Dinner at Babbo – Daniel Bellino – 2025

 

BABBO

Greenwich Village, New York NY




December 4, 2025
New York, NY
We had an amazing dinner at Babbo last night. Babe, the restaurant created by Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich (mostly Mario). Mario Batali became famous with Babbo, and a show on The Food Network simultaneously. The year was 1998. Anyway, Mario was (still is) a marvellous chef with tons of personality. He gained fame, became a celebrity chef and TV personality. Then he had a fall from grace, lost his TV show, and eventually sold his share in Babbo and other restaurants he owned with Joe Bastianich. After Mario left, Babbo began to slide, and lost much of its cache, which was Mario. Babo has never been the same post Mario.

Mark Ladner worked for Joe B & Mario during the duo’s glory days. Mark was the chef of Lupa, and later the Executive Chef of Del Pesto. Mark is very talented, and so when restaurant impresario Stephen Starr bought Babbo and Lupa from Lida and Joe Bastianich, Starr hired Ladner as the executive chef of Babbo. Good move. Mark’s food is amazing. Our dinner last night proved that. My cousin Joe made the statement that we had eaten at Babbo many times, and he said “This was our best meal here ever.” I tend to agree. The food was amazing, we had some phenomenal wines, and I was with my cousins Joe, Eddie, and Tommy, and our good friend Max. We are all heavily into food and wine, and we are quite knowledgeable and versed on these subjects.

The food was quite wonderful. There were 6 of us, and we ordered more than half of the items on the menu.  We had the 48 Day Minestrone, whatever that means. It was delicious. Everybody at the table loved it. Then for antipasti, we ordered Sweetbreads, Vitello Tunato, salad, and Carne Cruda. 

We had two pasta courses. We ordered ; Tagliatelle with White Truffles, Beef Cheek Ravioli, Cavatelli with Rabbit Ragu, Spaghetti Vongole, and Tagliatelle Bolognese. All of these pasta dishes were amazing. The Truffles were sublimed. The Tagliatelle Bolognese was spectacular, a true Ragu of Bologna, “So Good.” I loved it. Everyone, including me loved the Cavatelli with Rabbit Ragu. Really Tasty. And I always have loved eating the Beef Cheek Ravioli. I must say the pasta course was the highlight of the meal. Totally awesome.

We had started the meal with a Pigato, which I picked. Not many people would have ever heard of Pigato, a wine and grape varietal that comes from Liguria. It’s a refreshing tasty white wine, and everyone at the table loved it. After the Pigato, my cousin Eddie ordered a magnum bottle of Barolo “Francia” 2001 from Giacomo Conterno, which is considered along with it sibling wine “Monfortino” to be the very best Barolos in the World. The wine was in perfect condition, and we all just loved it.

Our second pasta course came. The famed 100 Layer Lasagna by Chef Mark Ladner. This is becoming the signature dish of the restaurant and Chef Ladner. It’s $100 a Pop. Not Cheap, but dammed good. Everybody in our group loved it.

For the main course, we had a T-bone Steak, Veal Chop Marsala, and Swordfish Milanese. The Steak was phenomenal. Loved it. The Veal Marsala was really good as well, but again, “The Steak,” seriously good. The Swordfish was OK.

For dessert we had Saffron Zabiglione which was quite good, Panna Cotta (so-so), and Olive Oil Chocolate Cake which was one of the best-tastiest Chocolate Cakes that I’ve ever had. “So Good.” we drank Averna Amaro with our desserts. The meal was phenomenal, and we all had a wonderful time.Thanks Joe. Cousin Joe who bought us all dinner. Not Joe B, he’s gone.

And thanks to Chef Mark Ladner, and the whole crew at Babbo. Great job, we really enjoyed.


Thanks,
Daniel Bellino

Me & COUSIN JOE

BABBO

December 4, 2025

Greenwich Village, New York

“Thanks for the Wonderful Dinner Joe”

GIACOMO CONTERNO

BAROLO “FRANCIA” 2002

“One of the Best BAROLOS I’ve ever had”



CHEF MARK LADNER

BABBO




MARK LADNER’S 100 Layer LASAGNA





VALENTINI TREBBIAN d’ ABRUZZO

A LEGENDARY WHITE WINE

ABRUZZO, ITALY

“We Drank this too”

All photos and article by Daniel Bellino Zwicke 








SUNDAY SAUCE

AMERICA’S FAVORITE ITALIAN COOKBOOK

Daniel Bellino Z



.

