Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook (39 page)

8.
Meanwhile, to make the gravy: Pour the drippings from the roasting pan into a heatproof glass bowl or measuring cup. Let stand 5 minutes; then skim off and reserve the clear yellow fat that rises to the top. Measure ¾ cup fat, adding melted butter, if needed. Add enough turkey broth to the skimmed drippings to make 8 cups total.

9.
Place the roasting pan over two stove burners on low heat and add the rendered turkey fat. Add the flour and whisk, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan with a whisk. Cook until the flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the wine and rosemary, followed by the turkey broth. Cook, whisking often, until the gravy thickens and reduces to the consistency of heavy cream, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the gravy to a warmed gravy boat. Carve the turkey and serve the gravy alongside.

Scognamillo Italian Sausage and Bacon Stuffing

MAKES ABOUT 3 QUARTS STUFFING, 16 TO 20 SERVINGS

It’s not Thanksgiving without our sausage and bacon stuffing, made every year by my dad Joe. It is best to make the stuffing fresh and use it warm, as cold stuffing takes longer to cook inside of the bird. Also, remember that you will not be able to fit all of the stuffing in the bird, and there will always be leftover dressing to bake on the side.

2 tablespoons olive oil

2½ pounds sweet Italian sausages, casing removed

12 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

One 1-pound loafday-old Italian bread (about 1 pound)

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

3 large eggs, beaten to blend

½ cup seedless raisins

½ cup pine nuts

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon finely chopped sage and rosemary

Salt and ground pepper

1½ cups
Chicken Stock
or reduced-sodium chicken broth, as needed

1.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the sausage into small pieces with the side of a spoon, until browned and shows no sign of pink, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage and any fat to a large bowl.

2.
Add the bacon to the skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until browned and crisp, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to the sausage. Discard the bacon fat.

3.
Cut the bread into ¾-inch cubes. Add the bread cubes, grated cheese, raisins, pine nuts, and parsley and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mix in the eggs and enough of the broth to make a moist, but not wet, mixture.

4.
Use immediately as a turkey stuffing. Any leftover stuffing can be spread in a buttered baking dish, covered with aluminum foil, and refrigerated for up to 8 hours. Just before baking, uncover the dish and drizzle the stuffing with about ½ cup stock. Cover again and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top is golden brown and slightly crisp, 15 to 20 minutes more. Serve hot.

^◆
Feast of the Seven Fishes
^◆

Baccalá Salad
!

Insalata di Frutti di Mare

Shrimp Casino

Fried Cod Fritters

Mussels Marinara

Octopus Affogati with Linguine

Christmas Escarole

Struffoli

One of the most important feasting days is actually a night—Christmas Eve. To Southern Italians, this means one thing—The Feast of the Seven Fishes, an incredible meal with seafood as the star.

For many years, many religious holidays had abstinence rules, and you were not allowed to eat meat or dairy products on Christmas Eve in order to spiritually prepare yourself for the coming holy day. No meat and dairy? No problem. The Italians just served up lots of seafood (at least seven different dishes), cooked or fried in oil instead of butter.

The reason why seven fishes are served is unclear. Some people believe that it is simply because the number seven has taken on a cosmic meaning (as in “lucky seven”). The number shows up often in the Catholic faith, with the Seven Sacraments as an example, and it is mentioned many times in the Bible (consider the Seven Deadly Sins, or that God created the world in seven days). For our family, the number of seafood items we serve is flexible, and it is rarely as few as seven.

Baccalà Salad

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

Marinated baccalà salad is a must for the Seven Fishes Christmas Eve Feast. The fish is soaked to remove the salt for no less than three (or four, if you have time) days, so plan ahead. Buy relatively thick snowy white fillets—if the fish looks yellowish, pass it up.

2 pounds skinless salt cod fillets

⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup coarsely chopped pitted kalamata olives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.
Cut each fillet into three or four pieces. Rinse the surface salt off the cod under cold running water. Place the cod in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Cover and refrigerate, changing the water at least twice a day, until looks it fully rehydrated, at least 3 and up to 4 days.

2.
Drain the cod well. Cut into 3-inch pieces and put them in a large saucepan. Add enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cover. Simmer until the fish flakes easily with a fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain the cod in a colander. Transfer to a bowl of cold water and let cool for about 10 minutes.

3.
Meanwhile, whisk the lemon juice, basil, and garlic together in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil.

4.
Drain the cod and flake the fish with a fork. Add the flaked cod and olives to the lemon dressing and toss to coat. Season lightly to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 1 day before serving. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Christmas Escarole

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

Another dish that is always served on Christmas Eve is braised escarole. This bitter green is cooked with a little garlic as a side dish throughout the year, but during the holidays, it is dressed up with pine nuts, olives, capers, and raisins, with anchovies as the required fish element.

2 pounds escarole, tough ends trimmed, coarsely chopped

½ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

½ cup dark raisins

⅓ cup drained nonpareil capers, rinsed

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (see
here
)