Gourmets & Good Eaters: Italian Diva Pairs Food, Entertainment | Columns

The Diva will provide a personalized experience either in her home or at yours. “We do more than techniques; it’s about entertainment with food. All classes include organic and preservative-free ingredients—hands-on and interactive. Your kitchen or mine! Celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, girls’ night out or date night. Everyone who attends gets to laugh their way to delicious foods and Italian cuisine,” she told me.

Her kitchen was set up with wooden cutting boards, knives, aprons, and chef hats for all participants. The seasonings she needs for each dish are in the center of the kitchen island. She brought out the pistachio gelato she had made for the evening’s class (which looked particularly delicious) and showed me the spinach pasta that was resting in the fridge.

No stranger to cooking, she was a “Master Chef” contestant with Gordon Ramsey. “My culinary journey started when I was growing up in North Andover—a proud Sicilian-American. My love for cooking emerged at the young age of 7. My dad adored pasta and my mom, who was usually absent at dinner time because she chose to work outside the home, would often leave me to be responsible for preparing the evening meal,” she recalled.

“At the age of 20, I moved to the Big Apple in pursuit of a stage career, with my dad hovering close by as he helped me move into a small 150 square foot. apartment in midtown Manhattan. The room was furnished with just a single bed and a chair…no bathroom, that was outside in the hall and shared. How small was the room? So small that even the mice were hunchbacked!”

“Soon after moving, I was on my way auditioning for various roles on Broadway, TV and film, and happy to be in my own space pursuing my dream and not the dream of marriage and a family—not the usual plight of a young, Italian girl in the 1960s,” she continued. ”There is much more to tell, but for now, despite my dreams of stardom, I found my true calling in the delicious world of multicultural cuisines. Someday I might write a book,” she concluded. “But right now, I offer pasta-making workshops, Italian desserts, regional Italian cuisine and wine pairing with my dishes. Why settle for flowers or candy when you can have an unforgettable experience with delicious Italian cuisine?”

This highly talented, energetic (and passionate) woman enjoys arranging private classes or group events. These are perfect for celebrations, team-building, or intimate gatherings where cooking, laughter and showmanship come together. Her website, theitaliandiva.com, provides videos, recipes and copies of the articles about her business. I particularly enjoy listening to the music that accompanies the information about her cookbook, “Cucina Paradiso, Volume 1: Pasta,” by the Italian Diva.

For publication here, Dedee provided the following recipes. But for the real experience of cooking with the diva, one should visit the website and book a class. The reviews are extremely complimentary. I hope we can get her to Falmouth soon, on FCTV, as she is a delightful entertainer.

“So many focaccia recipes I’ve tried have had various results; however, this one never disappoints—it’s soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. Also, it must rest in the fridge for 24-48 hours to produce highly digestible bread.”

1 tbsp. active/instant yeast

1 Tbsp. Kosher or sea salt

1 tsp dried chives, optional

Crushed red pepper flakes to taste, optional

In a small bowl, stir together the water, yeast, and sugar or honey; when dissolved, let stand for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, add the flour, salt and herbs; add yeast mixture and mix with a wooden spoon until shaggy or use your hands. Pour a little oil on a cutting board and into your hands; turn dough out and let rest for 10 minutes. Knead for 5 minutes—it will be sticky—do not add more flour

Turn into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate for 24-72 hours. Remove dough from the fridge and place on a floured board. Spray dough with oil, then cover with plastic wrap and let rise again at room temperature for 4-5 hours. (NOTE: If the kitchen is below 68 degrees, turn oven on at 195°F, then turn off. Place dough back in bowl into the oven.) Lift and stretch the dough with your hands and fold it onto itself. Turn bowl 45 degrees, repeat lifting and stretching 4 times more. Cover and let the dough rest again for 30 minutes. Then repeat lifting and folding the dough again; if the dough is still tight, let it rest again, then cover for 30 more minutes.

Oil the bottom of a 9×13 baking pan or a cookie sheet with sides, then line with parchment paper and generously add more olive oil until it “swims” about the pan. Dump dough into the pan and stretch with flat palms, into the corners; if it resists, set it aside and rest again for 45-50 minutes. Repeat pressing with palms, then dimple all over with fingertips and add more olive oil. Sprinkle with rosemary and finish with a few grinds of sea salt. Preheat oven to 475°F and bake for 25-30 minutes; cut into pieces and serve with dipping oil.

“Fra diavolo, pronounced fra-dia-voh-loh, means ‘shrimp of the devil’s brother.’ It is marinated in lots of grated garlic and red chili flakes, then cooked in a creamy Marsala and spicy tomato-based sauce. Not to worry, the dish is just hot enough to give it a kick.”

2 lbs shrimp, 15 to a pound, shell on (reserve shells)

28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes

1 heaping tsp red pepper flakes (or to taste)

2 anchovy fillets, rinsed, patted dry and minced (optional)

1⁄4 cup each: fresh basil and fresh parsley, chopped

1½ tsp minced pepperoncini, plus 1 tsp brine

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Peel shrimp, reserving shells; toss shrimp with 1 tsp. red pepper flakes, salt and 3 tbsp olive oil. Set aside, and let marinate. Pour tomatoes into colander set over large bowl; squeeze with hands to release and reserve juice, then transfer to small bowl. Heat 1 tbsp oil in skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add shrimp shells and cook, stirring frequently until they turn spotty brown, 2-4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and add wine; when bubbling subsides, return skillet to heat and simmer until wine is reduced to about 2 tbsp, 2-4 minutes.

Add reserved tomato juice and simmer to meld flavors, about 5 minutes. Pour contents of skillet into colander set over bowl; discard shells and reserve liquid. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels; then heat remaining 2 tbsp oil, garlic, pepper flakes and oregano in now empty skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until garlic is straw colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add minced anchovies and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds; remove from heat. Add tomatoes; return to heat, and stir in reserved tomato juice mixture. Increase heat to med-high and simmer until mixture has thickened, about 5 minutes. Add marinated shrimp to skillet and simmer gently until just cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil, parsley, and pepperoncini and brine. Drizzle with olive oil and serve. Option: You may add partially cooked pappardelle to shrimp mixture and serve.

“Here’s my own recipe for a healthier dessert without all the fillers, gums, corn starch and thickeners, which all commercially prepared ice cream/gelatos contain, which are unhealthy.”

2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, divided

1⁄3 cup salted and roasted pistachios, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish

Place a med-large size metal bowl in the freezer along with the beaters from your mixer for 30-45 minutes. Remove and immediately add to the bowl all the heavy whipping cream, then add vanilla and almond extracts. Add just 3 drops of vegetable green color and beat until very stiff peaks form (about 3 minutes). Add half a can of sweetened condensed milk and all of the pistachios and blend on slow speed for 30 seconds; add the other half can of the sweetened condensed milk and blend for another 30 seconds. Transfer mixture into an ungreased container, spreading out evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle some chopped pistachios on top for garnish and cover. Place in your freezer for 10 hours or overnight till firm; serve in dishes or in waffle cones.