A Food Obsession

A Food Obsession a place to share with those who follow me and my blog: http://afoodobsessionblog.wordpress.com/ on a

TRAVEL FOOD WITH A FOOD OBSESSION PHOTO SERIES....PIC #40FOOD/DISH: WHITE CLAM PIE (PIZZA) ...
10/08/2026

TRAVEL FOOD WITH A FOOD OBSESSION PHOTO SERIES....PIC #40

FOOD/DISH: WHITE CLAM PIE (PIZZA)

PLACE: FRANK PEPE PIZZA NAPOLETANA
NEW HAVEN, CT.

Pizza always seems to be a debatable subject...however, It's a well know fact that the WHITE CLAM PIE (PIZZA) baked in those vintage Coal Fired Oven flock to this New Haven Landmark (as well as the other temples of A'PIZZA in New HAven) for their pies. The White Clam one is made with local fresh shucked little neck clams, garlic, oregano, extra virgin olive oil,and Pecorino Romano...It's an American Food Bucket List destination. I come from a place (Staten Island NYC) where we had a few great Clam Pie pizzerias. But Pepe's has the bonus of the coal fired oven which produces an amazing char. We finished this in no time, and whenever we've traveled up to New England a stop on the way back home at Pepe's is always a standard.

TRAVEL FOOD WITH A FOOD OBSESSION PHOTO SERIES....PIC #39FOOD/DISH: SCACCIATA AGLI SPINACI, CON TUMA E SALSICCIA ...
10/08/2026

TRAVEL FOOD WITH A FOOD OBSESSION PHOTO SERIES....PIC #39

FOOD/DISH: SCACCIATA AGLI SPINACI, CON TUMA E SALSICCIA
SAVORY FILLED PASTRY DOUGH WITH SPINACH, TUMA
CHEESE AND SWEET FENNEL SAUSAGE

PLACE: TAORMINA, SICILY, ITALY

Stuffed breads, pies, pastries....if you travel around the world you'll find these types of dishes everywhere. The Mediterranean seems to be a hot bed for them and Sicily and Italy are no exception. This is a SCACCIATA, which is Sicilian for flattened/squashed which is how this pastry/dough is pressed into a pan, filled, then covered. Some are like a huge turnover, others are made in round or square pans. In Sicily a mix of sauteed spinach, onions and Tuma Cheese or Mozzarella are popular items in a Rosticceria eatery. In Eastern Sicily local greens are used as well Sweet Fennel Sausage. On my last trip to Sicily I tasted them in various towns and provinces. Some were bland, others were superbly flavored. This one in Taormina used Spinach and onion, Sweet Fennel Sausage crumbled, Tuma Cheese (a mild Sicilian cheese that's wonderful as a melting cheese), The pastry was flaky and delicious, probably made with local Olive Oil rather than the old school Lard. It didn't detect any of that fantastic porky back taste in the dough. Decades ago this was a dish that was a full meal..the greens and onions stretched the crumbled sausage and the cheese melted thru and added more nutrition to the filling. I'm not sure why I haven't made one at home yet...I really loved them.

Using leftover Sunday Sauce, mashed up meatballs and sausage, Mozzarella, Pecorino, what was left of my container of fre...
10/08/2026

Using leftover Sunday Sauce, mashed up meatballs and sausage, Mozzarella, Pecorino, what was left of my container of fresh ricotta, Sicilian EVOO..and 6 layers of Lasagne sheets, I created a delicious Weeknight Lasagne al Forno. Extra sauce on the side if you wanted. This was Southern Italian Ricotta Lasagne and Ragu' Style with a more Northern Italian less saucy more lasagne layered dish. Thanks to Brooklyn Bitess for posting his Lasagna this morning, it influenced me to use those leftover items in my fridge to create this lasagne tonight. I was also dying to make a Lasagne since a few days ago the NYT posted a recipe claiming that COTTAGE CHEESE is better for Lasagne because Ricotta is too grainy. If you look at the ricotta in the layers it's creamy, smooth, not watery, not grainy. That NYT post got alot of people annoyed (yeah, i'm one of them) because instead of writing historical content on why places in the USA used Cottage Cheese (Ricotta for decades was only found in ItalianAmerican concentrated areas) they pull out this piece which again is divisive. Ricotta is grainy when you use low quality ricotta, or you don't drain it then push it thru a sieve and beat it till smooth. The better the ricotta the creamier and unseparated the baked dish will be. I used LIUZZI hand dipped Ricotta which comes in a tin with holes for drainage at the bottom. Then I whip it until it just become smooth, then add some pecorino, mozzarella, parsley, black pepper...and add it randomly around the different layers of lasagne, sauce and meats. Not for nothin, the NYT has become nothing but clickbait. There's a real USAmerican Food Culture history regarding Cottage Cheese in Lasagne. But it's no longer 1947. Ricotta of all qualities is everywhere. and you can make it at home with whole milk, lemon juice or vinegar and a little time. Cottage Cheese is acidic, tangy, saltier, and has chewy formed curds. It's 2026. A food post from the NYT should know better.

