A Very Neapolitan Easter

*This piece was originally written in April of 2013

Easter holds a happy place in my heart.  No, not because I was the fat kid and my family would give me fruit baskets instead of chocolate to open up (every Easter morning for a number of years) that was terrible and traumatic. But because Easter - in our home - was celebrated with an all out protein party. We’re talking salamis, provolone, ricotta salata, hard boiled eggs, lamb and or goat. I still recall sitting in church, in my too tight and too pastel Easter costume - scalp itching from some stupid straw bonnet - with a bow, of course - fantasizing about young spring goat and lamb and how tasty and tender they are.  I was 7. What kind of 7 year old fantasizes about goat meat covered in wine, eggs, cheese and peas? 

I didn’t think I’d celebrate Easter this year.  I imagined it would be much like my Christmas Day. An order of steamed chicken and broccoli shows up and I stone myself on Netflix and dark chocolate until I fall asleep - waking up only to realize my hand is down my pants and I should really go for a late night walk and see a depressing film.

Instead, I took control of the situation.  With my family no longer close by, I decided it was time to woman up and cook a goat.

I contacted my Aunt Jo - and by contacted - I mean she texts. Between my Aunt and my Mom’s memories of grandmas goat, Neapolitan Easter dinner was about to go down. My Aunt reminded me that my Uncle Gino would serve an antipasto of hardboiled eggs, ricotta salata and salami.  All deliciously salty and bloating, so we’d be pretty full before we even arrived to the presentation of the goat and oil slicked artichokes.  Perfect.

While scoping out Astoria for ingredients, I set my eyes on some fava beans and asparagus.  Spring is in the air indeed - and  I love a fresh green fava bean and long lean stalk of asparagus.  

Traditionally, our family would have a fruit plate and pastiera di grano for dessert - which is a grain pie that could be likened to a lumpy cheesecake with citron chunks in it.  I made it one year, omitting the citron because that shit gets stuck in your teeth.  This is also dessert, people, and fruit  is not dessert.  I know, I can hear all of the women in my family - but it’ll help you digest.  Bullshit.  In my adult life I’ve read enough food combination books to know that fruit should not be eaten within an hour of any meal. Simply put, fruit is a pre-cursor to dessert so you don’t feel like you’re being a total fatty by closing right in on some cake and cookies. Gimme all the fake sugars, please. 

I served homemade truffles.  Thank you, Ina Garten, you’re brilliant. Rather, the little gnomes in your test kitchen are.  I delicately placed some strawberries beside the truffles and, wouldn’t you know, my guests ate them all. 

Although I miss holiday arguments, crowded tables, my grandmother walking around hunched over with a corning ware dish, rationing out portions of goat and artichokes - I’m glad to know I can cook a meal, like her.  Sure, I’m insecure before I cook a meal - but Easter goat was proof to my palette that a little old Italian woman lives inside of me. Creepy, I know.

Enjoy. 

Fava Bean Salad

1 c. fava beans, cleaned and removed from pod
10 red cherry tomatoes
10 small yellow tomatoes
1T. olive oil
Kosher Salt
Fresh Lemon juice
Shards of Pecorino
Endive leaves

-Pepare a large bowl with ice water and put aside 
-Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add fava beans, boiling for 1 minute
-Strain fava beans and quickly place in ice water bath (this will ensure your beans stay bright green)
-Remove fava beans from ice water and peel back the waxy outer shell of the bean and discard (repeat)
-Place fava in a bowl with tomatoes, salt, lemon juice and oil - then toss to coat
-Spoon fava salad into endive leaves and top with pecorino
-Nom happily!

Steamed Artichokes

6 small artichokes, cleaned and quartered
6 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
20 black Italian olives, pitted
¼ c. good olive oil
¼ c. water
Kosher salt

-Begin to clean artichokes and, as you’re cleaning, place them in a pot with cold water, lemon and 1T. of flour - this will keep them from turning black
-Over medium low heat, add oil to a large stock pot, then add artichokes + garlic cover for 5 minutes
-Remove cover and add water
-Replace cover and continue to cook for another 7-10 minutes - watching that there is enough liquid in the pot so the artichokes do not stick and burn
-Remove cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes, until outer leaves of the artichoke are tender (admittedly, mine were a little tough - I should have peeled back more leaves)
-Salt and serve with cheese

Roasted Asparagus

1 bunch thin asparagus, trimmed
2T. good olive oil
Kosher salt

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees
-Line a baking sheet with asparagus and toss to coat with olive oil and salt
-Roast for 12-15 minutes until asparagus are medium brown but still maintain a somewhat firm stem

Grandma’s Goat With Eggs + Peas

1 ½ lbs. goat, cut into 2" pieces, rinsed and patted dry
¼ c. good olive oil
3 shallots, minced
1 ½ c. white wine
1 1/3 c. peas
3-4 eggs beaten + ½ c. grated Locatelli cheese
Fresh parsley + lemon for garnish 

-In a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot, set over medium high heat, add olive oil 
-Add goat, cooking until browed and remove from pot and put aside
-Add shallots and reduce heat, covering, and cooking onions for 20-30 minutes until melted down 
-Transfer goat back in the pot, add 1 c. of wine and cook uncovered until wine reduces - about 30-40
-Add peas and the remaining wine and cover, cooking for an additional 30-45 minutes 
*If your liquid is not reducing, cook with lid slightly open
-Add eggs and cook until eggs are completely formed - but they should be soft and fluffy, coating all of the goat and peas
-Remove from heat, plate, garnish and serve