15 Comments

Hi Giulia, I’m cooking your pork loin with pears in a few days. Can I wrap it with prosciutto and cheese the day before? Hoping to prep as much as I can in advance. Thank you! 🙏🏾

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Hi Kimberly, what a great choice!

yes, you can prepare it the day before and leave it in the fridge overnight.

Remember to remove it for the fridge at least half an hour before you want to cook it!

Enjoy! And happy holidays!

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I loved reading this article. It brought back so many memories. When my aunts made the braciole, they made a paste with “lard” and the parsley, garlic, salt and pepper and spread it on the thin beef and rolled it and cooked it in the sauce like you mentioned. Their mother, my grandmother, was from Bari and my grandfather was from Basilicata. I’m not sure where the “lard” idea came from. Any ideas?

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Your reply reminded me of my mother's braciole. She made the exact same paste as your aunts only I think she used salt pork, not lard. They were so delicious with a unique taste.

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Yes, it was a unique taste. Since I don’t use lard that much, I have done it with shortening. Not the same for sure. I think the next time I make it, I will try it Giulia’s way.

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Today's email brought tears to my eyes. Memories of my mother's Lasagna, a holiday tradition, came flooding back. She passed away many years ago but I have her recipe which is the one I make. My brother, who passed away last month, loved Lasagna and he told me mine was the closest to our mom's and he loved it. In addition to ground beef, we use sausage meat. The ricotta mixture includes, eggs, parsley, grated cheese and mozzarella. To me that mixture is the key to the success of any baked pasta. The holidays are bittersweet but we must always look forward. I am thankful for

my memories. Merry Christmas.

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These recipes look incredible! Thanks so much for sharing.

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Le sagne uno dei piatti tipici dell'Abruzzo. Spesso con i fagioli (con le cotiche nella versione de-luxe) oppure con i ceci. Piatto ovviamente povero, fatte solo di acqua e farina 😊

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Oh what memories your letter has revived. I miss my mother every day but at holiday time, it's more poignant. Lasagna was a a holiday dish and my mother's was delicious. It became the benchmark for all other Lasagnas. The best compliment I received came from my brother. He said my Lasagna tasted just like mom's.

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My mother in law makes this recipe every Christmas (my father in law was from Calábria), but with small differences here and there! She doesn’t like meat and make chicken meatballs instead :((

I’m gonna try yours!

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What a wonderful recipe, I'm hoping to cook over this coming weekend. I have a friend who talks about his Sausanga, I've always laughed it off, but now I literally eat my words. I will be using my big red le cruset pot as I only have a silver oven 😁

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That recipe is a total wow! I’m not sure if I’m up to the task of making it, but it made my mouth water, even after a full meal. Thanks you snd Merry Christmas!

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Why oh why did my Napolitana wife become a vegetarian?

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This is the beautiful lasagne I remember from childhood. Without the eggs, it's not the same...

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What a legacy!! I was trying to explain to my family the difference between a true Italian lasagna and the one they know (my mother’s). now I can point them here! Happy Christmas, dear Guilia. ❤️

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