Me – Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke


DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

NEW YORK NEW YORK
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke? How is he? He’s a Best Selling Cookbook Author and one of New Yorks Top Big Dogs of Italian Wine, a former Chef of such restuarants as; Woods, Corrado, and Bar Cichetti … Daniel was in the Hotel/Restaurant Mangement at New York Techenical .. Besides being the chef at the previous named restuarants, Daniel worked with Michel Fitoussi at the famed Palace Restaurant in the late 80’s as well as at the Odeon under the great Patrick Clarke.

Daniel got out of the kitchen in the late 90’s to become The Maitre’d at the uber hot # 1 Celebrity Hot Spot Da Silvano where he took care of people like; Keith Richards, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Uma Thurman, Richard Gere, Joe Pesci, Robert DeNiro, Calvin Klein, Nick Pileggi, Nora Effron, Graydon Carter, Gwyneth Palthrow, Madonna, Lucy Lui, and-on-and-on, the list is way to long to name them all.

Daniel took care o f the high-flying cliental of the Top People in The Fashion World, Record Business, Publishing, Movie Stars and Rock Stars and is known for his easy going abilty of taking care of all the big stars needs in a casual attentive manor without being intrusive in any way, reasons for him being well known to The Movers & Shakers of  these high profile business fields.

Daniel had made quite a name for himself as the creator and Executive Chef / Wine Director and Managing Partner of Bar Cichetti, the 1st ever Venetian Wine Bar (Bacaro) in America, which was Daniel’s proud creation. As Chef / Wine Director of Bar Cichetti, Daniel firmly establsihed himself as one of New York and America’s Top Italian Wine Guys .. He is personal friends with most of Italy’s top wine producers, the likes of; Marchese Ferdinando Frescobaldi, Sebastiano Rosa winemaker of Sassicaia, Marchese Piero Antinori of Antinori Wines, Givanni Folnari of Nozzole, Gianlucca Grasso, Gianpaulo Venica, Cavalier Luigi Cappellini of Castel Verrazzano, and-on-an-on, just like all the Movie Stars & Rock Stars that Daniel knows, the list of Italian Wine Luminaries is even greater.

As we’ve already stated, Daniel left restaurant kitchens behind to become a noted Italian Wine Guy and Maitre’d who really knows how to take care of those  high-end clientel. But not only them of course, there’s everyone else, shall we call them the regular folk? Hey, they make up the bulk of any restaurant business, not the celebs, though celebrities help to draw in everyone else. Daniel will take good care of you as a number of his clients we have interviewed can tell. He friendly and quite personable and he really knows his stuff and has a passion for the food and wines of Italy that’s almost impossible to duplicate. Frankly, Daniel is the best. He can tell you wonderfule stories about the wine you are drinking, its history, the owners and people who make the wine (his Friends) and his trips to all these Wine Estates all over Italy. And his knowledge and passion for the food is equal to his knowledge of Italian Wine. Often you’ll be drinking a bottle of Italian Wine that Daniel suggets and he’ll pull out his iPhone and show you pictures of the people who own the estate and make the wine. One example would be Daniel’s good friend Luigi Cappellino who owns Castel Verrazzano in Greve in Chianti (Tuscan) Italy. He’ll show you pictures of him and his cousins Anthony & Joe at Verrazzano when Daniel took them their, they stayed on the property and ate breakfast and dinner in the castle, with the great wines of Verrazzano.




Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
with Luigi Cappellini
of Castelo Verrazzano


After 5 years at DaSilvano, Daniel went on to become the Wine Director of Barbetta Restorante on West 46th Street in New York to head up the Greatest Italian Wine List in all of America. Daniel says, “the cellars are amazing.” Places like Babbo and Del Post get more press for having great Italian Wine List, which they do, but Daniel says, “The Wine List of Babbo & Del Posto are awesome, but in comparison to Barbetta, they are Childs-Play.” No exageration, merely fact Daniel says. And within that Wine List which is the Greatest Italian Wine List in all of America, is the Barolo / Barbaresco of which Daniel says is the greatest Barolo list in the World with it many Verticals of all the great Barolo Crus, like, Vietti Barolo Brunate and Lazarito, Cerretto Bricco Roche Bricco Roche, Marcarini Brunate, Michele Chiarlo Cerequio, Aldo Conterno Grand Bussia, Giacomo Conterno  Monfortino and Francia, Mauro Veglio Rocche dell’Annunziata, Contratto Cerequio, Elio Grasso Ginestra and more …


 
Giacomo Conterno Barolo Monfortino
 

Daniel said he was quite fortunate in his job as Wine Director of Barbetta for 5 years as he was able to taste and drinks so many of these great Barolo Crus of various vintage, as well as all the multi vintage; Barbaresco, Amarone, Brunello, Super Tuscans, Champagne, and the top California Cabernets and Meritage Blends such as Opus One and Insignia.

