Two Poems by Catherine Arra

by Catherine Arra

Our Once-a-Year Big-Batch Christmas Cookie: an Italian Fig Newton

or what Nana called Guistino Pastry, Cuccidati.

Angie & George Guistino owned the only Italian deli on Broadway.

Nana’s weekly shopping included a stop for espresso & biscotti

upstairs with Angie, while George, meat-stained, butcher-aproned,

boxed Nana’s list.

                        oil-cured black olives

                        ricotta salada, capers

                        tonnino, prosciutto

Nana & Angie exchanged recipes in the ways of the old country.

Nana bought dried figs strung together into tight wreaths,

hung in the window with salami. She loosened & separated

the pale shriveled fruit, chopping small pieces to crank through

a tabletop meat grinder with toasted almonds for a fig paste.

She added strawberry jam until the filling was viscous & sweet.

                        The dough. No mixer. All by hand

                        in a large yellow PyrexÒ bowl,

                        biggest in the primary color series.

                        A dense wooden spoon.

Handfuls of dough rolled out, floured smooth with her broomstick rolling pin

Papa had cut to about 3 feet & Nana stored in a narrow hallway closet

to serve as weapon,

                        in case-a intruder.

Each batch a large oval & hand cut into mini ovals, rolled a bit thinner for a

hefty fig mound at center.

Thumb & forefinger pinched closed, the fig filling winking at each end.

                        No sugar icing or rainbow sprinkles

                        for Nana’s unadorned, undocumented

                        deliciousness.

Arancini or Rice Balls

            Come preferisci

At the train station in Catania, 

the clamoring tannin of rusty rails,

the ferry port in Napoli

to Ischia, Capri, Palermo

among fish heads

and brine,

travelers pause, lured to counters

and kiosks by sizzling sausage, cippolini.

Delectable confections. Cuccidati, fig cookies,

finely ground fruit shawled in sweet pastry,

Struffoli, fried dough drizzled with honey, confetti’d

in rainbow sprinkles,

almond torrone or

the deep-fried perfection of Arancini.

            Sicilian street food for tongue and tummy.

Nana had a go at Rice Balls, her handwritten

recipe as minimal and misspelled as her stilted English.

            Taste is never lost in translation.

An ingredient list, yes, but step by step? No.

You either know how to cook or you don’t.

            2 lbs. risotto, al dente, dry

            You make with water, chicken or vegetable broth.

                        Come preferisci

            taste with basil. parsley, salt, pepper, butter

                         Come preferisci

            Mozarella, Fontina,

            or Parmegiano Reggiano                               

                          Come preferisci

            1 lb. chop meat

            1 onion

            Tomato paste

            Basil

            Extra virgin olive oil

            Salt, pepper

make simple Bolognese

or frozen peas for the filling

            Come preferisci

            Bread crumbs

            Eggs,

            Canola oil

You make risotto, cool. Make sauce. Cut cheese to small pieces.

Roll risotto in balls, small opening for a nice spoon of meat

or peas and close. Roll in eggs, bread crumbs.

Fry in hot oil to gold. Paper towels to drain.

You eat hot or cool

with or without marinara sauce.

            Nana says più gustoso, piu saporito if not too hot.

                        Come preferisci