For SCIM 2023 - Week of Italian Cuisine in the World, here's another story about life and gastronomic experiences of Italians who emigrated far from Italy. Among the articles realized for I Racconti delle Radici (Tales from the Roots), in collaboration with MAECI, there's an interesting article from the book L'eredità italiana nella Repubblica Dominicana (Allemandi, 2021) edited by Andrea Canepari. The book investigates the Italian contribution in the history of the Dominican Republic and among the several chapters by scholars and ministers, there is one dedicated to the Bonarelli family, authored by Mu-Kien Adriana Sang Ben, director of the Education Department of the History Area and professor at the Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra: the chapter, entitled The Bonarelli Family. The Taste of Italy in the Dominican Republic, recounts the adventure of Hannibal and his family, his restaurant and the small gastronomic empire built with his children in Santo Domingo. We report, below, the beginning of the chapter, and a recipe we published in November's La Cucina Italiana, in conjunction with SCIM 2023 - Week of Italian Cuisine in the World.
«The story of Annibale Bonarelli Izzo (1922–2002), the son of Vincenzo Bonarelli, a native of Naples in the region of Campania, will remain forever inscribed in the ongoing efforts of his children, who, seeking a better future, set sail on an adventure toward an unknown world. Annibale had already married Immacolata Pascale Landi (1924–2014), with whom he had four children who were born in Italy: Vincenzo (Enzo), Giuseppe (Peppino), María, and Gaetano. Rosario, the youngest, was born in Santo Domingo. Despite being a successful waiter at the royal houses in Naples, in 1949 Annibale decided to work on a ship that made the New York–Italy circuit. On one of those voyages, he decided to stay. He told his wife that he would remain only for a while so that he could save some money and buy a house for the family. He remained in the United States for approximately five years. While living the “American dream,” one day a friend, who traded textiles in the Dominican Republic, spoke enthusiastically about a country in the Caribbean that was in need of fine restaurants. In 1953, taking advantage of the fact that he had to regularize his immigration status in the United States, Annibale boarded a merchant marine vessel and set out for the Dominican Republic. After seeing this Caribbean paradise, he decided to stay. In 1954, he sent for his family, to bring them “to the most beautiful country in the world.” His love of the sea kindled memories of his native Naples, and he decided to start his own business. He returned to New York to buy equipment: a gas oven to make pizza and bread, three electric stoves, and an ice cream maker. Then he rented a house from “Babito” Sturla. These purchases led to the birth of El Vesuvio— a restaurant, pizzeria and ice cream parlor, which was inaugurated in January 1954, and which was located on Avenia George Washington No. 145. In the beginning, the restaurant had 18 tables, and customers waited their turn sitting serenely on the benches along the avenue. An important element was that the new restaurant offered products made by the family themselves. They became famous among the customers: the Italian prosciutto, the Italian salami, and the mozzarella, the ricotta, and, above all, the fresh pastas, especially the Neapolitan lasagna. He also specialized in meat, fish and seafood dishes. His desserts became his hallmark, especially the house specialty: Italian cassata and zuppa inglese (a layered custard and sponge cake dish). El Vesuvio was clearly a pioneer in terms of the capital city’s culinary selection of Italian food. The variety of pasta on the menu, as well as unique ways of preparing products known in the local market, opened new horizons for the palates of an important sector of Dominican society. One of his great contributions was the introduction of pizza, a popular Italian food, which, with the passage of time, has become a staple part of Dominican cuisine».
ÑOQUIS ON THE 29TH
This lucky dish, which was widespread in South America at the end of the nineteenth century, tastes of hospitality and solidarity
Preparing and eating potato gnocchi on the 29th of each month is a tradition started by Italian emigrants in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile, with it being customary to place money under their plates after eating, as a gift and good luck charm. The 29th is the day before wages are paid, when the money for the month has almost run out. It’s thought that this custom came about when Italians who had arrived in Argentina some time ago, and were consequently in better economic conditions, invited their new-immigrant and struggling compatriots to lunch and slipped coins under the plate of their ñoquis to help them make it through to the end of the month.
Fun fact: in Lunfardo, the Italian-Argentine creole language, the word ñoqui refers to a worker who slacks off, usually a public sector employee, and only shows up for work at the end of the month to receive their salary. But there is also an explanation derived from a legend: Saint Pantaleon, a martyr who lived in the Early Middle Ages, asked some Venetian farmers for bread on the 29th of July, and was invited by them to their modest kitchen to share their last gnocchi. After Pantaleon left, his generous guests were surprised to find some coins under their plates. Simone Cinotto, ph Davide Maestri.
Cook Ilaria Castelli
Effort Medium
Time 1 hour and 40 minutes
Vegetarian
INGREDIENTS FOR 10 PEOPLE
2 litres tomato passata
1.5 kg potatoes
300g flour
4 egg yolks
3 garlic cloves
sugar
basil
grated cheese
extra virgin olive oil
salt
Prick the potatoes, place them on a baking tray covered with parchment paper and bake at 180°C for 1 hour. Take them out of the oven, peel them, and mash them with a potato masher.
Mix the potatoes, while still very hot, with the flour, egg yolks, a pinch of salt and, if you wish, pepper or nutmeg.
Work the mixture until it is smooth, divide it into small strands, then cut out the gnocchi and shape them on the prongs of a fork.
Heat 4-5 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan with 3 crushed garlic cloves, which you then remove.
Add the tomato passata, with 2 teaspoons of sugar, and cook it with the lid slightly open for about 40 minutes. Season with salt at the end.
Boil the gnocchi in salted boiling water, draining them as soon as they float to the surface.
Pour the sauce on top, finish with the basil and grated cheese, and serve.