Italian Food and Travels – Take Italy Home with Recipes by Daniel Bellino

On September 20, 2026 By Daniel BellinoIn PositanoLeave a comment

ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVELS

ROME VENICE – PIZZA PASTA & ?

Including : BOURDAIN in ITALY

And 40 of ITALY’S MOST LOVED RECIPES

AMAZON.com

ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVELS :

A Journey Through Italy, One Plate at a Time

Italian Food & Travels: Rome, Venice, Pizza, Pasta & ? by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Italy is one of those rare places where you can travel with your eyes, your feet — or your appetite.

A plate of pasta can tell you something about a city. A glass of wine can introduce you to a region. A bowl of soup can reveal the traditions of a family. A simple meal in a neighborhood trattoria can sometimes tell you more about Italy than a day spent checking famous tourist attractions off a list.

That idea is at the heart of Italian Food & Travels: Rome, Venice, Pizza, Pasta & ?, the Italian food and travel book by Daniel Bellino Zwicke.

Part travel guide, part cookbook, part culinary memoir, the book takes readers on a journey through Italy through the things that make the country so irresistible: food, wine, history, people, cities, traditions and the pleasure of sitting down at the table.

Italy Is a Country of Food

When people outside Italy talk about “Italian food,” they often imagine a handful of famous dishes: pizza, spaghetti, lasagna, tiramisu and perhaps a plate of chicken parmigiana.

But Italy doesn’t really have one single cuisine.

It has an extraordinary collection of regional food traditions.

The cuisine of Venice is not the cuisine of Naples. Roman cooking is different from Tuscan cooking. Sicilian food carries influences from centuries of Mediterranean history, while the food of northern Italy reflects a very different landscape, climate and culinary tradition.

Italy’s official tourism organization describes Italian cuisine as a vast mosaic of regional traditions, with different landscapes, cultures, ingredients and culinary practices contributing to the food of each area.

That’s what makes traveling through Italy such an exciting experience for anyone who loves food.

You aren’t simply eating “Italian food.”

You’re eating Roman food in Rome. Venetian food in Venice. Neapolitan food in Naples. Sicilian food in Sicily. Tuscan food in Tuscany.

And that’s a very different adventure.

ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVELS by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Italian Food & Travels was written by New York-based food, wine and travel writer Daniel Bellino Zwicke, whose career has been deeply connected with Italian food, wine and restaurants.

Zwicke has spent decades working in the New York restaurant and wine world and has traveled extensively throughout Italy. His professional background includes culinary training, restaurant management and wine direction, including his work at Bar Cichetti, a Venetian-style wine bar in Greenwich Village.

That background gives Italian Food & Travels a perspective that goes beyond the typical tourist guide.

The book is about experiencing Italy through food.

It takes readers through places including:

Rome
Venice
Verona
Florence
Naples
Capri
Positano
The Amalfi Coast
Sicily
Puglia
Tuscany
and other Italian destinations

The result is a culinary journey through some of the most beloved regions and cities in Italy.

The COLOSSEUM

ROME

A Travel Guide for People Who Love to Eat

There are plenty of books about traveling through Italy.

There are also plenty of Italian cookbooks.

Italian Food & Travels brings those two worlds together.

Imagine planning a trip to Italy and being able to read about the places you’re visiting while also discovering the food associated with them.

That’s the concept.

Rather than treating food as something separate from travel, Zwicke treats food as one of the best ways to understand a destination.

And that’s an important distinction.

If you visit Naples, you don’t simply want to see Naples.

You want to understand Neapolitan food.

If you visit Venice, you don’t just want to photograph the canals.

You want to understand the Venetian tradition of bacari, cicchetti, seafood, pasta and wine.

If you travel along the Amalfi Coast, the experience becomes even richer when you understand the ingredients and dishes that come from Campania.

Food turns travel into something personal.

Rome: Pasta, History and La Dolce Vita

Rome is one of the world’s great food cities.

It’s also one of the best places to understand how Italian cooking can be incredibly simple while still being deeply satisfying.

Roman cuisine is famous for dishes such as:

Cacio e Pepe.

Carbonara.

Amatriciana.

Gricia.

But Roman food is much more than a list of famous pasta dishes.

It is about neighborhood trattorias, markets, bakeries, espresso bars, pizza, artichokes, porchetta and long lunches.

A traveler who understands the food of Rome experiences the city differently.

Every meal becomes part of the journey.

VENICE

VENICE – The Magic of Italian Food on the Water

Venice is unlike any other city in Italy.

Built around canals and islands, Venice developed a distinctive food culture shaped by its history as a major maritime trading power.

Venetian cuisine has an extraordinary relationship with the sea.

Fish and seafood, polenta, rice, vegetables and small plates all play important roles.

And then there is the Venetian bacaro.

A bacaro is a traditional Venetian wine bar where locals can stop for a glass of wine and small bites known as cicchetti.

For Daniel Bellino Zwicke, Venice has particular significance. His professional career included creating Bar Cichetti in New York City, a Venetian-style wine bar inspired by the bacari of Venice.

This connection between Venice and New York is part of what makes Zwicke’s approach to Italian food and travel particularly personal.

Naples: Pizza, Pasta and the Soul of Southern Italy

Few cities are as closely identified with a single food as Naples is with pizza.

But Naples is about much more than pizza.

It is a city of street food, seafood, pasta, pastries, coffee, tomatoes, mozzarella and intensely flavored southern Italian cooking.

From pizza Napoletana to pasta dishes and seafood, the food of Naples reflects the character of the city itself: direct, generous, lively and deeply rooted in tradition.

And Naples is also the gateway to some of Italy’s most famous destinations.

From here, travelers can explore:

Capri.

Sorrento.

Positano.

The Amalfi Coast.

Each has its own food traditions and personality.

POSITANO

The AMALFI COAST

The AMALFI COAST : Lemon, Seafood and La Dolce Vita

The Amalfi Coast has become one of the world’s most recognizable travel destinations.

The dramatic coastline, colorful villages and Mediterranean views make it unforgettable.

But the food is equally memorable.

Think:

Fresh seafood
Handmade pasta
Local lemons
Tomatoes
Olive oil
Mozzarella
Seafood pasta
Lemon desserts
Limoncello

The Amalfi Coast is a perfect example of why food and travel belong together.

The landscape influences the ingredients.

The ingredients influence the recipes.

The recipes become part of the culture.

And eventually, the food becomes part of what travelers remember most.

Sicily: Where Italian Food Meets the Mediterranean

Sicily is one of the most fascinating food destinations in Europe.