Daniel had been writing for years, mostly essays, articles, and short stories. He wrote his first book La TAVOLA while he was at Barbetta in 2006 .. He said that 85% of the book was written in about 6 weeks time (quite fast), however he edited, polished it up and worked on it for another year before trying to get it published, which took five years. Actually La Tavola was published in June of 2012, followed by The FEAST of The 7 FISH which is the top selling cookbook of its genre. Daniel published Got Any Kahlua? The Collected Recipes of The Dude in the Summer of 2013, followed by SUNDAY SAUCE which has been a # 1 Best Seller Italian Cookbooks on Amazon for 5 months … Daniel published another # 1 Best Seller in June of 2014 with SEGRETO ITALIANO / Secret Italian Recipes & Favorite Dishes ..
Daniel says he’s currently working on a book on Chianti one of his great passions, as well as another Italian Cookook and an American Cookbook, both yet to be named ..



Marchese lamberto Frescobaldi
with
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
and Lamberto’s Father
Marchese Leonardo Frescobaldi


Sebastiano Rosa (Winemaker of SASSICAIA)
Daniel and Giovanni Folnari of Nozzole




BOOKS by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

SUNDAY SAUCE


SEGRETO ITALIANO

Secret Italian Recipes





The Feast of The 7 Fish

ITALIAN CHRISTMAS

 
 La TAVOLA




The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

GOT ANY KAHLUA ?


Daniel Bellino Zwicke


Author DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE

Daniel Bellino-Zwicke, often known as Daniel Bellino, is a New York-based cookbook author, particularly known for his Italian cookbooksHe is also recognized as a prominent figure in New York’s Italian wine scene. 

Bellino has authored several best-selling cookbooks, including La Tavola, The Feast of the Seven Fishes, Got Any Kahlua?, Sunday Sauce, and Segreto Italiano/Secret Italian Recipes & Favorite Dishes. He is currently working on books about Chianti and other Italian and American cookbooks. 

Bellino has a strong connection to Italy, particularly the Amalfi Coast, and often spends time there, staying in locations like Capri, Minori (on a lemon farm), and Salerno. He enjoys exploring the region, visiting local businesses, and sharing his experiences through his writing and social media. In Salerno, he particularly mentions staying at the Hotel Plaza and enjoying the local cuisine and wine. He also mentions family in Salerno, like his cousin Memo who has a Mozzarella factory in Salerno. These places have all been written about by Daniel, in his book Positano The Amalfi Coast – Travel Guide – Cookbook, Available on Amazon.
Bellino’s work often reflects his passion for Italian culture, food, and travel, with many of his books and blog posts focusing on his experiences in Italy. He frequently shares photos and stories from his travels, particularly from the Amalfi Coast, showcasing his love for the region’s food, scenery, and people. 





 
 
DAVID BOWIE

 

My New Book is Out – Italian Food & Travels – Travel Guide / Cookbook

ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVEL Has ARRIVED !!!


ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVELS

“ROME VENICE PIZZA PASTA & ?”

TRAVEL GUIDE – COOKBOOK

Daniel Bellino- Zwicke
ITALIAN FOOD & TRAVEL

“ROME VENICE PIZZA PASTA” & ?
Italian Food & Travels “Rome Venice Pizza Pasta &? Travel and Eat throughout Italy, with Bestselling Italian Cookbook / Travel Writer – Daniel Bellino Zwicke. Take a journey with Daniel on his many journeys in Italy, from Rome, Venice, Verona, Florence, Naples, Capri, Positano, The Amalfi Coast, Sicily, Puglia and more. Daniel Bellino has 40 years experience, spending time in Italy, eating, drinking wonderful Italian Wine, living among the locals, gathering a brigade of stories and tasty Italian recipes from every region of Italy. Daniel has a great perspective of Italian Food knowledge, of Italy, and how to travel in this the most beloved travel destination in all the World, from the Ancient Roman ruins of Rome, to the singular uniqueness of Venice, to Sicily and it’s people, food, Roman & Greeks ruins, and some of the most beautiful churches in all the World. Daniel weaves wonderful stories of Italian adventures, with many tasty recipes to accompany the stories, Travel Info, and knowledge of Italy, its sights, peoples, landscape, and it’s food, the most beloved cuisine in all the World.


