Читать книгу Mangia Tiella! - Nicola Tarallo - Страница 4

On the evening of Good Friday, after following the procession through the streets of Gaeta, our family tradition is to gather at Grandma’s for a dinner of the famous ‘tiella Gaetane.’

The tiella that Grandma Maria makes is unique, the best and the most delicious you could ever imagine. Grandma spends all day at the oven accompanied by her daughters who have learned the secrets passed down through many generations: how to knead the dough; how to roll out the dough; how to prepare different fillings; and last, but perhaps most important, how to artistically seal the two layers of dough in the shape of waves of the ocean.

It has been a day full of joy, the table is set and tiella of all kinds give off a wonderful aroma that is unique and the highlight of the evening. I eat it slowly in small bites to savor every morsel. The slices on the table disappear quickly, but I have already eaten my share and I feel very satisfied.

I was fortunate to have had the opportunity to witness the various steps of the preparation of the tiella and learned all my grandmother’s secrets.

When I moved to the United States to study, I often prepared tiella on the weekends to have during lunch breaks at school. I still remember the surprised faces of my buddies—colleagues from all over the world—intrigued by the various fillings and learning how to say ‘tiella, tiella’ in their particular accents.

Having grown up experiencing the tastes of tiella, I could not begin to explain in these few pages the importance and special traditions of tiella Gaetana.

Now, tiella is ready to sail to new destinations and to reveal to all my grandma’s special secrets.

Buon Appetito!

NICOLA TARALLO