Its cuisine reflects the island’s complicated history and its position at the center of the Mediterranean.

Greek, Arab, Norman, Spanish and other influences have all contributed to Sicily’s extraordinary culinary identity.

Some of the foods travelers associate with Sicily include:

Arancini

Caponata

Pasta alla Norma

Sarde

Cannoli

Granita

And countless regional specialties.

Sicily demonstrates something essential about Italian cuisine:

Italian food is not static.

It is the product of geography, history, agriculture, migration and generations of cooks adapting traditions to the ingredients available to them.

ALBEROBELLO

PUGLIA

Puglia: The Italy of Olive Oil, Pasta and the Mediterranean

Puglia, in Italy’s southeast, has become increasingly popular with travelers looking for authentic regional food and a slower style of travel.

The region is known for its olive oil, vegetables, wheat, seafood and handmade pasta.

One of its most recognizable dishes is orecchiette, the small ear-shaped pasta traditionally associated with Puglia.

Recent culinary travel coverage has highlighted the region’s cheeses, olive oils, seafood, markets and traditional food producers, illustrating how food tourism in Puglia continues to attract travelers looking for regional experiences.

Puglia is another reminder that some of Italy’s most memorable food experiences don’t necessarily come from the most famous tourist attractions.

Sometimes they’re found at the table.

ORECCHIETTE

PUGLIE

40 of ITALY’S Most LOVED RECIPES by BELLINO

PASTA BOLOGNESE

“SECRET RECIPE by BELLINO”

Recipe

One of the attractions of Italian Food & Travels is that readers don’t have to simply dream about Italian food.

They can cook it.

The book includes a collection of Italian recipes connected to the culinary journey, allowing readers to bring some of the flavors of Italy into their own kitchens. Published descriptions of the book highlight dishes and recipes including Ragù Bolognese, Porchetta, Wild Boar Ragù, Pesto Genovese, Caponata, Lasagna, Spaghetti alle Vongole, Pasta Nerano, Ragu Napoletana and Amalfi-style lemon cake, among others.

That makes the book particularly appealing to two kinds of readers:

People who want to travel to Italy.

And people who want to taste Italy at home.

Ideally, of course, you are both.

What Does Italian Food Really Mean?

Perhaps the most interesting question isn’t “What is Italian food?”

It’s:

What does Italian food mean?

For many people, Italian food means family.

It means Sunday dinner.

It means Nonna.

It means pasta being made in the kitchen.

It means tomatoes simmering on the stove.

It means a bottle of wine opened with friends.

It means bread on the table.

It means staying at the table longer than you intended.

The cultural importance of food and sharing is deeply embedded in Italian and Mediterranean traditions. UNESCO’s description of the Mediterranean diet emphasizes not only ingredients and cooking, but also hospitality, social exchange, traditions and the communal act of eating together.

That’s why Italian food has such universal appeal.

It’s not simply about eating.

It’s about living.

Anthony Bourdain

Eatin CACIO PEPE

“TONY’S FAVORITE PASTA”

ANTHONY BOURDAIN’S ITALY

One of the special features associated with Italian Food & Travels is its section devoted to Anthony Bourdain’s Italy.

Bourdain understood something that every serious food traveler eventually discovers:

The best way to understand a place is often to eat your way through it.

His Italian travels took him across different regions, cities and culinary traditions.

The Bourdain section of Zwicke’s book follows that spirit, exploring Italian destinations and foods associated with Bourdain’s travels and culinary adventures.

For readers who discovered Italy through Bourdain’s television programs, this provides another reason to pick up the book.

It offers a chance to revisit Italy through the food, places and experiences that made Bourdain’s travel stories so memorable.

Why Food Is the Best Way to Travel Through Italy

You can read about Italy in a history book.

You can study Italy on a map.

You can watch documentaries about Italy.

But food gives you another kind of knowledge.

You learn about a place by tasting it.

You discover that northern Italian cooking can feel very different from southern Italian cooking.

You discover that pasta isn’t one thing.

You discover that every region has its own specialties.

You discover that the best meal isn’t always the most expensive meal.

And you discover that sometimes the most memorable restaurant is the little trattoria you almost walked past.

That’s the Italy that Italian Food & Travels tries to capture.

The Best Italian Travel Book for Food Lovers?

For readers searching for an Italian travel guide, Italian cookbook, Italian food travel book, or book about traveling through Italy, Italian Food & Travels offers an unusual combination.

It isn’t simply a guidebook.

It isn’t simply a cookbook.

And it isn’t simply a memoir.

It brings these elements together.

The book combines travel stories, destinations, food traditions, recipes and observations gathered from Daniel Bellino Zwicke’s decades of experience with Italian food, wine and travel.

That makes it a natural companion for anyone who loves:

Italian food
Italian recipes
Italy travel
Italian wine
Pasta
Pizza
Rome
Venice
Florence
Naples
Sicily
Tuscany
Puglia
The Amalfi Coast
Capri
Positano
Italian culture
Food history
Culinary travel

TAKE ITALY HOME With YOU Take

The wonderful thing about a great travel book is that it doesn’t have to end when the trip ends.

You can close the book, walk into your kitchen and make pasta.

You can open a bottle of Italian wine.

You can prepare a traditional dish.

You can invite friends over.

And suddenly, for a few hours, you’re back in Italy.

That is the real promise of Italian Food & Travels.

It isn’t merely about getting from Rome to Venice or Naples to Sicily.

It’s about discovering Italy through its food, its people, its traditions and its stories.

Italy is waiting.

The table is set.

All that’s missing is you.

Discover Italian Food & Travels by Daniel Bellino Zwicke

Italian Food & Travels: Rome, Venice, Pizza, Pasta & ? is a travel guide and cookbook for anyone who loves Italy, Italian food and the adventure of discovering a country one meal at a time.

Learn about the destinations.

Discover the recipes.

Follow the stories.

And start planning your next Italian adventure.

Mangia!

Read. Travel. Cook. Discover Italy.

BELLINO in ITALY

Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke

At The TEATRO GRECO

SIRACUSA, SICILY

Italys Most Famous Butcher – Dario Cecchini – Panzano Italy

On September 13, 2026 By Daniel BellinoIn PositanoLeave a comment

DARIO CECCHINI

MACCELERIA CECCHINI

PANZANO, ITALY

DARIO CECCHINI

DARIO CECCHINI Says “HELLO”

“HELLO NEW YORK” !!!

