Rigatoni milleluci, ricordi indimenticabili

The Stunning Wedding, the Lousy food and the most memorable return

trip from Calabria

This recipe of rigatoni milleluci is from a local ristorante in Paola a small paese in Calabria. We stopped there after leaving the wedding of Lello e Mirella, we were returning from Catanzaro, Calabria, 1978.

The wedding took place in an amazing resort, the reception was nothing short of spectacular but the food left to be desired.

My grandparents that were travelling with us were not happy about the formalities, especially my grandmother whom was used to eat plenty of fruit at lunch and at dinner. Mum and dad felt the same but did not want to say too much, for an Italian food at a wedding is just as important as the vowels. We kids were also very hungry; we had been running around, splashing in out of the pool and enjoying the resort more than the food....

Nonna was extremely upset and unfulfilled but she did not say anything until we were on a way back home.

Mum had noticed nonna being very sad and almost unwell as we travelling back and kept checking with her if she was okay.

The reply was always delivered the same way, short and with sadness.

It wasn’t until a lot later that my dad somehow worked out that nonna was upset because she hadn’t had any fruit and that would have troubled her a lot. She was very structured with her eating habits; the simplest lack of something would have triggered her saddeness or unhealthy behaviour.

Dad noticed some lights getting closer as we were travelling across Calabria on the way back to Napoli.

The lights red ristorante Milleluci a small but cosy restaurant with all the friendliness and warmth one expected only in movies.

The Stunning Wedding, the Lousy food and the most memorable return trip from Calabria

The restaurant was closing as it was very late, Dad got out of the minivan and checked with the owner if he could accommodate obviously saw, my nonno e nonna and us kids sitting in the back. He simply replied, I cannot let you leave without eating.

Dad ordered for all of us and made sure grandma got her fruit. It was this platter of watermelon, rock melon, peaches, pears and whatever stone fruit was available at time.

Nonna gave the Godly platter a good nudge, after a few minures, she got up and asked me to join her, we walked over toward the entrance to the kitchen, she said in her soft spoken voice, signora, buona sera, volevo ringraziarla di cuore per la frutta...She wanted to express how thankful she was for the fruit. The lady replied with the biggest smile, Prego...You are Welcome

I was extremely happy with my choice of pasta, as well, this delicious rigatoni with a creamy ragu’, Parmigiano and fresh chopped parsley.

The trip was memorable because of the wedding, the long return trip, the time we got to spend with nonno e nonno in the confines of a car and the most delicious pasta I had ever eaten.

Rigatoni Milleluci Recipe

Ingredients

200gr of veal mince

200gr of pork mince

200gr of chicken mince

2 carrots diced very small

2 celery sticks cut very small

2 brown onions finely chopped

1 cup of white wine

Parsley chopped

300ml of single cream

Extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves crushed

750ml of passata

Method

Heat some extra virgin olive oil in a large sauce-pan, Add the onion, celery, garlic and carrots and fry until the onions are translucent. Add the minced meat and cook until well browned.

Splash with the white wine and let evaporate. Add the passata and simmer for 45 minutes, season well.

Add the cream and the parsley and cook for a further 5 minutes. Turn the flame off, throw the cooked rigatoni in the sauce, toss until all coated serve with a good helping of Parmigiano

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