Included are Recipes for 40 of Italy’s most beloved dishes, and a few extra surprises. Italy’s most loved Pasta Dishes, Ragu Bolognese, Porchetta, Wild Boar Ragu, Amalfitana Lemon Cake, how to make Limoncello, Ragu Napoletana, Pesto Genovese, Caponata, Lasagna, Spaghetti Vongoles, Pasta Nerano, and much more. You’ll Love these amazing recipes.

Special Section : Anthony Bourdain’s Italy. Follow Tony’s footsteps, and relive his most memorable Italian meals – Rome, Venice, Sicily, Sardinia, Puglia, Venice, Tuscany and more.


TRAVEL INFO

40 of ITALY’S Most Loved RECIPES

ULTIMATE TRAVEL TIPS

Stories of ITALY – The Food, People, & Places


SPECIAL – BOURDAIN in ITALY


On the Author – DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE is the BESTSELLING author of a number of ITALIAN COOKBOOKS – including : SUNDAY SAUCE, Grandma Bellino’s Cookbook, POSITANO The AMALFI COAST Travel Guide – Cookbook, The Feast of The 7 Fish “ITALIAN CHRISTMAS” – La TAVOLA – Sinatra Sauce aka The SINATRA COOKBOOK, & Segreto Italiano.


Daniel lives and Writes in New York’s Greenwich Village, and is currently working on several projects, including a book on Chianti, and the Food & Wine of Chianti Classico.


Daniel created and runs the Highly Successful Italian Instagram page @NewYork.Italian – which as of the publication of this book, has more than 500,000 loyal Followers. The page pertains to all things ITALIAN, both in New York – America, and ITALY – Italian Food & Wine, Recipes, music, movies, Italian Travel, Italian-American Culture, and of Italy, Pizza, Pasta, cooking, books, and anything related to Italy and Italian Americans.


Basta !!!











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Who is Daniel Bellino Zwicke

 

Screenshot 2022-07-26 2.37.17 PM
Daniel in SICILY
At The TEATRO GRECO – SIRACUSA 

2017

 
 
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke? Who is he? He’s a Best Selling Cookbook Author and one of New York’s Big Dogs of Italian Wine, a former Chef of such restaurants as; Woods, Corrado, and Bar Cichetti … Daniel studied Hotel / Restaurant Management at New York Technical in Brooklyn .. Besides being the chef at the previous named restaurants, Daniel worked with Michel Fitoussi at the famed Palace Restaurant in the late 80’s as well as at the Odeon under the great Patrick Clarke.
 
Daniel got out of the kitchen in the late 90’s to become The Maitre’d at the uber hot # 1 Celebrity Hot Spot in New York at Da Silvano Ristorante where he took care of people like; Keith Richards, David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Uma Thurman, Richard Gere, Joe Pesci, Robert DeNiro, Calvin Klein, Nick Pileggi, Nora Efron, Graydon Carter, Gwyneth Palthrow, Madonna, Lucy Lui, and-on-and-on, the list is way to long to name them all.
 
Daniel took care of the high-flying clientele and “so called” Top People in The Worlds of Fashion, the Record Business, Publishing, along with Movie Stars and Rock Stars . Daniel is known for his easy going ability of taking care of all the big stars needs in a casual attentive manner without being intrusive in any way, and are the reasons he is well-known to so many Movers & Shakers of  the World.

Daniel had made quite a name for himself as the creator and Executive Chef / Wine Director and Managing Partner of Bar Cichetti, the 1st ever Venetian Wine Bar (Bacaro) in America, which was Daniel’s proud creation. As Chef / Wine Director of Bar Cichetti, Daniel firmly established himself as one of New York and America’s Top Italian Wine Guys .. He is personal friends with most of Italy’s top wine producers, the likes of; Marchese Ferdinando Frescobaldi, Sebastiano Rosa winemaker of Sassicaia, Marchese Piero Antinori (proprietor) of Antinori Wines, Giovanni Folnari of Nozzole, Gianlucca Grasso, Gianpaolo Venica, Cavalier Luigi Cappellini of Castel Verrazzano, the Conte Capponi Sebastiano and Nicola Capponi. Just like all the Movie Stars & Rock Stars that Daniel knows, the list of Italian Wine Luminaries is even greater.
 