The MENU

A BEEF STEAK FEAST

5 COURSES of PRIME BEEF

CARNE CRUDO (STEAK TARTARE)

CARPACIO di CULO

(Seared Rump Steak)

TAGLI CECCHINI (Dario’s Signature Cut)

BISTECCA PANZANESE (Panzanese Steak)

COSTATA alla FIORENTINA (Bone-In Ribeye)

Served with FAGIOLI (Beans) & PATATE (Baked Potato)

CHIANTI

OLIVE OIL CAKE & VIN SANTO

“ALL For ONLY 50 EUROS”

OUR TUSCAN STEAK FEAST

I have known Dario Cecchini since 2001. That was the first time I went to his macceleria in Panzano. I don’t know him very well, but I have been to his butcher shop a few time, and said hello. Since the last time I was in Panzano, and at Dario’s butcher shop (Macelleria Cecchini) Dario has opened a restaurant, Officina Bistecca in Panzano, across the street from his famous butcher shop. Ever since I heard I was dying to go there. At Officina Bistecca you are treated to an amazing Tuscan Steak Feast by Dario. The feast incudes several courses of Prime Beef Steak in numerous forms – Carne Crudo (Steak Tartare), Carpaccio di Culo which translates to Carpaccio of the Ass, “Haha.” Just a little joke. The Carpaccio is made from Beef Rump (Culo). Then you move on to Tagli Cecchini, then Bistecca Panzanese (T-bone Steak), and then Crostata di Fiorentian (Ribeye Steak), alls served with Fagioli (Tuscan Beans) Roast Potato, Tuscan Butter (Lardo), and all the Chianti you can drink. You finish the meal with a tasty piece of Olive Oil Cake and Vin Santo Dessert wine, all for only 50 Euros. “Quite a Deal? And we Loved it”

The we? Me, and my cousins Tony & Debbie. We had a hard time convincing my cousin Tony. He didn’t want to go, but his wife Debbie loves Steak better than anything, and I love steak as well, and had been yearning to eat there, ever since I heard about it. I had to go. I told Debbie, “come on Debbie, we Gott go.” She agreed, and talked Tony into it. So on Tuesday March 3rd (2026), we drove down there. To Panzano and to the Macceleria Cecchini, for an amazing Tuscan Beef Feast at Dario’s Officina della Bistecca (Office of Florentine T-bone Steak). We were not to be denied, cousin Debbie and I. And so we arrived. It was quite exciting. When we arrived, and parked our car in the adjacent parking lot, we walking in through the maccelleria which was already abuzz with people meeting Dario and getting ready for the steak feast of their lives. The Antica Macelleria Cecchini has been in Dario’s family for many years and Dario is the 8th Generation of his family to run this butcher shop. Dario and the macelleria became famous, a couple years after Dario took over the shop. Dario would often quote the famed Florentine poet – Dante Alighieri, and that’s how he started gaining notoriety and thus became famous, along with the butcher shop. It didn’t hurt that Mario Batali became good friends with Dario, and author Bill Buford apprenticed with Dario and wrote about him in his Best Selling book “HEAT,” which is almost like a biography of Batali, with parts about Dario, and Buford’s experiences apprenticing with both Dario at the macceleria and with Mario at Babbo.

Anyway, back to me and my cousins, and our Tuscan Steak Feast. We had a wonderful time. The dining room is quite convivial, festive, and it’s loads of fun. Needless to say, everyone is happy and in high-spirits. It all starts with Dario making a speech to charge everyone up before we go into eat. Dario blows his bus horn and welcomes everyone to the Maceelleria & Officina dell Bistecca for the Feast to come. “Carne Diem !!! Carne Diem,” Dario shouts, and the crowd outside repeats his chants. Everyone is all charged-up and ready to go.

Anyway. We had the Steak Feast. We Loved it, and all agreed that it was a very special thing to do, and a day we shall always remember. And needless to say, “Cherish,” always.

After we got back home in the USA, me in New York, and Tony & Debbie down in Florida, I gave Tony a call one day, and we talked about the trip, (a Week in Tuscany). We talked of Lucca, going to Villa Santo Stefano Wine Estate (Lucca), our day in Bolgheri, on the Tuscan Coast, and our day at Dario’s, and Tony said to me, “You know, the Best Thing we did, was going to Dario’s (Macelleria Cecchini & Officina Bistecca). I agreed, and was quite happy to say that. Happy that he didn’t just agree because that’s what Debbie & I wanted to do more than anything, and Tony was going along. No Tony loved it just as much as we did. And so, that was our day with Dario. I chatted a bit with Dario and I shot some video to make a little film (video) of Dario, the famous butcher shop, and our “Wonderful” Tuscan Steak Feast. Yes a day to remember, and one I hasn’t forget. It was so very cool.

Basta!

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

May 21, 2026

ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVEL

ROME VENICE PANZANO PIZZA PASTA

CHIANTI BISTECCA & More …

AMAZON.com

Author DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE (r)

with DARIO CECCHINI

And COUSIN TONY B (L)

At MACELLERIA CECCHINI

PANAZANO

BELLINO & CECCHINI

From Google search

Daniel Bellino and Dario Cecchini share a deep connection rooted in a mutual passion for traditional culinary arts, particularly celebrated through Cecchini’s legendary Tuscan butcher shop.

The CONNECTION

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke is a prominent New York-based Italian-American cookbook author, wine educator, and food writer. He has frequently documented his travels to Italy and his high-profile culinary encounters, notably featuring Dario Cecchini across his social media platforms, blogs, and videos as a supreme “Master of Meat”.

The Meat Mecca: His historic shop, Antica Macelleria Cecchini, is a global destination for food lovers.
Acclaimed Restaurants: He runs three specialized dining concepts directly attached to his shop: Officina della Bistecca (famous for its 8-course Florentine steak progression), Solociccia, and Panzanese.
Theatrical Flair: Dario is famous for his rock-and-roll attitude, energetic hospitality, and shouting his signature catchphrase, “To Beef or Not to Beef!” while passionately reciting Dante’s Divine Comedy to his guests.

Daniel Bellino’s Perspective

Bellino-Zwicke first visited Cecchini’s butcher shop in 2003 before the attached restaurants were open, and has since returned to experience the full communal dining feasts. Through his books (like Sunday Sauce) and food tours, Bellino bridges the world of authentic Greenwich Village New York-Italian food with the ancient, soulful culinary traditions kept alive by masters like Cecchini in Tuscany.

“CARNE VINO e ROCK N’ ROLL” says DARIO

MACELLERIA CECCHINI

PANZANO, ITALY

The ITALIAN NONNA COOKBOOK

COOK LIKE a NONNA

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

AMAZON.com

DARIO

“The KING of BEEF”

ETRUSCACAN STEAKS & MORE !

