Italian Family Dining Recipes, Menus and Memories of Meals with a Great American Food Family
Edward Giobbi and Eugenia Giobbi Bone
314 Pages with 176 Recipes Published by Rodale Inc. Hardcover with Sketches
2005 by Rodale, Inc. $27.50 US

Reviewed for Good Cooking by Ellen London, December 2005

In Italian Family Dining, the Father-Daughter team of Edward Giobbi and Eugenia Giobbi Bone have included nearly two hundred traditional Italian recipes. These recipes may surprise some readers because they do not include any of the Italian style dishes which have come to define Italian cuisine by in this country.

Eugenia Giobbi Bone explains that rather than writing an Italian Style cookbook which includes starchy, fat ridden recipes, she and her father have written a truly Italian cookbook, with "healthy recipes, which focus on seasonal ingredients".
Seasonality takes on special significance in this book, which is divided into four sections, one for spring, summer, fall and winter. Giobbi Bone explained that in Italy eating seasonally is a way of life and those who eat this way are rewarded with food that is "fresher, tastier, and healthier".

Heeding this advice I prepared a meal from the winter section of the book. For the main course I prepared Spahettini with Maine Shrimp. The Shrimp, when sautéed with wine and garlic, created a flavorful sauce which made every last morsel of pasta delectable.

As a side dish I prepared Chain's Baked Brussels Sprouts. I must admit initially I was skeptical about this recipe, having memories of soggy, overcooked Brussels sprouts from my childhood. When roasted, the vegetables caramelized beautifully and took on a delicious nutty flavor. I am pleased to report I have now joined the ranks of the Brussels Sprouts converts.

Spaghettini with Maine Shrimp 
Serves 4

Because it is so light, this is an excellent first-course pasta.
Maine shrimp, or sweet shrimp, have never been frozen, and their season is short, January through March, if you're lucky. They are small, sometimes minuscule, but usually about 2 to 3 inches long with the heads on, and run about 40 to the pound. We buy them from our local fishmonger, but you can also find them at Farm 2 Market (www.farm-2-market.com).

2 pounds Maine shrimp, washed, heads and shells removed and reserved
1 1/2 cups dry white wine 
6 tablespoons olive oil 
6 garlic cloves, minced 
Salt
3/4 pound spaghettini 
Hot pepper flakes
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
4 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

In a skillet, combine the shrimp heads and shells, the wine, 3 tablespoons of the oil, and i tablespoon of the garlic over medium-high heat. Add salt to taste. Cook the shells until they are pink, crushing them down into the wine with a wooden spoon as they cook. Cover and cook for about ao minutes. Strain the shells and save the liquid. Discard the shells.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until it is al dente. Drain.

In the meantime, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a skillet large enough to hold the pasta. Add the remaining garlic and cook for about 3 minutes, until the garlic begins to take on color. Add the shrimp and cook about 3 minutes, until the shrimp begin to turn pink and curl up. Add salt and hot pepper flakes to taste. Add the drained pasta and the shrimp broth. Stir, mixing well. Add 3/4 cup of the cheese and the parsley, mixing gently. Adjust the seasoning.
Remove the pasta from the heat, and garnish with the remaining 1/4, cup of cheese.

Cham's Baked Brussels Sprouts
Serves 4

Cham made these for Thanksgiving one year, and they are delicious. Paul, Lisa's husband, also makes them, as a garnish for beef stews and chicken soups. These are very good if they are a little burnt.

1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, stem ends trimmed and light, outer leaves removed
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 400°F
Cut the sprouts in half lengthwise and place on a baking tray, cut side up. Do not overlap. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of the oil. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 tablespoons of the garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Bake, uncovered, until the edges of the sprouts brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from the tray and toss in a serving bowl with the remaining garlic and 1 tablespoon of oil. Adjust the seasoning.

Edward Giobbi is the author of several cookbooks. He is also a renowned painter and sculptor whose works are found in many collections, including the Whitney Museum in New York.

Eugenia Giobbi Bone has written about food for Food & Wine, Gourmet, Saveur, and the New Your Times.