As we’ve already stated, Daniel left restaurant kitchens behind to become a noted Italian Wine Guy and Maitre’d who has a reputation of dealing with a  high-profile clientel. But not only them of course, there’s everyone else, shall we call them the regular folk? Hey, they make up the bulk of any restaurant business, not the celebs, though celebrities help to draw in everyone else. Daniel will take good care of you as a number of his clients we have interviewed will tell you. He friendly and quite personable and really knows his stuff. 

Daniel has great passion for the food and wines of Italy that’s almost impossible to duplicate. Frankly, Daniel is one of the best. He can tell you wonderful stories about the wine you are drinking; its history, who the owners and people who make the wine are (his Friends). His trips to all these Wine Estates all over Italy have given him the experiences that he conveys to his many clients. And Daniel’s knowledge and passion for the food is equal to that of his vast knowledge of Italian Wine. Often you’ll be drinking a bottle of Italian Wine that Daniel suggests and he’ll pull out his iPhone and show you pictures of the people who own the estate and make the wine. One example would be Daniel’s good friend Luigi Cappellini who owns Castello Verrazzano in Greve in Chianti (Tuscan) Italy. He’ll show you pictures of him and his cousins Anthony & Joe at Verrazzano when Daniel took them there and they stayed on the property and ate breakfast and dinner in the castle, while drinking the great wines of Castello Verrazzano.
.
 
 
 
Daniel Bellino-Zwicke with Luigi Cappellini
of Castelo Verrazzano
 
 

After 5 years at DaSilvano, Daniel went on to become the Wine Director of Barbetta Restorante on West 46th Street in New York to head up the Greatest Italian Wine List in all of America. Daniel says, “the cellars are amazing.” Places like Babbo and Del Posto (now closed) get more press for having great Italian Wine Lists, which they do, but Daniel says, “The Wine List of Babbo & Del Posto are awesome, but in comparison to Barbetta, they are akin to Childs-Play.” No exaggeration, merely fact Daniel says. And within that Wine List which is the Greatest Italian Wine List in all of America, is the Barolo / Barbaresco section of which Daniel says is the greatest Barolo list in the World with its many Verticals of all the great Barolo Crus, like, Vietti Barolo Brunate and Lazarito, Cerretto Bricco Roche Bricco Roche, Marcarini Brunate, Michele Chiarlo Cerequio, Aldo Conterno Grand Bussia, Giacomo Conterno Barolo  “Monfortino” Giacamo Conterno “Francia,” Mauro Veglio’s Barolo Rocche dell’Annunziata, Contratto Barolo “Cerequio,” Elio Grasso Ginestra and more …
 
Daniel said he was quite fortunate in his job as Wine Director of Barbetta for 5 years as he was able to taste and drinks so many of these great Barolo Crus of various vintages, as well as all the multi vintages of  Barbaresco, Amarone, Brunello, Super Tuscans, Champagne, and the all the top California Cabernets and Meritage Blends such as Opus One and Insignia.
 
Daniel had been writing for years, mostly essays, articles, and short stories. He wrote his first book La TAVOLA while he was at Barbetta in 2006 .. He said that 85% of the book was written in about 6 weeks time (quite fast), however he edited, polished it up and worked on it for another year before trying to get it published, which took five years. Actually La Tavola was published in June of 2012, followed by The FEAST of The 7 FISH which is the top selling cookbook of its genre. 

Daniel published Got Any Kahlua? The Collected Recipes of The Dude in the Summer of 2013, followed by SUNDAY SAUCE which has been a # 1 Best Seller Italian Cookbooks on Amazon for 5 months … Daniel published another # 1 Best Seller in June of 2014 with SEGRETO ITALIANO / Secret Italian Recipes & Favorite Dishes ..
 
Daniel says he’s currently working on a book on Chianti one of his great passions, as well as another Italian Cookook and an American Cookbook, all yet to be named ..

.
INTERVIEW by Michael Roma




.
Marchese lamberto Frescobaldi
with Daniel Bellino-Zwicke
and Lamberto’s Father
Marchese Leonardo Frescobaldi
 


 
 
 
Sebastiano Rosa (Winemaker of SASSICAIA)
Daniel and Giovanni Folnari of Nozzole




 
 
 
BOOKS by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE
 


SUNDAY SAUCE

WHEN ITALIAN-AMERICANS COOK

 
 
 



 
SEGRETO ITALIANO
 
Secret Italian Recipes






Screenshot 2021-03-05 at 11.30.10 AM
POSITANO The AMALFI COAST 

TRAVEL GUIDE – COOKBOOK

.
Positano The Amalfi Coast Cookbook / Travel Guide is the latest by Best Selling Italian Cookbook Author Daniel Bellino Zwicke. It was just published on February 11th 2021 and is already a Best Seller in Italian Cookbooks and Travel Books as well. Author Daniel said that he is quite happy of the early success of the book POSITANO and hopes it continues and grows, and Daniel asked us to say hello and thank all of his loyal readers both old and new.

