Comments on: My Grandmother Carmelina’s Lasagne http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/ Recipes and Stories from the \'Little Italy\' Communities Across America: An Online Book-in-Progress Wed, 25 Jan 2012 01:09:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tivadoc http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/comment-page-1/#comment-9555 Tivadoc Sun, 31 Jul 2011 21:47:19 +0000 http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/#comment-9555 Your story brings me back home. I spent many Sundays and St Sebastian feasts in Middletown CT with my Sicilian family. I miss all those who are now gone and the wonderful food we enjoyed together. I make this lasagne for my family, to keep the tradition alive. Thanks for a very nice web site. Your story brings me back home. I spent many Sundays and St Sebastian feasts in Middletown CT with my Sicilian family. I miss all those who are now gone and the wonderful food we enjoyed together. I make this lasagne for my family, to keep the tradition alive. Thanks for a very nice web site.

]]> By: Shannon http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/comment-page-1/#comment-6018 Shannon Thu, 10 Feb 2011 20:23:52 +0000 http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/#comment-6018 I was searching for a recipe like my mom used to make when I was a kid - she always used hard boiled eggs in her lasagne & I miss them! I will be making lasagne (using your recipe as inspiration) for my 3 sons for Valentine's day. It is a special treat for us that we have only a couple times a year. I remember my mom saying that her grandmother always made homemade lasagne or ravioli for Christmas. My mom is gone, but I hope my sons will remember her when they eat food she would have made. Her wonderful meals were the way she expressed her love on a daily basis. :-) I was searching for a recipe like my mom used to make when I was a kid – she always used hard boiled eggs in her lasagne & I miss them! I will be making lasagne (using your recipe as inspiration) for my 3 sons for Valentine’s day. It is a special treat for us that we have only a couple times a year. I remember my mom saying that her grandmother always made homemade lasagne or ravioli for Christmas. My mom is gone, but I hope my sons will remember her when they eat food she would have made. Her wonderful meals were the way she expressed her love on a daily basis. :-)

]]> By: Rex Russo http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/comment-page-1/#comment-4822 Rex Russo Mon, 31 Jan 2011 19:37:23 +0000 http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/#comment-4822 Yes, we put the sliced egg in ours, but I can't recall whether Public Market, Marino's, Lastrina's or others put it in their lasagne. Yep, I'm old enough to remember. Seems to me, at least one of them, for sometime, would ask you if you wanted some of the "little touches" familiar to you when you placed your order (i.e the egg hardboiled, the egg poached and chopped, the olives sliced, even the spinach which was mixed in the ricotta when I went to some friends' homes). I'm in Miami now, so if I don't cook it, I don't get it. Yes, we put the sliced egg in ours, but I can’t recall whether Public Market, Marino’s, Lastrina’s or others put it in their lasagne. Yep, I’m old enough to remember. Seems to me, at least one of them, for sometime, would ask you if you wanted some of the “little touches” familiar to you when you placed your order (i.e the egg hardboiled, the egg poached and chopped, the olives sliced, even the spinach which was mixed in the ricotta when I went to some friends’ homes). I’m in Miami now, so if I don’t cook it, I don’t get it.

]]> By: Skip http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/comment-page-1/#comment-4819 Skip Mon, 31 Jan 2011 18:09:39 +0000 http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/#comment-4819 Hello, Rex, Always nice to hear from a fellow Middletownian. I'm certain you're correct about the variations of the recipes. All the ladies had little touches and techniques that created personal family memories. I'm also certain that if you bought lasagne from, say, Public Market or--if you're old enough to remember--Marino's or Lastrina's, you wouldn't have found sliced eggs in the mix. I'm guessing it was just another reflection of the festive nature of the dish and the general attitude of sharing "abbondanza." Best regards, Skip Hello, Rex,

Always nice to hear from a fellow Middletownian. I’m certain you’re correct about the variations of the recipes. All the ladies had little touches and techniques that created personal family memories. I’m also certain that if you bought lasagne from, say, Public Market or–if you’re old enough to remember–Marino’s or Lastrina’s, you wouldn’t have found sliced eggs in the mix.

I’m guessing it was just another reflection of the festive nature of the dish and the general attitude of sharing “abbondanza.”

Best regards,
Skip

]]> By: Rex Russo http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/comment-page-1/#comment-4815 Rex Russo Mon, 31 Jan 2011 17:47:32 +0000 http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/#comment-4815 I have to give this recipe a try. As a former Italian-American from Middletown, CT, I have to say this sounds very close to the treat I remember. Like all recipes, and for whatever reason southern Italian perhaps more so, they vary a good bit from house to house, let alone town to town. The main difference I recall from our family lasagne is the addition of chopped black olives. The hard boiled egg must be a true Melilli trademark. No other recipes call for it that I have seen. I have to give this recipe a try. As a former Italian-American from Middletown, CT, I have to say this sounds very close to the treat I remember. Like all recipes, and for whatever reason southern Italian perhaps more so, they vary a good bit from house to house, let alone town to town. The main difference I recall from our family lasagne is the addition of chopped black olives. The hard boiled egg must be a true Melilli trademark. No other recipes call for it that I have seen.

]]> By: Robin Tama http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/comment-page-1/#comment-720 Robin Tama Fri, 26 Feb 2010 20:53:52 +0000 http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/#comment-720 Making this lasagna right now, but I had to comment on the poached eggs in sauce. It is one of the fondest memories of my grandmother Carmella's (oddly enough) cooking. Everyone that I serve it to is amazed at the combination before (with hesitation) and after (with very clean bowls). Making this lasagna right now, but I had to comment on the poached eggs in sauce. It is one of the fondest memories of my grandmother Carmella’s (oddly enough) cooking. Everyone that I serve it to is amazed at the combination before (with hesitation) and after (with very clean bowls).

]]> By: Skip http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/comment-page-1/#comment-274 Skip Wed, 28 Jan 2009 22:23:00 +0000 http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/#comment-274 Many thanks for your comment. The hard-boiled eggs are indeed key. And I too have had the experience where diners are happily eating my lasagne saying they couldn't imagine putting hard-boiled eggs in the recipe. Similarly, when my grandmother made 'salsa,' which was simply marinara sauce, she poached eggs in the sauce prior to serving over the pasta. Best regards, Skip Lombardi Many thanks for your comment. The hard-boiled eggs are indeed key. And I too have had the experience where diners are happily eating my lasagne saying they couldn’t imagine putting hard-boiled eggs in the recipe.

Similarly, when my grandmother made ‘salsa,’ which was simply marinara sauce, she poached eggs in the sauce prior to serving over the pasta.

Best regards,
Skip Lombardi

]]> By: Corinne http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/comment-page-1/#comment-273 Corinne Wed, 28 Jan 2009 21:31:08 +0000 http://almostitalian.com/my-grandmother-carmelinas-lasagne/#comment-273 Thank you for your post! My grandmother taught me how to make lasagne when I was in Highschool. This recipe was a perfect reminder of how much I loved it and the "hard boiled eggs" are key! I just do not tell people prior to eating it, that egg is the secret ingredient.....although I do not understand why they don't like the idea. Another one of my favorates is a fried egg and sauce;-) Thank you for your post! My grandmother taught me how to make lasagne when I was in Highschool. This recipe was a perfect reminder of how much I loved it and the “hard boiled eggs” are key! I just do not tell people prior to eating it, that egg is the secret ingredient…..although I do not understand why they don’t like the idea. Another one of my favorates is a fried egg and sauce;-)

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