The Italian Nonna Cookbook by Daniel Bellino – with Pacino Pasta Recipe and More

On September 2, 2026 By Daniel BellinoIn PositanoLeave a comment

The ITALIAN NONNA COOKBOOK

“COOK LIKE a NONNA”

100 ITALIAN NONNA RECIPE

Including “PACINO PASTA”

AMAZON.com

The ITALIAN NONNA COOKBOOK

“COOK LIKE a NONNA”

Authentic Italian Recipes, Family Traditions & The Soul of Italian Home Cooking

What if you could bring the warmth, flavor, and timeless traditions of an Italian Nonna right into your own kitchen?

The Italian Nonna Cookbook takes you on a delicious journey into the heart of Italian home cooking—where recipes are made with love, generous portions, simple ingredients, and the kind of time-tested techniques that have been passed from one generation to the next.

Written by bestselling Italian cookbook author Daniel Bellino Zwicke, an Italian-American New Yorker with more than 30 years of experience in New York City’s Italian restaurant and Italian wine businesses, this book is the result of a lifetime immersed in Italian food.

For more than 40 years, Daniel Bellino Zwicke has traveled throughout Italy, eating, cooking, tasting, and gathering recipes and food traditions from Italian Nonnas, restaurants, trattorias, salumerias, markets, and food artisans. From the bustling streets of Naples and Rome to the kitchens of Sicily, Calabria, Puglia, Tuscany, Liguria, Genoa, Florence, Venice, Capri, and Ischia, these experiences have helped capture what makes Italian food so beloved around the world.

A Taste of Italy in Every Chapter

PACINO PASTA RECIPE & MORE …

Inside The Italian Nonna Cookbook, you’ll discover an enticing collection of classic Italian dishes inspired by the food Italians actually love to eat at home.

From comforting bowls of pasta and soup to leisurely Sunday dinners, you’ll find recipes for:

Authentic Italian Pasta Dishes
Soups & Hearty Italian Comfort Foods
Antipasti & Italian Appetizers
Classic Chicken Dishes
Fresh Italian Seafood
Steaks, Italian-Style
Tender Lamb & Pork Dishes
Frittata & Rustic Egg Dishes
Classic Italian Meatballs
Traditional Braciole
Sunday Sauce & Italian Gravy
Italian Vegetables & Side Dishes
Irresistible Italian Nonna Desserts

And, of course, the book celebrates those legendary dishes that seem to taste even better when served around a crowded family table.

Discover the Secrets of Nonna’s Kitchen

Italian cooking isn’t about complicated techniques or expensive ingredients. It’s about knowing how to coax incredible flavor from simple, honest food.

It’s the aroma of garlic and onions slowly cooking in olive oil, a pot of Tomato Sauce simmering on the stove. A batch of Nonna’s fresh made Meatballs, Lasagna, Ricotta Cookies and so many good things. Tasty Italian Food – It Nourishes, it makes us Happy!

Whether you are an experienced Italian cook, an Italian-American who grew up eating Nonna’s food, someone with Italian roots who wants to reconnect with the cuisine of your family, or simply someone who loves great Italian food, this cookbook belongs in your kitchen.

Open the book. Tie on your apron. Put the pot on the stove.

Then cook like a Nonna.

Mangia!

RECIPES INDCLUDE :

LASAGNA
TOMATO SAUCE
PASTA PUTTANESCA
DOLLY’S MINESTRONE
PASTA FAZZOOL
RAGU NAPOLETANA
BRACIOLE
SUNDAY SAUCE
FRITTATA
PACINO PASTA

TASTY DESSERTS – Including SINATRA CHEESECAKE

The ITALIAN NONNA COOKBOOK

COOK LIKE a NONNA

100 NONNA RECIPES

Daniel Bellino Z

AMAZON.com

AL PACINO

“PACINO PASTA”

RECIPE in The ITALIAN NONNA COOKBOOK

AMAZON.com

Clams alla Sinatra Recipe

On August 15, 2026 By Daniel BellinoIn PositanoLeave a comment

CLAMS POSILLIPO

“FRANK’S FAVORITE”

FRANK SINATRA w/ AVA GARDNER

CLAMS POSILLIPO

CLAMS POSILLIPO “FRANK SINATRA’S FAVORITE

Clams Posillipo gets its name from a residential area that is part of the city of Naples. The Neapolitans love their seafood just as much as their pizza and famous Neapolitan meat ragu dishes. This dish was one of Frank Sinatra’s favorites, he just loved it. So if you want to eat like Sinatra, or simply relive memories of Naples or the Amalfi Coast, here’s the recipe. Every nonna in Naples knows how to make it very well. Make it and enjoy.

Ingredients :

3 dozen Littleneck Clams, washed and scrubbed

5 tablespoons Olive Oil

6 cloves of Garlic, peeled and cut into 4 pieces each

1 – 28 ounce can San Marzano Plum Tomatoes

¼ cup fresh Parsley, washed and chopped

1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes

Bay Leaf

¼ cup dry White Wine

9 slices of Italian Bread

5 cloves of Garlic, peeled and left whole

Toast all the bread on both sides under the broiler in your oven. Be careful not to burn. Remove the bread and set on a plate. Take one whole clove of peeled garlic and rub each side of the bread with the garlic.

Place the Olive Oil and the chopped Garlic in a large frying pan. Cook for 3 minutes on medium heat.

Lower the flame to low, add the Red Pepper and cook on low heat for 1 minute, stirring with a spoon.

Turn heat to high. Remove the tomatoes two at a time with a fork and place into the pan. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the Sea Salt and Black Pepper, and mix with the spoon.

Add the juices from the tomato can into the pan. Fill the empty tomato can with water and pour into the pan. Turn the heat to medium and cook for 12 minutes. Make sure you stir from time to time with a wooden spoon.

Put a large pot that has a cover on the stove. Add the wine and 4 cloves of whole garlic to pot and turn heat on to high.

Add ½ cup of water and the Bay Leaf to the pot. Bring the water up to the boil. Add all the Clams to the pot and cook on high heat until all the Clam Shells open (about 4-5 minutes). Turn the heat off and remove all the clams to a large bowl.

Add the tomatoes and all the juice to the pot with the clam liquid. Cook on high heat for 4 minutes. Add half of the chopped parsley and mix.

Place 3 slices each of the toasted bread around 3 pasta bowls. Divide half of the tomatoes among the 3 plates.