Daniel has mad a companion Website to POSITANO The AMALFI COAST COOKBOOK & Travel. The website is calledPositano-Amalfi-Coast and can be reached by clicking this Link @ Positano-Amalfi-Coast.com
Daniel said he made the website as he realizes that people love pictures in books, and as his books normally do not contain pictures, he made the site to fulfill this need, as the website has hundreds of beautiful pictures of Capri, Positano, Naples, Minori, Ravello, and the rest of the Amalfi Coast of Southern Italy. As well as having these pictures, excerpts and recipes from the book at the publication of the book, the website will be ongoing and will continue to have new pictures posted to it, along with articles, news, and ongoing pertinent information on Naples, Positano, and the Amalfi Coast of Italy.

Note : If you are on the Kindle Edition of Positano The AMalfi Coast Cookbook / Travel , you will be able to reach the website Positano in a Link inside the Kindle Book
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Screenshot2020-01-02at7.26.32PM
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The RAGU BOLOGNESE COOKBOOK

The WORLD’S BEST RECIPE

RAGU BOLOGNESE



SINATRA SAUCE

The COOKBOOK

Daniel Bellino “Z”

 



 
 
The Feast of The 7 Fish
 
ITALIAN CHRISTMAS


.
 
 
 

 La TAVOLA

ITALIAN-AMERICAN NEW YORKERS

ADVENTURES of The TABLE

 
 
 


 
 
 

GOT ANY KAHLUA ?

aka The BIG LEBOWSKI COOKBOOK

Jersey Crab Sauce Recipe

Screen Shot 2016-08-09 at 1.34.34 PM

JERSEY SHORE CRAB SAUCE

 

There are plenty of Maryland Blue Crabs down on the Jersey Shore, as well as plenty of Italian-Americans. The two go together, and this Crab Sauce for pasta is a specialty of Jersey Italians who love seafood, along with their Brooklyn and New York neighbors. They all love it! So will you. 

RECIPE 

12 Hard Shell Blue Crabs

12 tablespoons Olive Oil

12 Cloves Garlic

1 for each Crab, peeled and chopped

1 Small Onion, peeled and chopped fine 

 1 teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes 
 1 – 28 oz. can whole San Marzano Tomatoes

1 – 28 oz. can Crushed Tomatoes 

 1- 16 oz. can Tomato Puree 
 Â½ teaspoon dry Basil 
 Â¼ cup chopped fresh Italian Parsley 
 1 pound Lump Crab-Meat, fresh frozen or canned 
 1 pound imported Italian Spaghetti or Linguine 


 Put olive oil in a large pot and heat to high. 

Place the Crabs in the pot and sauté at high heat for 10 minutes. 

 After browning the crabs, remove from pan and set aside. 

 Put onions in pan and cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. 

 Add the garlic and red pepper to pan and cook on low heat for 3 minutes. 

Add whole tomatoes to pan and cook on high heat for 4 minutes whole stirring with a wooden spoon. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato puree. 

Add the Crabs back to the pot. Cook for 90 minutes on low heat. 

 Remove the crabs from pan and let cool on the side. 

Remove all the meat from the crabs and discard the shells. 

Add crab-meat to sauce with your extra pound of lump crab-meat and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. 

Cook pasta according to directions on package. 

Drain pasta and put back in the pot it cooked in with 8 tablespoons of reserved pasta cooking water. 

Sprinkle pasta with a little olive oil and mix. 

Add 2 cups of crab sauce and half the parsley to pasta and mix. 

Plate the pasta with sauce on 4 plates in equal portions and top with some more sauce and some parsley. 


 Notes: Do not serve with cheese! Italians never have cheese with Seafood Pasta. This is enough sauce for 2 to 3 pound of pasta, or about 12 portions, so after you make this Pasta with Crab Sauce with 1 pound of pasta, you still have plenty left over for another day.
 



The Finished Sauce



“Yummm” !!!



