My Big Family Italian Sunday Meal

I am 100% Italian. My grandparents spoke Italian and so did my father. My mother learned her Italian from my father and his family. But my Dad didn't want his children raised Italian. We were Americans and that was that. Whenever we had to fill out school records - American was checked in the nationality box. Once I remember checking Italian and my father raised the roof. I never made that mistake again.

I love being Italian, even though I can't speak or understand the language or pretty much don't know too much about being Italian. I do know that I love to eat. I love it when the family comes together, and where food and drink and laughter are the most important component.

This past Sunday, I had an old fashioned Italian meal where most of my children were part of the festivities and participated in the laughter and the food. It was also a celebration of my daughter's engagement.

I spent two days cleaning the house and going back and forth to the grocery store, probably a half dozen times before I had everything I needed. I made a trip to the liquor store and bought four bottles of wine. I even went out to purchase some colored plastic tablecloths, matching napkins, and matching cups. I used regular plates and silver ware because it made it easier to manage the food.

I made my homemade pasta sauce with all my herbs and spices. I made my "famous" meatballs. The meatball recipe was from my mother. This recipe used by my mother and my grandmother had never been written down. Every recipe they used was in their heads. Now some of those wonderful recipes are lost. So I try to remember what they did or try to recall how the foods tasted. I cooked the sausage and when the meats were done, I put them into the sauce to simmer for hours.

Because there were over 20 people sharing the meal at two different tables, I decided to cut the bread in big slices. I assembled two huge antipasto platters with different types of olives, marinated artichokes, sweet red and yellow roasted peppers in olive oil, sliced,sharp Italian imported provolone cheese, thinly sliced prosciutto, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and mozzarella cheese tossed with imported Italian olive oil and balsamic vinegar, salami, and capers sprinkled throughout.

I cooked 3-1/2 pounds of pasta, and used over three pounds each of sausage and ground meat. Even with all the food I prepared, it sounded like a good amount. But I remember when my mother and grandmother made an Italian Sunday meal - it wasn't just pasta, meatballs, sausage, bread and salad. There would be stuffed braciole cooked in sauce, stuffed artichokes, breaded veal cutlets or chicken, broccoli, a tossed salad, and a few other dishes. But this was my meal, my way, and I knew that it would all be eaten. Even with leftovers, I had plenty of plastic containers available for my kids to fill and take home with them.

We toasted the newly engaged couple with wine. For dessert we had a yellow cake with raspberry filling, and yellow cupcakes with a chocolate butter cream frosting. Both purchased from the Oakmont Bakery (www.oakmontbakery.com).

Yes, this is my version of a Sunday, Italian meal. But the best part was having my children and grandchildren underfoot, and at the table, laughing and talking. We started the meal with the "Grace Before Meals," and a "Buon Appetito" (enjoy your meal.) In the end when we toasted the newly engaged couple with a "Salute."