An Italian at Passover...

Most of the food I eat or make or talk about is Italian-American. But once in a while I stray off my own reservation and throw a recipe up that’s outside of my culture. Either because it’s day or season appropriate - and once in a while it’s because that’s just what I felt like having. This week included Passover and so I shared with you the kosher meatball recipe from my friend’s aunt. Now, you might ask, but how in the world did you even wind up with a kosher meatball recipe? I know, it’s a weird thing for an Italian girl to keep in her recipe box. 

When I was at Rutgers University, I was one of the only kids with a car. This made me a valuable friend to have! My buddy Adam needed a ride up to Rockland County NY (just north of the NJ state line) for Passover. So he asked if I would mind taking him - and in return I was promised a homemade dinner/Passover seder. Now, for those of you who went to college -oh I don’t know - ANY WHERE…you know the value of a home cooked meal. I was sold. So off we went, my friend and I, to Passover. 

Adam’s aunt (and cousins) can COOK! I thoroughly enjoyed my meal that night. Everything was delicious - ok, the aspects of the meal that are SUPPOSED to be delicious were…the whole bitter herbs things was, well, bitter. So this became our collegiate tradition. Every year, Adam and I would make our drive from New Brunswick to Rockland for Passover. At some point we started including Rosh Hashanah too! We haven’t been able to keep up the tradition as much as we would like as adults. But we’re trying. In any case, I was able to snag that meatball recipe from Aunt Karin. I make it every year around Passover for tradition's sake - and at other times because I think they make great cocktail meatballs! That's how this Italian girl wound up at Passover.  Adam, his family, and these meatballs - will always be welcome in the cucina. Always.