Few things are as comforting as a homemade Italian dish. As actor and filmmaker Stanley Tucci has said, “Most of the world eats to live, but Italians live to eat.” Dishes from this country are filled not only with flavor, but also warmth and love.
Over a hundred years ago, my Tucci ancestors emigrated from Campobasso, a city situated in the Italian region of Molise. Syracuse is the first point of residence that I remember, and a branch of the family settled in Cortland by the early 20th century. We still think of Cortland as the home to our branch of the Tuccis.
Several years ago, we had the opportunity to meet Stanley Tucci ‘s sister, Christine – on Christmas, no less. It seemed to be that if we searched long enough, we could find a common point between our Tuccis in Campobasso and theirs in Calabria.
Just this week, while reading Vincent Scordo ‘s blog, we realized that Stanley Tucci ‘s The Tucci Cookbook, was something that would be great fun to have, hold, and display at home. (We also have a copy in the store, if you would like to see it.) I plan to savor each page as I look through for recipes common to our family’s heritage and use Olio2go’s authentic Italian olive oils to highlight the flavors of each dish.
Here are a few options to consider if you’re recreating Tucci’s recipes at home:
Fonte di Foiano Toscano IGP Extra Virgin Olive Oil: This versatile Tuscan olive oil is excellent for shellfish, tomato salads, soups with grains and beans, risotto with artichokes, baked turbot, baked rabbit, roast poultry, and fresh stringy cheeses.
DeCarlo Torre di Mossa DOP Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Pair this olive oil from Puglia with hearty dishes like grilled meats, mushrooms, grilled bruschetta, tomatoes stuffed with rice, grilled fish, goat cheese, and soups.
Tenute Librandi Organic Carolea Extra Virgin Olive Oil: The fresh intensity of this Calabrian olive oil is a lovely accent for crunchy salads as well as rich meals with peppers, potatoes, olives, and roasted meats.
