in Little Italy, at the heart of the Delaware Italian-American community. The series is sponsored by the Delaware Italian-American Education Association, in partnership with the Delaware Commission for Italian Heritage and Culture, and with support of local Italian-American media outlets The Delaware Valley Italian-American Herald and Radio Italian Style, locally
broadcast on AM 1450 WILM on Sundays at 8 a.m., and available via podcast at iHeartRadio.
Gabriella Finizio, retired professor of Italian language and cinema at the University of Delaware, and the director of La Piazza
di Giustina, offers expert commentary and context prior to each screening, enriching the experience for viewers. With delicious Italian-themed refreshments, the screenings of these captivating Italian films are a perfect opportunity to celebrate a passion for all things Italian. All screenings start at 3 p.m.
The first film screened this year, Jan. 26, was the comedy “Johnny Stecchino,” with Roberto Begnini.
The second film, to be screened Feb. 23, is “Un Diario del ’43” (A Diary of 1943), the final movie inspired by a story written by
the late Andrea Camilleri, and directed by Alberto Sironi, the late director of the beloved “Inspector Montalbano” series episodes.
This film stars Luca Zingaretti in the role of Inspector Montalbano and Dominic Chianese in the role of a Sicilian immigrant returning to his hometown.
The third screening will be held on March 22, and the final film will be shown April 26. Look for more information on the upcoming films in advertisements and calendar listings in upcoming editions of the Italian-American Herald.
Enter via double doors on 10th Street near Scott Street. Admission is $15, which is a tax-deductible contribution to DIAEA. For more information, contact Finizio at: gfinizio@udel.edu or visit the Facebook page facebook.com/DEItalianFilm for the latest updates. IAH