Place 12 clams in each of the 3 bowls. Pour the remaining tomatoes over the 2 plates of clams. Sprinkle a little olive oil over each plate. Sprinkle the remaining parsley over all the calms. Serve immediately. “Enjoy, you’re eating like Frank. Sinatra that is.”

Note : You can make Mussels Posillipo, simply by substituting Mussels for the Calms. Or you can make the dish using half Clams and half Mussels.

Note II : If you like your dishes spicy hot, add more Red Pepper Flakes to the recipe.

SINATRA SAUCE

COOK & EAT LIKE FRANK

His FAVORITE ITALIAN DISHES

AMAZON.com

“POSILLIPO”

NAPLES, ITALY

Posillipo is an affluent neighbourhood of Naples, Italy. It’s on the coast, and is famous for its beauty, views of Vesuvius, restaurants. and seafood dishes, such as “Clams Posillipo” Frank Sinatra’s favorite.

Spaghetti Nerano – Recipe by Bellino

On August 8, 2026 By Daniel BellinoIn PositanoLeave a comment

SPAGHETTI NERANO

“SPAGHETTI with ZUCCHINI”

SPAGHETTI NERANO – Recipe

Spaghetti is one of the most famous dishes of the Amalfi Coast. The dish comes from the town of Nerano on the coast of the Sorrento Peninsula just across from Capri. The dish was created by Maria Grazia at her trattoria in Nerano. The primary ingredient of the dish is Zucchini with Povola or Caciocavallo Cheese grated into the pasta. Many restaurants on the Amalfi Coast and Capri serve this dish, and most locals know how to make it, and cook it at home, especially if they happen to have a little garden growing Zucchini, Tomatoes, and other vegetables. It’s easy to make and soul satisfying. If you’ve been to the area you may have already eaten it, and so know you can make it back home.

Enjoy.

SPAGHETTI NERANO

Ingredients :

3 medium sized Zucchini, washed

4 tablespoons Olive Oil

1 tablespoon Butter

3 cloves Garlic, peeled and cut in half

¼ cup fresh Basil, washed and leaves torn in half

¾ cup of grated Caciocavallo Cheese

1 pound imported Italian Spaghetti

Sea Salt and ground Black Pepper

Slice the Zucchini into ⅛” rounds.

Fill a large pot ¾ full of water, with 2 tablespoons salt and bring to the boil.

Place the Olive Oil in a large frying pan, and turn heat to a medium flame. Add the Zucchini and start to cool. Sprinkle the zucchini with about ½ teaspoon each of salt and Black Pepper. Add the butter and garlic and cook the zucchini for 4-5 minutes on medium heat.

Add about a ¼ of the pasta cooking water to the pan with the zucchini, turn the heat to low and cook for about 6 minutes on low heat. Stir the zucchini with a wooden spoon as it is cooking.

Put the spaghetti into the rapidly boiling water and cook according to the directions on the package and the spaghetti is al dente (slightly firm toi the bite) usually about 10-11 minutes.

After the zucchini has cooked for a total of about 11 minutes. Turn the heat off. add the Basil and stir. Taste 1 piece of zucchini for seasoning to see if you want to add any more salt or pepper.

When the spaghetti is cooked, turn the heat off and drain the spaghetti into a colander, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water in case you need to add to the sauce.

Return the spaghetti to the put that it cooked in. Add all zucchini and all the juices from the pan in the pot with the spaghetti and stir.

Add half of the grated Caciocavallo cheese and stir. The consistency should be just slightly loose. If it is too tight, add a little pasta cooking water and stir.

Plate the spaghetti on 4 plates, giving each person an even amount of zucchini. Drizzle a little olive oil over each plate and serve.

Note : It’s best to make the dish with Caciocavallo Cheese, but if you can’t find, a combination of half grated Pecorino and half of Parmigiano Reggiano is a good substitute, or just Parmigano or Pecorino on their own.

Note II : Once you know how to make Spaghetti Nerano, you can make little variations, simply by adding one other ingredient that marries well with the dish. A great addition to this dish is to make Spaghetti Nerano just as above, and to add 4 or 5 pieces of sauteed shrimp on to each plate. Just have the shrimp ready and cook them in a little olive oil, seasoned with salt & pepper, and cooked for about 2 minutes on each side. Turn the heat off and add 4 or 5 pieces of shrimp to the plate with the Spaghetti Nerano and enjoy.

Excerpted from POSITANO The AMALFI COAST COOKBOOK / TRAVEL GUIDE by Daniel Bellino Zwicke … November 2020

POSITANO

The AMALFI COAST COOKBOOK / TRAVEL GUIDE

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The Worlds Best Bolognese – Marcella Hazan Recipe Ragu Bolognese Pasta

On July 26, 2026 By Daniel BellinoIn PositanoLeave a comment

MARCELLA HAZAN

“The QUEEN of ITALIAN HOME COOKING”

PASTA BOLOGNESE

alla MARCELLA

“There is no more perfect union in Gastronomy than the marriage of Ragu Bolognese and Bolognese Tagliatelle past.”

… Marcell Hazan …

RAGU BOLOGNESE

Recipe – Marcella Hazan

Ingredients :

1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp butter
½ cup chopped onion
⅔ cup chopped celery
⅔ cup chopped carrot
¾ lb ground beef chuck (80/20 mix for essential fat)
1 cup whole milk
1 pinch whole nutmeg
1 cup dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
1 ½ cups canned imported San Marzano whole tomatoes, cut up with their juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Step-by-Step Instructions

Sauté the Aromatics: Put the oil, butter, and chopped onion in a heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent. Add the celery and carrot, and cook for about 2 more minutes.
Brown the Beef: Add the ground beef and a large pinch of salt. Break the meat up with a fork, cooking just until it loses its raw, red color. Do not let it form a hard crust.
Incorporate the Milk: Turn down the heat slightly and add the milk. Let it simmer, stirring frequently, until the milk has completely evaporated and only the clear fat remains. Stir in a tiny pinch of nutmeg.
Add the Wine: Pour in the wine and let it simmer until it has fully evaporated. [1, 2, 3]
Simmer Low and Slow: Add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly. Turn the heat down to the lowest possible setting so the sauce bubbles at a lazy, infrequent murmur. Cook uncovered for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce dries out too much, add ½ cup of water as needed.
Finish: Taste, adjust for salt and pepper, and toss with fresh tagliatelle or fettuccine. Top with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Pro Tips for the Ultimate Ragù

Why White Wine? While many modern recipes call for red wine, traditional chefs prefer dry white wine because it yields a cleaner, sweeter profile that doesn’t overpower the delicate sweetness of the milk.
The Dairy Secret: Milk is vital because the lactic acid tenderizes the meat fibers during the long cook time, shielding the beef from the harsh acidity of the tomatoes.