 
Screen Shot 2016-08-09 at 1.34.15 PM.png
 
 
Pasta with Jersey Shore Crab Sauce







a7486-screen2bshot2b2014-09-152bat2b12-06-192bpm
JERSEY CRAB SHORE SAUCE


and Other Great Recipes
in
SEGRETO ITALIANO





by Daniel Bellino Z

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Bellino Makes New Yorks Best Burger – Cheeseburger Burgers NYC


MINETTA TAVERN
Good Burgers, but Far From The Best
New York’s Best Burger? Who makes it? Or who makes, plural, New York’s Best Burgers. Well first off, Minetta Tavern does not make the Best Burger in New York. Far from it. And of the Burgers at Minetta Tavern, forget the highly overrated Black Label Burger, the Minetta Burger has it beat, though there are better Burgers in New York. For, one, the Burger I make at my house in Greenwich Village, just two blocks away from Minetta Tavern is far superior, a buch tastier burger than you’ll get at Minetta Tavern., but there’s one thing we have in common when making New York’s best burger. And the Burger I make in my house is way Better than the Burgers at Minetta Tavern.
So what’s the difference you ask? And you want to know what it is I have in common with the Burgers at Minetta Tavern? The thing I have in common with Minetta Tavern when making my Burger that is without question one of the Best in New York, and for a whole lot less money (about $3.10). Yes, thing that Minetta Tavern has in common with me, in our Burger making, is that we both buy our meat from pat LaFrieda, it’s just that I use the better blend than Minetta Tavern. The Black Label Burger Blend by Pat LaFrieda is made with Dry Aged Beef, which though people would want you to think otherwise, dry aged beef is one of the worst things you can use to make a burger. Dry Aged Beef is old meat, and is actually meat that is deteriorating. It’s much better to use fresh beef when making a burger, and that’s all their is to it, and Minetta Tavern uses Dry Aged Beef for its Black Label Burger. Not good.
I have in the past year used numerous sources to buy ground beef for my burgers. I buy meat from one of the best Butcher Shops in New York, which is Florence Prime Meat Market on Jones Street in Greenwich Village. I’ve been buying Sausages, and Steaks from this great old Italian Butcher, which to me is the best butcher shop in all of New York. I mostly bought steaks here, and it’s relatively recently that I started buying ground beef to make burgers with. I was there buying myself a Newport Steak (Specialty of The House) one day, when I watched an elderly neighborhood lady getting individual Hamburger Patties made for her. I started chatting with here about the burgers, and she said she loved them, so I said I’d get some of them, my next time at the butcher shop, and so I did a couple weeks later. I’ve tried both the chuck and the sirloin ground beef from the market. They both made fine burgers.
Trader Joe’s recently opened in my neighborhood, and I’ve tried a couple different types of their ground beef (80/20 and 85/15 ratios), and they both made pretty good burgers.
Today, I wanted to get a couple burger patties from Florence Prime Meats, but they were closed when I got there, so I made my way over to Grestide’s. I went to the meat counter and spotted Pat LaFrieda’s Burger Blend made with Beef Brisket, Chuck, and Beef Short Ribs. There were 4 Patties in the package, for $8.99, at $2.25 a Burger, it’s more than I normally spend, but if I can get a better burger it will be well worth it. I’m still trying to get a Burger to taste as good as the ones I made from the meat that my cousin Joe gave me, that was a package of 4 Black Angus Burger Patties from Wayside Market in Southhold, New York, on the North Fork of Long Island. The Burgers I made with that meat, may very well be the Best Burgers I’ve ever had in my life. “I kid you not,” and I have witnesses to back me up on this. Anyway, I wanted to see if this Burger Blend from pat LaFrieda could come close, or dear I say, be better than those Burgers made with the Black Angus Patties from Wayside Market.
So I bought the burger blend and headed on home. I got my stuff ready. I sliced some New York Cheddar Cheese, and sliced some onions. I toasted and buttered an English Muffin, heat my pan, poured in a bit of oil, and threw my burgers in to cook. As the burgers were cooking, I put a little dijon Mustard on one side of the Muffin. I seasoned the burger with salt, and flipped it over to the other side. Then I seasoned the top side with salt and black pepper. The Burgers cooked another 4 minutes, and then I turned the heat off and let the burger rest for 3 minutes before putting it on top of cheese on on side of the muffin. A put a little nob of butter on top of the burger, then a little Ketchup before topping the Burger with the other half of the bun. I put it on the plate and brought it to the table. I grabbed the burger, bit into it, and from the very first bite, I htought “Wow,” it was a dam good burger, and better than any of the meat I’d bought in the past year, including Florence Prime Meat. Wow, this was impressive, and the Pat LaFrieda meat was well worth the bit more than I paid for it, and a real bargain when you consider that a McDonald’s McDouble cost about $2.69, and a superior burger like this, with more meat, cost just about .35 Cents more than the inferior McDonald’s Cheeseburger. Dam!
Yes, I loved the burger. This Burger that I just made at my house was without question better than almost any burger I’ve had in New York. my Cheeseburger was better than The Black Label Burger at Minetta Tavern, or the Minetta Burger, it’s better than the Shake Shack Burger which I normally love but wasn’t that happy with their burgers the last two times I was at Shake Shack (Mine is Better). My Burger tasted better than the JG Melon Cheeseburger (I Love), but not better than the Burger I had at Charle’s Prime, which was the only Burger I’ve had in New York City that was better than the Burger I made at home.: But as good as this burger I made at home with the Pat LaFrieda Burger Blend, “it was Dam Good, but not as Good as the Burger that I made at home with the burrgers from that box of 4 Black Angus Patties from Wayside Market of Southhold, NY.
The BEST BURGERS I’VE HAD in NEW YORK
Cooked at My House in GREENWICH VILLAGE
with BLACK ANGUS BEEF PATTIES from WAYSIDE MARKET
SOUTHOLD NEW YORK
NORTH FORK of LONG ISLAND




