Food and nostalgia from the internationally famous restaurant Enoteca Maria on Staten Island --which has beguiled the Lee Brothers, Rachael Ray, Mario Batali and major media -- where eight nonne (Italian for "grandmothers") rotate through the kitchen serving traditional Old World, regional home-cooking favorites.
Now a Netflix film!
Discover the heart and soul of Italian tradition with this exquisite collection filled with mouthwatering recipes and vibrant tales from the iconic grandmothers of Enoteca Maria—a one-of-a-kind Italian restaurant where a rotating roster of nonnas take center stage as master chefs.
“If you have a choice between a three-star Michelin chef’s and Grandma’s, where are you going to eat?” asks Jody Scaravella, owner of Enoteca Maria on Staten Island. “Well, I’m going to Grandma’s. I’m going to the source.”
At Enoteca Maria, the chefs are nonne, or Italian grandmothers, whose culinary expertise comes from years of cooking for their families. Now, they invoke the food wisdom, artisanal methods, and recipes—handed down for generations—that are indigenous to their regions of Italy. Each nonna/chef creates her menu from whatever looks inspiring in her pantry—spontaneously, the way family meals evolve. Here are the recipes and stories from the kitchen at Enoteca Maria, a beautiful compendium of food and nostalgia, capturing flavors from the heart of Italy.
Nonna’s House is much more than just a cookbook; it’s a journey into the kitchens of eight Italian grandmothers who bring their regional specialties to life. From the savory to the sweet, the recipes include unique dishes like cod with cauliflower, fig and nut crostata, eggplant with chocolate, and fried chickpea flour with fennel. Classic favorites such as gnocchi, pasta, risotto, and polenta are also featured, ensuring there’s something for every palate.
The story behind Enoteca Maria is as heartwarming as the dishes themselves. Jody Scaravella’s vision of a restaurant staffed by Italian grandmothers began with a simple ad in a Staten Island newspaper. The result is a beloved dining spot that is becoming a cultural phenomenon. The book’s beautiful, four-color design, complete with full-color photographs, makes it a perfect gift for anyone who cherishes authentic Italian cuisine and the stories that come with it.
“This was much more than just a cookbook. It is a filled with wonderful recipes and memories that will make you wish you grew up in a big Italian family… So grab your family, gather around the table, and get ready to enjoy some of the most mouth-watering food ever!” -- Rita Reviews
“There isn’t another place quite like Enoteca Maria on either island—Manhattan or Staten. I certainly can’t think of another restaurant whose specials are prepared by women hired to work only one night at week, making their own favorite dishes." The Wall Street Journal
One of "The Most Anticipated Cookbooks of Spring 2015" EATER.COM
“There are hundreds (thousands?!) of Italian cookbooks in print... But life stories of Italian grandmothers are a rarer read, and that is what we get in most of the memoirs sections about the grandmothers who cook at Enoteca Maria (named for the restaurateur's grandmother), life stories of real personalities, real people.” Italophile Book Reviews
"There is no better gimmick than legitimacy, and Staten Island restaurateur Scaravella has found a way to multiply authentic Italian cuisine by a factor of 10. Behind the scenes of his eight-year-old eatery, Enoteca Maria, there are no award-winning celebrity chefs, but a rotation of 10 real-life Italian grandmothers (nonnas) serving up their ages-old family recipes. This rustic collection showcases over 100 of those dishes and also provides each chef’s life story, told in her own words." Publishers Weekly
“It goes without saying, that having an Italian grandma in the kitchen is an essential resource. This book will be the one we turn to when we want authentic, home-style Italian cooking…a nostalgia-tinged book…[with] moving personal stories.” Tastebook.com
"Real Italian grandmothers—nonnas—sharing their most delicious recipes and favorite stories about food and family." PARADE Magazine
Jody Scaravella, or “Joe,” is the creator of Enoteca Maria, which opened in 2007 on Staten Island, with its signature cooking by Italian grandmothers. The “nonnas” have captivated the media, not only in New York but nationally and abroad, and have appeared on the Today show, Rachael Ray, Fox & Friends, and CNN’s Eatocracy, among other media.
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