The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK

The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOM

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

aka “DANNY BOLOGNESE”

After MARCELLA HAZAN – DANIEL’S is The 2nd

MOST POPULAR & RESPECTED RECIPE in AMERICA

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New Venice Travel Guide Cookbook by Daniel Bellino Zwicke – Venetian Food Recipes

On June 1, 2026 By Daniel BellinoIn PositanoLeave a comment

EXPLORING VENICE

TRAVEL GUIDE – COOKBOOK

The LATEST From DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

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EXPLORING VENICE

Exploring Venice. Daniel Bellino has done it again. He just released has latest book – Exploring Venice – Travel Guide – Cookbook. Speaking of travel guide cookbooks, it seems as though Bellino owns this genre, having written three wonderful books that fall under this genre, which we even think that Bellino-Zwicke may have even invented.

His latest offering is all about one of the World’s most loved and cherished destinations – Venice, Italy. Venice, a city like no other in the world. Venice is totally unique, and the people of the World love it, and love going there. So Mr. Bellino Z has written a quite wonderful book that will help to guide these people – on where to go in Venice – restaurants, wine bars, museums, and other local sights, it’s all there.

Bellino’s “Exploring Venice,” like all of his Italian Travel Books, gives you the authors very own unique perspective, as only Daniel Bellino can. You see, unlike many who write travel books, Bellino has some 40 years experience under his belt, when it comes to visiting and knowing Venice, the place, the people, the lifestyle, and of course the food, of which, no Venetian Travel Guide has ever had such a large battery of great Venetian food recipes such as this. And not many can match when it comes to Bellino & Venice, wine bars, and Venetian food, as Daniel Bellino Zwicke is a master of it all. He created the 1st ever Venetian Bacaro in America in 1998. What is a bacaro you ask? A bacaro is the Venetian dialect name for a wine bar. The word bacaro translates to “House of Bacchus”. – with Bacchus being The Roman Guide of Wine, the name for a wine bar in Venice “Bacaro” is quite appropriate. Daniel Bellino fell in love with the bacari of Venice and wanted to open one of his own, and so he did.

Having wanted to open a Venetian Wine Bar (bacaro) in New York, Bellino needed to know about them, and as much as he could. Everything. And so in the Spring (Primavera) of 1995, after reading an article on the bacari of Venice, Bellino decided he had to go and check them out. He book a flight to Vencie, and stayed for 11 days, going to every wine bar (bacaro) in town. He ate, drank wine, chatted with the owners and clients alike, took pictures, and absorbed it all, find out all about the food (cichetti), the local wines, and how the food and wine was produced, presented, and consumed in these bacari of the enchanting city of Venice.

Daniel Bellino went back to New York, and along with business partner Tom T, opened Bar Cichetti – “America’s 1st Ever Venetian Bacaro” (wine bar). Danie was the Chef, Wine Director, and managing partner of Bar Cichetti which the food-press and Italian wine professionals in New York and Italy absolutely loved. We could go on and on about Bar Cichetti, but sorry, though a great subject, we actually got off the main subject at hand – the book by Bellino, EXPPLORING VENICE.

So, like any other travel guide, there’s a list of the best restaurants to go to, and bacari. A list of museums, best sights to see, some history, and the hotels of Venice. Then there’s a few stories, containing the authors own wonderful experiences and insights into the enchanting city of Venice. The author touches on the most famous Venetians of all : “Casanova,” Vivaldi, & one Giuseppe Cipriani, the creator of World Renowned Venetian Treasure “Harry’s Bar.” Not every guide book of Venice touches on these subjects, but Bellino does. And his insights are quite valuable. The author tells you of several of Casanova’s favorite haunts that remain open and active to this very day. And you can go to Caffè Florian and the wine bars of Venice , eat and drink, and enjoy these establishments just as Giacamo Casanova did, almost 300 years gone by. Now that’s quite something, wouldn’t you say?

Now the recipes, some of which are quite unique. Oh, we almost forgot to inform you, the author cooked professionally in New York City for some 14 years, before getting heavily involved in Italian Wine, as the wine director of some New York’s most renowned Italian restaurants, and became one of the foremost authorities in America, on Italian wine. So Bellino’s experienced is quite significant.

Yes, back tot he recipes in the book. The author / chef has included some 40 recipes on the most important dishes of Venetian Cusine, including, Risi Bisi, Baccala Montecato (whipped Salt Cod), Bigoli con Anatra (Venetian pasta with Duck Ragu), Calves Liver Veneziana, and more. Daniel has also touched on Cichetti and throwing your very own “Cichetti Party,” when you get back home. And he tells you how to do it. The author, in writing his Italian travel guide -cookbooks, has said that his does this in order to inspire people to cook the foods that they love from their travels. Daniel states that it’s a great way to relive cherished memories of certain trips, by cooking some dishes that you loved while on vacation. He has done this with other travel -cookbooks he has written, such as – Poistano The Amalfi Coast – Travel Guide – Cookbook & ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVEL.

We almost forget to inform you. Daniel Bellino cooked professionally in some New York’s most renowned Italian & French restaurants of 15 years, after which he became heavily involved in Italian Wine. He opened Bar Cichetti, and for this, every Italian Wine Estate Owner wanted to meet him, and have him sell and promote their wines. And so Daniel became one of America’s foremost authorise of Italian Wine. For his passion and great knowledge of Italian wine, Daniel Bellino Z is one of the most highly respected Italian Wine Guys of America – known and respected by most of Italy’s top Italian Wine producers (Italian Estate Owners), such as : Giovanni Manettiof Fontodi, Conti Sebastiano Capponi of Villa Calcinaia (Chianti in Greve), The Marches Piero Antinori (Antinori Wines of Florence, Tuscany), Francesca Planeta (Paneta Wines, Sicily), Cavelierie Luigi Cappellini of Castello Verrazzano, and many more. Too many to name.

And so, we highly recommend any of the fine books of Italy, by one of America’s foremost authorises on the subjects – the subjects of Italian Food, Italian Wine, Italy, & Travels in Italy – chef ‘ author Daniel Bellino Zwicke. He knows it all.

WE ALSO RECOMMEND

“ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVELS”

ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVELS

ROME VENICE PIZZA PASTA & ???

