by Deborah Perugi | Dec 19, 2025 | Fish, Pasta, Recipes
I just made this for friends and unfortunately forgot to take a picture… But I updated the recipe. Enjoy!
Archie’s friend Cinque made his Linguini with Clam Sauce every Christmas. Many years ago (circa 1980), I was there for his Christmas party. You can see me being served in the doorway. Back then I could eat plenty of pasta! Recipe follows.
Updated 12/19/2025
For 4:
Add one bottle clam juice to a pot of water. Add one package linguini and cook until al dente.
Chop 4 cloves garlic, 1/4+ C parsley and grate 1 C of parmesan.
In a large pan, cook chopped garlic in 2T butter and 3T olive oil and stir or 1 minute. Add @2 C chopped clams with their juice and cook a few minutes, then add pepper (and salt to taste.)
While the pasta is cooking, steam about 12 Little Neck clams in their own pan with 1 C water.
Drop undrained cooked pasta along with some water into the clam saucepan and stir. Add chopped parsley (squeeze of lemon?) and transfer directly to a large bowl. Sprinkle plenty of parmesan and freshly ground pepper.
Place in large bowl. Add opened clams and their shells around the side and sprinkle parmesan on top. Serve reserved cheese for table.
by Nancy Krug | Nov 1, 2025 | Chicken, Fish, Fruit, Main Dish, Recipes, Vegetables
Batter for Frying
Leah Battani Perugi
Here is the basic batter used for frying zucchini, artichokes, shrimp, chicken and
eggplant.
Ingredients:
2 eggs
1.5 Tablespoons olive oil (you can use corn oil)
2/3 cup warm water
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup of flour
Break the eggs into a bowl, and add oil, water, and salt. Beat until nicely mixed and
homogeneous. Slowly sprinkle in the flour, beating the batter. Let it sit for a couple of
hours before using it. When you use this batter to coat the cut up vegetables or
anything else, drop in only a few pieces at a time, turn them slowly with a fork to coat all
sides and, then take them out and immediately put them into frying oil. This batter is
also good for frying apples. Cut apples less than ¼ inch across.
When mixing the batter, it is best with a fork until nicely mixed and the consistency of a
good pancake batter. It’s good also for fish such as cod. Cook at medium heat.
Editor Note: I remember she used to make this Frito Misto with Artichoke Hearts, Zucchini, Mushrooms and Fish.
by Deborah Perugi | Feb 26, 2025 | Main Dish, Pasta, Recipes, Soup
I decided to try something different than the artichoke torte I usually make with eggs. I’m sure there is a similar greek recipe for this but here is my version. It’s perfect for a week night.
3/4 bag frozen artichoke hearts from Whole Foods. Defrosted in microwave 1-2 minutes.
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup orzo
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
1 T butter
squeeze half lemon
pinch of oregano
Melt butter and add oilve oil to a deep fry pan
Add onions and artichokes and stir
Add garlic and salt and pepper
Add chicken broth and stir, Heat for five minutes
Add orzo and stir, cook until done.
Add juice lemon
Add parsley, more salt to taste
Serve with parmesan and crusty bread
(Recipe can be converted to soup with less orzo and more broth.)
by Deborah Perugi | Feb 15, 2025 | Christmas, Christmas & New Year's, Dolci, Recipes
Making cannolis is fun and easy if you buy the shells and make the filling at home. You will need a pastry bag or plastic bag with a hole cut in the corner to squeeze the filling into the shells from both sides. Great for parties!
_______________From https://www.italymagazine.com/recipe/sicilian-cannoli_____________
Ricotta filling
Drain the ricotta the night before for at least 8 hours to get as much water out of it as you can.
Whisk with the icing sugar, once it is nice and creamy, add the chopped candied fruit (you can also add chocolate chips).
Use a pastry bag to pipe the ricotta into the cannoli shells from both ends. Dust with powdered sugar and deep the two ends in ground pistachio nuts.
Remember to fill the cannoli just before serving them. If you fill them too early, the ricotta cream can get the shell soggy.
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500 grams
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140 grams
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add
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add
- may add a little cinnamon and 1 tsp. vanilla.
by Deborah Perugi | Mar 31, 2024 | Dolci, Easter, Recipes
I saw this on TicTock on brazzitrattoria. Great for easy Easter dessert! This is his picture. My cake is in the oven!
6 eggs
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp corn starch
2 cups sugar
3 pounds (48 oz) ricotta cheese
Grease springform pan with spray or butter
Set oven to 400 degrees
Mix six eggs
Add vanilla and mix again
Add corn starch and sugar and mix
Add ricotta and mix again well
(if you use a 2 lb. carton of ricotta, cut the rest of the ingredients by 1/3)|
(converts to: 4 eggs, 1 t. vanilla, 1 t. cornstarch, 1 1/3 c. sugar, 2 lb. carton ricotta
Add 1-2 t. grated lemon if desired
Pour into pan and bake at 400 for ten minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees.
Bake 1 hour then turn off oven and let rest in oven for another hour
by Pam Marraccini | Mar 22, 2024 | Polenta, Recipes
From Pam Perugi Marraccini
• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees
• 9×9 or 10x 10 baking dish brushed with olive oil
• 2 c polenta
• 6 c water or chicken stock
• 2 t Salt
• 2 T Butter
• ½ c grated parmigiana
1. Cook polenta. I bring the liquid to a boil with salt and add the polenta all at once stirring with a whisk to
remove all lumps, takes only seconds to accomplish.