Now it’s resting time. Not a good idea to cut into your lasagna as soon as it comes out of the oven. I wait at least 15 ...
10/07/2026

Now it’s resting time. Not a good idea to cut into your lasagna as soon as it comes out of the oven. I wait at least 15 minutes or more.

When the Lasagne al Forno comes out just as it should. Tonight’s dinner.
10/07/2026

When the Lasagne al Forno comes out just as it should. Tonight’s dinner.

I saved my GreekAmerican Diner Style Greek Salad from last night's take out dinner for today's lunch. A beautiful Fall ...
10/07/2026

I saved my GreekAmerican Diner Style Greek Salad from last night's take out dinner for today's lunch. A beautiful Fall Day, warm, sunny, not a cloud in the sky...good for restoring your soul and sanity. It came with a minced Kalamata Olive and Oregano dressing. So good. Now...let me just hold off any of the Greek Cuisine Food Police..this is not, i repeat , this is NOT a traditional/authentic Greek Salad...why? there's items in there are are not present in a Greek Salad...namely Iceberg lettuce, radishes, and the minced kalamata in the dressing. But I properly titled it GreekAmerican Diner Style because in USAmerican Greek and other restaurants, Iceberg was added for 2 reasons...a. it bulked up the salad economically. b. USAmericans nationally considered Iceberg lettuce to be the standard for salads (remember, this was created before the USA saw a resurgence in varieites of lettuces). So, this dish as you see it here, is an integral piece in the puzzle that makes up the full suite of USAmerican Cuisine and Food Culture. Oh, and it's delicious. and yes, If this showed up at a more traditional Greek American restaurant, I'd not be happy. When in Rome, or Athens...lol.

TODAY'S ( Oct.7, 2026) FOOD HOLIDAY IS NATIONAL PUMPKIN SEED DAY!!Pumpkin seeds are a real food of the Americas...Mexico...
10/07/2026

TODAY'S ( Oct.7, 2026) FOOD HOLIDAY IS NATIONAL PUMPKIN SEED DAY!!
Pumpkin seeds are a real food of the Americas...Mexico and the Southwestern USA incorporate them in so many things. so here's a dish I came up with one night to bring that into my kitchen.

TOASTED CORN WITH ZUCCHINI, CUMIN and TOASTED PUMPKIN SEEDS...use 2 cups of fresh corn cut off the cob. In a bit of lard or olive oil slowly toast the kernels, well seasoned with salt and a pinch of Chipotle Powder.. Takes about 15 minutes. Medium heat. Remove the corn. Add more oil if needed and add 1 small onion, finely diced, can use red onion as well...and 2 diced small zucchini, season with 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp fine minced fresh cilantro, 1 minced clove of garlic., season with salt...slowly cook this until the zucchini and onions are tender. I cover to help them breakdown. When soft toss the corn back in and add 2 tsp of TOASTED unsalted PUMPKIN SEED, known as PEPITAS...season with a pinch of ground chile powder and a drizzle of olive oil and squeeze a fresh lime over the top.....mix well...serve.. Nice side dish for grilled meats and fish. Great as a filling for taco and other filled Mexican dishes...Top with Cojito cheese for another variation....most of all enjoy my recipe and HAPPY COOKING AND EATING!!! KEEP YOUR KITCHEN FRESH!!!

A beautiful day at the shore to shop for Local Produce. How great do these local vegetables look!?? I love using those...
10/07/2026

A beautiful day at the shore to shop for Local Produce. How great do these local vegetables look!?? I love using those Cipollini Onions...and those beets!! Peppers, Apples, plus a ton of other local seasonal vegetables (tomatoes, zucchini, squash, pumpkin, eggplant, etc.). I'm like a kid in a candy shop in a local produce or farmers market...endless AND delicious possibilies to be made when the food is local and fresh!!

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