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

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New York Italian Food and Wine Guy Daniel Bellino Zwicke

On March 27, 2026 By Daniel BellinoIn PositanoLeave a comment

“ITALIAN FOOD & WINE GUY”

DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

With Some of His FAVORITE FRIENDS WINES

And a PUMPKIN PIE

DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

is a prominent New York-based Italian food and wine professional, best-selling author, and restaurateur with over 30 years of experience in the industry. Known in the culinary world as “Danny Bolognese,” he is recognized as an authority on Italian wine and culture.

Wine Industry Contributions

Bar Cichetti: In 1997, he founded Bar Cichetti in New York City, credited as America’s first Venetian wine bar (Bacaro), where he served as Chef, Wine Director, and Managing Partner.

Professional Roles: He has held prestigious positions as a wine director and chef at notable New York establishments, including Barbetta, as Wine Director – (home to one of the greatest Italian wine cellars in the U.S.), Del Posto, and Da Silvano.
Industry Connections: He is frequently associated with legendary figures in the wine world, such as Sebastiano Rosa (former winemaker of Sassicaia) and the Antinori family, Conte Sebastiano Capponi – proprietor of legendary Villa Calcinai Wine Estate in Greve, Cavelieri Luigi Cappellini (Castello Verrazzano), The Marchese Piero Antinori, Francesca Planeta of Planeta, Antonio Rallo of Donnafugata, and more.
Notable Books & Writing
Bellino Zwicke has authored numerous books that blend Italian-American recipes with wine pairing advice and travel stories:
Sunday Sauce: a #1 Amazon best-seller focusing on Italian-American “Gravy” and wine culture.

The Feast of the 7 Fish: A popular guide to the traditional Italian Christmas Eve seafood feast.
La Tavola: Stories and recipes reflecting the life of an Italian-American New Yorker.
Positano – The Amalfi Coast: A cookbook and travel guide that explores the regional dishes and wines of Southern Italy.
SINATRA SAUCE – The Cookbook
The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK
Current Projects: He is actively working on a dedicated book about Chianti and the wine of Chianti Classico, which he cites as one of his greatest passions.

BOOKS by Daniel Bellino Zwicke are Available on Amazon.com

Online Influence
He manages the highly successful Instagram page @NewYork.Italian, which has over 500,000 followers and covers topics ranging from regional Italian wine to classic cinema and recipes

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

With FRIEND – CAVELERI LUIGI CAPPELLINI

Of CASTELLO VERRAZZANO- GREVE, ITALY

DANIEL with PALE ITALO STUPINO

CASTELLO NIEVE

BARBARESCO

With The MARCHESE FERDINANDO FRESCOBALDI

FRESCOBALDI BRUNELLO – CHIANTI

SUNDAY SAUCE

“AMERICA’S FAVORITE ITALIAN COOKBOOK”

# 1 BEST SELLER ITALIAN COOKBOOKS for 2 YEARS

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Al Pacino Favorite Pasta – Recipe by Bellino -Spaghetti Aglio Olio

On February 15, 2026 By Daniel BellinoIn PositanoLeave a comment

CLEMENZA MAKES SAUCE

RICHARD CASTELLAN & AL PACINO

The GODFATHER

AL PACINO’S Favorite PASTA ! SPAGHETTI AGLIO OLIO recipe by BELLINO

“Pacino & Bellino” refers to a culinary and cultural connection centred around Italian-American traditions, specifically involving author Daniel Bellino-Zwicke (often referred to as Bellino), and actor Al Pacino.

Here are the key aspects of this Connection:

Sunday Sauce Recipe: Daniel Bellino created a “Sunday Sauce” (Italian-American gravy with sausages, meatballs, and braciole) recipe inspired by the scene in The Godfather where Clemenza teaches Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) how to make it.

“Sunday Sauce” Sneakers: Bellino created limited-edition “Sunday Sauce” sneakers inspired by this theme and his Italian cookbook.
Al Pacino’s Favorite Dish: Bellino has highlighted and written about Al Pacino’s favorite dish, which is Spaghetti Aglio e Olio (garlic and oil), a dish often cooked by Pacino’s family in the Bronx.
Culinary Collaboration/Homage: Bellino-Zwicke has written extensively about Italian-American culture, often bridging the gap between iconic figures like Frank Sinatra and Al Pacino with authentic, traditional recipes in his books and articles.
“Sunday Sauce alla Pacino”: This is a specific recipe created by Bellino-Zwicke, described as a culinary tribute to Al Pacino.

AMAZON.com

SUNDAY SAUCE

alla BELLINO alla PACINO

RECIPES :

SUNDAY SAUCE

PACINO PASTA

LASAGNA – MEATBALLS

And MORE ….

AMAZON.com

AL PACINO

DID YOU KNOW ?

AL PACINO’S Family Comes From CORLEONE SICILY

DANIEL BELLINO-ZWICKE

BAR TIBERIO

CAPRI, ITALY

SPAGHETTI GARLIC OIL alla PACINO

aka “SPAGHETTI AGLIO OLIO”

PACINO PASTA Recipe by BELLINO

INGREDIENTS :

¼ cup best quality
Italian Olive Oil

6 cloves of Garlic,
peeled and minced

½ teaspoon
Red Pepper Flakes

1 pound
imported Italian Spaghetti

¼ cup
Italian Parsley

Put a large pot with 4 quarts of water on the stove. Add 2 tablespoons salt and bring to the boil.

Place Olive Oil and garlic in a large frying pan and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.

Add red pepper and continue cooking on low heat until the garlic begins to turn slightly brown. Turn heat off and let rest.

Add spaghetti to the boiling salted water. Cook spaghetti according to directions on package. Two minutes before the cooking time on package start testing the doneness of the spaghetti by taking a strand out of the water and biting into it to see how far cooked it. By doing this you’ll be able to determine if it needs to cook a bit longer or if it’s ready.

Once the pasta is finished cooking, quickly remove it from the heat and drain into a colander, reserving about 1/3 of a cup of the pasta cooking water to add to pasta sauce.

Add spaghetti back to the pot it cooked in and add the garlic olive oil sauce and the a mix well.

Add a little of the pasta cooking water if needed. Add the chopped parsley and mix.

Divide the spaghetti among four pasta plates or bowls. Sprinkle the top of each plate of Spaghetti with some chopped parsley and serve.

NONNA BELLINO’S COOKBOOK

“RECIPES FROM MY SICILIAN NONNA”

Daniel Bellino Zwicke

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Italian Food in The Movies – Goodfellas The Godfather Big Night

On January 27, 2026 By Daniel BellinoIn PositanoLeave a comment

“Shove in your Saa – Seeg & Meatballs”

It all started with Pete Clemenza and The Godfather, a movie by Italian-American director Francis Ford Coppola. Yes, I guess we can say it started with Francis. It was Francis Ford Coppola who wrote the Screenplay along with the author of the Best Selling Novel – The Godfather, Mr. Mario Puzo, also an Italian-American. Coppola was the co author of The Godfather Screenplay along with Puzo. And it was Coppola who was the films director and decided what would be in the film and what wasn’t.

