One of the big things I notice in Italy when we visit is the difference in music between what I hear versus what I know. The music I hear while there now is “Contemporary Italian.” What I know if “Old Italian” which is that of my parents and UNCLE FRANK’S ITALIAN MELODIES!
I’m not sure what Uncle Frank did as a day job, but on Sundays at noon (after mass…whatever forbid we interfere with that!!! Even the NFL genuflects!!!), he’d appear on the radio in Ashtabula.
By then, the sauce would’ve been simmering on the stove for 3 – 4 hours with the meatballs soaking when Ma (Grandma Joanne) would turn on the transistor to WREO. The next few hours would be filled with “UN-CLE FRA-NK” (which was his extended pronunciation of his own radio moniker). Soon after the Zeet (ma’s Nebaletan for ziti) or Foo-sill (ma’s Nebaletan for fusilli), both of her favorites, would appear with the meatballs drenching in her THICK, RED GOLD!
Uncle Frank was the Sid Mark of Ashtabula (see Sounds of Sinatra…see link). Whereas Sid only played Sinatra, Uncle Frank played all Old Italian music. Uncle Frank had the face for radio but certainly didn’t have Sid’s silky voice! But, I loved him! Uncle Frank’s music was like this:
By far my favorite was Pepino!
We were friendly with Uncle Frank’s family who lived up the street from where Ma grew up. Mrs. Uncle Frank taught piano to Ma and Uncle Chip.
QUICK ASIDE – Ma wanted me to play the piano badly whereas my focus was always playing sports. One day, in 6th or 7th grade, she called the office at school while I was at basketball practice! The office went to my coach, the coach approached me saying “your mother is on the phone.”
I turned white with embarrassment turning to fear. Embarrassed that my mother would call at practice. But fear, that she’d call at practice. Why call now? Did Dad get hurt on the docks. By then, Dad (Grandpa Tony) worked two jobs to save up for college.
Imagine my tempered exclamation, “WTF Ma!” (remember it was in a “Catholic” school, and we know how holy they are) when she asked “Mrs. Uncle Frank has a piano lesson opening. Do you want to take it?”
I’m not sure if Uncle Frank was related to us as his last name appears in our family tree.
I continue to listen to this Old Italian music multiple times each week at home. But, unfortunately, my Italian music “library” ends with the 1950’s… But, on our recent visit, we befriended the couple who own A’Marenna, a bakery and bistro in Sorrento (see here…a detailed post later…we visited 5 times in 6 days!!!). One owner, Anna, played and danced to “Contemporary Italian” as she prepared her panini and salads.
Many sounded like this
I’m unsure if this was Anna’s music, but I really enjoyed the Contemporary Italian music even though I did not know a single song. I truly miss those Sundays at noon and Uncle Frank’s Italian Melodies!
Ooni – 2nd Bake
Right after returning from Italy, I was hot to try the Ooni again and use the dough recipe from the Pizza Making Class in Sorrento. Since we were on a plane for Mother’s Day, we held a belated one for the two moms. During this evening, I put on “Old Italian” music, but typically, the kids don’t like it and want it turned off. WTF…too distracting to the millennials? Can’t multitask?
If you recall from Francesco’s recipe (see this blog post), he suggested 60% water. I was closer to 57%. And even though Francesco suggested specific percentages for salt and yeast, I just used my usually, I eye-balled it! I guess I can’t follow others’ directions. Who knew!?
For yeast, I used Fleishmann’s Pizza Crust yeast for the first time. This yeast is a “rapid rise” type because I had other stuff going on, I didn’t get to make the dough until the morning that I needed to bake.
The sauce was “normal” canned San Marzano, hand crushed with oregano, salt, olive oil, crushed Calabrian chili flakes, and Aunt Theresa’s secret ingredient to taste. The cheese was a mix of whole milk, low moisture moozedell from Walmart and fresh, from Wegmans.
Because it was much warmer outside than last time, look at the temp before the first bake!
I realized that I couldn’t leave the pizza alone for more than 30 seconds! I had just enough time to run back into the house, have a sip of beer, and run back outside to turn the pizza! On this first pizza bake there’s a little char on the first side in the oven, but it wasn’t too much char.
The result was very good (but not great). The sauce was simply knee buckling! But, the pizzas were held back by the dough/crust. Even though the puff and bake of the crust was outstanding, the “rapid rise” resulted in a crust with little taste other than the air of ample puff. Obviously, rapid rise allowed for a great puff, but not sufficient ferment time for any flavors to develop. If I try rapid rise yeast again, I’ll probably add a malty beer to add some flavor.
Also, the fresh moozedell of the last 3 pizzas resulted in wet crust at the middle similar to what I’d experienced in Napoli. The first 3 pizzas used the low moisture moozedell and were perfect texture. As you recall, Francesco recommended dry moozedell.
All in all, the Ooni is a keeper! But wait, why’d I buy a 3rd pizza oven? More on that in the future?!
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