“MY BURGERS Are The BEST” !!!

DBZ BURGER
CRAFTED by DANIEL BELLINO ZWICKE


Classic, “It’s all about the Meat ? Properly seasoned with Salt & Black Pepper. nicely browned,
place on a toasted Bunm with CHEESE, Pickles, a bit of Ketchup, and Mustard if you like, and that’s it”

No Muss, No Fuss. The ground beef must be of the highest quality, and with a fair amount of fat for flavor.

These two points are key. You should buy Prime Ground Beef if you can, it’s worth the extra money. 
“Trust Me”


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BadAssCOOKBOOK

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BEST BURGER

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Amalfi Coast Italian Lemon Cookies Recipes

Screenshot 2024-08-03 at 2.25.18 PM
ITALIAN LEMON COOKIES
 
 
 
 
 
Italian Lemon Cookies
 
I love lemon desserts. The bright, citrus flavor just makes my whole day better and lights up my mood. I’ve seen lemon desserts done in magically delicious ways and I’ve seen them leave me puckering so hard I thought my face would stay that way. This lemon drop cookie recipe is the former. Sweet lemon glaze coats and not too sweet biscuit-like cookie for a perfectly balanced bite of citrus you’ll crave!
 

COOKIE RECIPE

 
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 egg
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest (1 lemon)
  • â…“ cup milk
 
 

GLAZE

 
  • 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 ½ tablespoons milk
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (1/2 lemon)
  • ½ tablespoon lemon zest (1/2 lemon)
 
 

INSTRUCTIONS

COOKIES

 
  • Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar for 1 minute or until pale and fluffy.
  • Add the egg and vanilla to the butter mixture. Beat until combined and smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the lemon juice and lemon zest and mix to combine.
  • Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just incorporated. Add the milk and mix to combine. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until completely incorporated. The dough should be the consistency of a very thick, sticky cake batter.
  • Use a small cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon) to portion the cookie dough onto parchment paper or silicone mat lined cookie sheets.
  • Bake for 11-13 minute, or until the bottom edges are golden brown.
  • Carefully remove from the oven. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
 
 

GLAZE

  • In a medium mixing bowl, beat together the powdered sugar, butter, milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest until smooth.
  • Place the wire racks (with the cookies one them) over some foil or over a baking sheet.
  • Use a spoon to top each cookie with a heaping teaspoon of frosting. Use the back of your spoon to spread the glaze all over the cookie. Return the cookie to the wire rack and let the frosting finish coating the cookies. Let set until the glaze firms up a little, about 15-20 minutes. (The glaze will not set up completely, but will stop dripping down the cookie.)
  • Serve immediately or store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
 

 

NOTES

 
  • If you glaze looks too thin, you can add more powdered sugar a tablespoon or two at a time. If it looks too thick, add milk a teaspoon or two at a time until your desired consistency is reached. This is a glaze, not a frosting, it should be on the runny side.
  • You can add more lemon juice and zest to the glaze if you prefer a stronger lemon flavor.
  • If you like, you can drizzle or spoon the glaze over the cookies while they’re sitting on a wire rack. I usually dip the tops and put them back on the baking sheet to set up.
 
 
 
 
 
 
POSITANO The AMALFI COAST
 
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