Coppola brilaintly sets the scene of Sonny Corleone meeting with his Capo’s and other Corleone Crime Family associates, discussing strtegies of their next moves after Virgil Sollozzo puts out a hit on Sonny’s father, Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brand). The attempted assasination of Vito Corleone fails, and Vito Corleone is still alive, as his son Santino (Sonny) becomes the acting Boss of the Corleone Crime Family.

As Sonny and his cronies discuss what to do, sitting around eating Chinese Food, his Capo, Peter Clemenza is making a pot of Italian Sunday Sauce Gravy with Sausages & Meatballs. Sonny’s younger brother Michael (Al Pacino) is in the room as well. He gets a call from his girlfriend Dianne, who ask Michael if she loves him. Michael doesn’t say it, but Clemenza being the smart old guy that he is, knows what has been said, and says, “Why don’t you tell that nice girl you Love her. I Love you with all of my Heart. If I don’t again soon, I’ma gonna Die” Clemenza chuckles.

Clemenza continues cooking his Sauce, then says to Michael, “Come over here kid. Learn something. You never know when you’re gonna to cook for 20 guys someday? You see? You start out with a little oil. Then you fry some Garlic. Then you throw in some Tomatoes, some Tomato Paste, you fry it up. You make sure it doesn’t stick. You get it to a boil. You shove in all your Sausage, and your Meatballs. Add a little bit of wine. And a little sugar, and that’s my trick.”

Yes, Clemenza making Sunday Sauce and Meatballs was a favorite scene which just about everyone recalls and talks about, and for good reasons. It’s a great scene. But let us not forget some other scenes that included Italian food. At Connie Corleone’s Wedding, we have a Corleone associate throwing a Gabagool Sandwich to Paulie (watch the video below).

Also, let’s not forget Sonny tearing off a piece of Italian Bread, dipping it into the Sauce that Sonny’s mother has simmering on the stove. Then Sonny eats it. There are a couple scenes when the the wole Corleone Family is eating at the table. There’s the scene when Connie has cooked a meal for herself and her husband Carlo. One of Carlo’s girlfriends (Goomada) calls up asking for Carlo. Connie picks up the phone, then her and Carlo start fighting.

Another memorable scene that involved Italian Food was the meeting between Michael, Virgil Sollozzo, and Captain McCluskey at Louie’s Italian Restaurant in the Bronx. The three of them are sitting around the table when McCluskey asked Sollozzo, “How the Italian Food in this Restaurant?”

Sollozzo replies, “Get the Veal. It’s the best in the City”

Michael Corleone goes into the bathroom, and gets the gun that is planted for him inside the bathroom, above the toilet. Michael comes back out into the dining room and shoots and kills both Sollozzo and Captain McCluskey. The calmly drops the gun, and walks out of the restaurant.

MAKING SAUCE

CLEMENZA Shows MICHAEL How to Make SUNDAY SAUCE

ITALIAN GRAVY

Recipe

BIG NIGHT

In the annals of Italian Food in movies, Stanley Tucci’s Big Night is way up near the top. Some would probably put it on the top of their list. Yes when it comes to Italian Food in movies, Big Night is a heavyweight. The movie centers around two brothers from Italy, in their Italian Restaurant on the Jersey Shore, Louis Prima, and a monumental dish of Southern Italy, known as a Timpano (aka Timballo).

The brothers restaurant is not doing that well financially. The food is very good, but this is the 1950s, and the locals don’t get Chef Primo’s authentic Italian Food. When a fellow (rival) restaurant owner tells brothers Scondo (Stanley Tucci) and Primo that he knows the famous Sicilian-American singer Louis Prima, and that he is going to get him to come to the brothers restaurant, this get the ball rolling on a very special dinner hosted by the brothers, featuring Chef Primo’s wonderful food, and the centerpiece of the meal, The Timpano, a luxurious dish made of baked maccheroni, meats, sauce, and cheeses stuffed into a dough shell that’s baked in a pan called a “Timpano” by which the dish gets his name.

The movie stars Stanley Tucci as Secondo, Tony Shaloub as Primo, Secondo’s brother, Isabella Rossellini as Gabriella, with Minnie Driver, and Marc Anthony as the busboy.

The wonderful music, fine cast, and the scenes preparing the Timapno and other dishes is superb, and it’s these scenes that captivated audiences, and inspired to make their very own Big Night Style Italian Dinner Parties. The rest is history, and people still talk about Big Night, the Timpano, and wonderful Italian Dinner.

The TIMPANO

Stanley Tucci, Marc Anthony, & Tony Shaloub

BIG NIGHT

recipe

Goodfellas

Johnny (Frank Pelligrino Sr,) & Vinny (Charlie Scorsese)

DINNER in PRISON

GOODFELLAS

There are several Italian Food scenes in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, a true life story of factions of the New York Mafia members and associates, based on Nick Pellegi’s book Wiseguy. Of course the most famous food scene is when Henry (Ray Liotta) is in Prison with Vinny (Charlie Scorsese), Johnny Dio, and “Big Paulie” (Paul Sorvino). Viiny is making the Sunday Sauce Italian Gravy with Meatballs and Pork Neck, as Johnny Dio cooks up some Steaks. The scene is quite memorable, and people talk about it all the time, especially the way Paul Sorvino shaves the Garlic “Ravor Thin” with a ravor, and Big Paulie telling Vinny, “Vinny don’t put too many Onions in the Sauce.” You gotta just Love it?

The scene with Henry making Veal Scallopine and his brother stirring “The Sauce” is memorable as well.

So if you Love Movies, Italian Food, and Italian Food in movies, there’s a good chance you already know these films and the Food Scenes in them, and if you’re like me, you talk about them, and watch the movies over and over again. When you’ve got something good, you stick with it. And that’s The Godfather, Coppola and Pacino, Clemenza and his Sauce. Big Night Stanley Tucci and The Timpano, and Marty Scorsese’s Goodfellas, Robert DeNiro, The Prison Sauce, and the main character Henry Hill, and the late great Ray Liotta, who turned in such a great performance, he was even better than DeNiro. “Yes he was.”

Watch the movies, enjoy, make a Sunday Sauce, and listen to Sinatra. What’s better than that?