2. Lower the temperature and continue stirring until it pulls away from the sides of the pot (20 minutes or so).
3. Add butter and parmigiana. Stir thoroughly.
4. Spread evenly in baking dish and sprinkle top with thinly sliced brick cheese if you can find it or 1 ½ c grated Monterey jack or other mild cheese mix. Then add Quick Tomato Sauce on top of that.
5. Bake for 30-45 minutes. It’s even better reheated the second day; it gets firm and becomes sliceable.
Note from Deb: I have placed firm pieces of polenta on a charcoal grill and added sauce before serving. Excellent!
by Pam Marraccini | Mar 22, 2024 | Recipes, Sauce
By Pam Perugi Marraccini
When Dad came home from one of his visits to Italy, he showed me this quick method for making tomato sauce taught to him by his cousin Bruna Palermo. It has been my standard ever since.
You can use fresh peeled tomatoes or jarred/canned tomatoes.
I use canned whole San Marzano Tomatoes or the Jarred version by Jovial.
• ¼ – ½ c Olive oil to cover bottom of pan. (I use a frying pan which speeds up the process due to the larger surface area, cooks in 45 minutes or less.)
• 1 – 28 oz can whole/peeled San Marzano or 2 – 14 Oz Jars of Jovial whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 large onion, chopped finely
• 2-3 garlic cloves, chopped finely
• Salt and freshly milled black pepper to taste
• Any herb that suits your menu of the day: marjoram is my favorite, but oregano, rosemary, or fresh basil (added at the end) will work too.
Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil until transparent, add whole tomatoes and chop them with the edge of a wooden spoon while cooking them ( or pulse them in a food processor to a chunky texture.) Add all seasonings, except basil. Stir and chop regularly. Takes only 45 minutes or so. Add fresh basil at the end.
by Pam Marraccini | Mar 22, 2024 | Bread, Gluten Free, Recipes
By Ivo Cola, from Pam Perugi Marraccini
INGREDIENTS:
• 500 grams (1.1 lbs) (17.637 ozs.) Caputo Brand, “Fioreglut”, gluten-free flour (this flour works best, period)
• 5 grams dry yeast (i.e. 1 ¼ to 1 ½ tsp)
• 400 grams (400 ml) (14.1 oz) of luke-warm water, around 80-degrees F
• 10 grams salt (i.e. 1 ½ tsp)
•12 grams (3 tsp) extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) plus more for mixing
• Some extra gluten-free flour for dusting
PROCESS:
1. Add yeast to the flour, and then add the water, mix to incorporate (before you mix, coat your hands with EVOO. If
using a spatula to mix, coat the spatula with EVOO)
• Add the salt and mix in until incorporated
• Add the EVOO and continue mixing (use the pincher method, which is to squeeze the dough while mixing)
• Once all ingredients are mixed thoroughly together, let rest, covered, for 10 minutes
• After 10 minutes, coat your hands with some EVOO and shape the dough into a round shape (like making a large meat ball)
• Sprinkle a proofing basket (or bowl) generously with gluten free flour (this will help prevent the dough from sticking) and then place the dough in the basket
• Sprinkle some gluten free flour on top of the dough and cover with a kitchen towel until it doubles in size, which is typically 3 – 4 hours
• Place a Dutch oven with its lid (or any other oven proof bakeware and lid) into the oven and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F
• Carefully remove the hot Dutch oven from your oven, and carefully place the dough inside. Score the top of the dough with a bread lame (or you can cut the top with scissors) Place lid on top and cook in oven for 30 minutes with the lid on
• After 30 minutes, remove lid and cook for 10 minutes
• After 10 minutes, change setting on oven to broil and broil for 5 minutes (this will add an amazing color to the top of the bread)
• Then remove the bread and let stand 30 minutes. Enjoy.
by Deborah Perugi | Aug 5, 2023 | Lasagna, Pasta, Recipes, Sauce
1 large can San Marzano tomatoes with juice. (Find authentic San Marzano at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Wegman’s and World Market.)
1/4 c olive oil
1 garlic clove
2 T tomato paste
fresh basil leaves
Bottle of Passata (purchase at Whole Foods or World Market)
Pour olive oil into saucepan and add roughly sliced garlic clove, brown lightly and remove. Add tomatoes. Break up as they cook into smaller pieces. Add tomato paste to thicken. Crushed red pepper if desired. Cook to reduce sauce. Add basil leaves and continue to cook until done..
Use as a base sauce for eggplant parmesan, Sasage Ragu, Pasta Puttanesca, Cattiatore, pizza, etc.
(Photo to come)
by Deborah Perugi | May 12, 2023 | Dolci, Recipes
From Grandma’s hand written note:
1/4 cup rice, wash well.
Cook slowly in quart milk, a little salt, stir all the time in a sauce pan, until rice is cooked
1/2 cup sugar to taste
Take 5 eggs if small (4 if large), heat a little, put a tsp. vanilla
Place in buttered pan, 4 small pieces of butter on top
Put in medium oven (325°) about 25-30 min (45 min.in our oven) until knife comes out clean.
(Note: Rich and I both felt that 1/4 cup uncooked Basmati rice was not enough in this recipe. Next time I would use 1/3 to 1/2 cup instead. Also, I would change sugar to 1/4 C. — Deb)
