Feast of the Seven Fishes: A Brooklyn Italian’s Recipes Celebrating Food & Family, written by Daniel Paterna, features a wonderful collection of Italian-American recipes for all occasions paired with treasured family memories and traditions. Highlights include Zeppole di San Giuseppe, Calamari Ripieni, Insalata di Frutti di Mare, and Torta Dolce di Ricotta. I will also be sharing his recipe for Struffoli following the review.
Disclosure: I received a digital copy of this book from powerHouse Books. All comments and opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.
Daniel Paterna
Daniel Paterna was raised in Brooklyn, New York as a second-generation Italian-American in the house built by his grandfather.
He studied photography at City University and graduated from the Pratt Institute with a B.F.A. of Art and Design.
Daniel has worked with ABC News, AMC, A&E, Disney, ESPN, History, PBS and won an Emmy for his design of NBC’s coverage of the 1996 Olympics. His photography has been featured at the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and the 440 Gallery in Brooklyn.
Feast of the Seven Fishes
Daniel begins Feast of the Seven Fishes with an introduction of his family and life growing up in Bensonhurst.
He states, “This is not a cookbook in the classic sense. It is a visual history of my family’s cooking traditions and of my connections to my Italian American heritage.”
The book is divided into three parts:
- I Negozi (The Shops- Queen Ann Ravioli, Royal Crown II Paneantico, Faicco’s Pork Store, Villabate Alba, Frank & Sal, Savarese Italian Pastry Shop, Pastas Ravioli, Lioni, Papa Pasquale, United Meat Market, D. Coluccio & Sons, A.L.C. Alimentari Italian Grocery, and Sea Breeze II)
- La Festa (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Daily Dishes)
- Passing It On. The end of the book has an index of recipes for easy reference.
I particularly enjoyed his focus on the local shops with photos and stories behind the owners and their families. He even highlights the customs and recipes surrounding holidays including the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve.
What makes this book even more special is the incredible collection of heirlooms and notable memories scattered across the pages. Every single recipe has at least one photo of the finished dish, if not more. They are often paired with the family’s original recipes written on index cards.
The serving sizes reflect family gatherings with some portioned for 4 people and others anywhere between 6-12. Measurements are listed in US Customary. Titles are written in Italian.
Struffoli
The festive Struffoli is a Neapolitan-based dessert made up of little marble-sized balls of dough deep-fried and soaked in a honey mixture.
Daniel states, “My aunts and cousins would descend into my grandmother’s kitchen on a school night, roll up their sleeves, and drink lots of coffee to stay awake. The best part was how homework became of secondary importance to rolling and cutting pounds of dough into tiny marble-sized balls. It’s a true harbinger of Christmas.”
This recipe is definitely perfect for feeding a crowd, but it can also easily be halved for a smaller family. It is a bit on the labor-intensive side, especially with the larger quantity of dough, but the results are a stunning addition to the holiday table.
After bringing together the dough, large pieces are formed into ropes about 1/2 inch (1.25 centimeters) thick. Slices a little smaller than a marble (they will puff some in the oil) are then cut off of the rope and rolled into smooth balls (my kids especially enjoyed this part and it helped the process go quicker to have a few extra hands).
After preparing the dough, the balls are fried in batches in 375˚F (190˚C) oil until golden and crisp on the outside. Drain on paper towel-lined baking sheets and allow to cool.
To make the syrup, combine the honey, anisette, tangerine or orange juice, and the citrus rind and bring to a boil. The mixture should be smooth and just runny enough to easily coat the Struffoli.
Add the fried dough to thoroughly cover, then scoop out, drain the excess, and pile into a mound (I have also seen them formed into a wreath shape).
Add the sliced almonds and rainbow nonpareils (Claire’s favorite part) for a finishing touch. Overall, the Struffoli were a big hit with the whole family. They also reminded me a bit of the Emirati Luqamaat (I love when I come across food connections like this).
My dough was a little on the dry side in the beginning and I ended up adding some more egg white to help bring it together. The exact amount needed may differ based on the size of your eggs.
Other Dishes
I also made “S” Biscotti, Pasta del Fornaio, Salsiccie al Forno, and Pollo alla Griglia con Limone e Origano.
The recipe for “S” Biscotti comes from Villabate Alba. These lemony cookies are shaped into the form of an “S” and baked until crisp. They were delicious paired with a cup of coffee.
The Pasta del Fornaio was one of my personal favorites. Translating to “Pasta of the Baker,” spaghetti is tossed with a creamy fresh ricotta sauce. It is then topped with toasted, seasoned bread crumbs. The result was such a wonderful comfort food that comes together in under 30 minutes.
The Salsiccie al Forno is another easy dish that feeds a large family. Sliced potatoes, green peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, white wine, and spices are combined with sausage (cheese and parsley recommended) and baked until everything is tender and cooked through, about 1 1/2 hours. Pair simply with crusty bread.
The Pollo alla Griglia con Limone e Origano was a favorite for Chad. Thin chicken cutlets are grilled and served on a platter with an oregano-spiced lemon marinade. We served the chicken with fresh bread for dipping.
Feast of the Seven Fishes is a great pick for those looking for Italian-American recipes and stories of the people behind the food. The recipes are well balanced with appetizers, pasta, vegetables, seafood, meat dishes, and desserts. There is also a nice mixture of easy to more complicated dishes.
Most of the ingredients are readily available in the average American grocery store. Having access to fresh seafood will be helpful.
Struffoli Recipe
Excerpt from Feast of the Seven Fishes
Struffoli
Ingredients
- 10 large-size egg yolks
- 2 large egg whites
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 3/4 pounds unbleached all-purpose flour approximately 6 cups, plus more for dusting
- 8 cups honey
- 3 ounces anisette
- 4 ounces tangerine or orange juice
- 4 tangerines or oranges rinds only (without the pith), sliced very thin
- 4 cups canola oil for frying
For topping:
- Rainbow nonpareils
- Sliced almonds
Instructions
- Prepare several baking sheets or platters, half of them with a light dusting of flour, the other half lined with paper towel. Set aside.
- Place the egg yolks and whites in a large mixing bowl and beat well. Add the baking powder to the eggs.
- Gradually add the flour, combining it with the egg until you can knead it into a smooth dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured, large cutting board or clean, dry, flat surface. Break off a piece of the dough, roll it into a long 1/2- inch diameter strand and cut the strand into 3/4-inch pieces.
- With floured hands, roll each piece into a ball and place on the prepared cookie sheet or platter. Continue in this manner until all of the dough has been rolled into balls.
- Heat the oil in a 6-quart pot over medium heat until hot, 375°F on a deep-fry thermometer.
- Working in batches, without crowding the pot, add some of the balls to the hot oil. Fry the dough for about 2 to 3 minutes, turning it gently until golden brown.
- Transfer the dough, using a slotted spoon, to paper towel-lined baking sheets or platters to drain and cool. Continue in this manner until all of the dough is fried. Make sure to maintain the oil temperature before adding the next batch.
- Combine the honey, anisette, tangerine or orange juice, and the sliced rind in another 6-quart pot. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.
- Add all of the dough balls in manageable amounts, bathing them in the honey mixture. When all are well coated, scoop out, drain, and pile onto a favorite platter in the shape of a mound.
- When cooled, top with rainbow colored nonpareil and shaved almonds.
Irina
I love these Struffoli that are really created to feed a crowd. I am gonna make them around Christmas when our house is full of guests. Tasty and cozy:) Thanks for sharing.
Erika
These are so delicious! Thanks for sharing.
Adrianne
This is a very cool and original recipe!! I love to story telling behind it as well. I would like to try this, will put it on my list, cheers!
Anita
This is such a great dessert to make for a crowd. I love all the flavors in this, it’s super festive, and will be perfect for a Christmas party. 🙂
Nancy
When I have made these, I put lemon zest in the dough and orange zest in the honey which was cooked to soft ball stage (small drop of it in cold water drops to the bottom and retains a soft round shape). I haven’t used them but many recipes I have seen called for pine nuts instead of sprinkles. These will actually last for many days if kept covered.
Andrea Metlika
This cookbook sounds fantastic. I had struffoli as a kid. Brings back some great memories. They look perfect.
Jamie
What a show stopper! I love the presentation of this and I can see people going crazy for these!
Emily Liao
This recipe was so delicious! Will definitely be making again over Christmas 🙂
Shruthi Baskaran
Wow, this recipe took me back to when I used to live in Italy! Such a simple but delicious recipe that’s perfect for the holidays!
Genevieve | Fitty Foodlicious
This is a truly authentic Italian dessert if I ever saw one! Looks super delicious and just in time for Christmas!
Carolina
Thank you! Anisette liquor is possible to find it at the grocery? Or in a wine liquor shop? Can you tell me some brands that make it? Thank you
Jessica Rauscher
Are you able to freeze the dough to make ahead?
Tara
Hi Jessica! I have not personally tried freezing the dough in this recipe, but you should be able to in an airtight container for up to a month. For other frozen doughs I have tried, I usually thaw in the refrigerator the night before using.