Personal
Notes: |
Personal
Notes: Both Sam and Scott shared Aunt Lucille's recipe.
Sam: I was not sure I was going to be able to contribute anything to this chain, but, lo and behold as I was doing a little puttering around and cleaning this morning I came upon a classic. It was tucked away in one of Val’s cook books. A lucky find. I am hoping other recipes will reveal themselves.
Anecdotally: Many years ago we took a trip to Italy. First stop was Rome and our first night there, we just started walking. No plan, just, wherever the fates were to lead us. We ended up crossing one of the many bridges and found ourselves in the Trastevere section of Rome, and we wandered into a small restaurant. Once again, no plan, no Frommer’s guide. We ordered a bit of this and a bit of that and when we tasted the meatballs Val’s eyes lit up. Those are your mother’s meatballs. The meats, the texture, the sauce. Those are Lucille’s meatballs. And they were delicious.
Note Mother’s final instruction on the recipe below. It will be a bold baker who takes this on.
GOOD LUCK. Sam
Scott: Hello to All, It’s nice to hear that everyone is doing as well as can be expected during these trying times.
I have been looking for this recipe for a long time. Lily was digging through an old box and found a book. Inside the book was an old recipe. I don’t know if anyone has this or if it can reproduced exactly but to those who want to try that is great.
You all take care. Scott
David: Well, I never understood the base and rosette rolling process. But I think we have at least one and possibly two experts hiding in plain sight.
After Scott's email, I did a Google search to try to find some pictures of the cutting and folding over and then rolling the rosettes. Lo and behold, the first Google hit I got was Mary Ellen Garrett with a long web page on pita piata, with a picture even.
I'm not sure if the picture is Mary Ellen, because it shows only the top of her head and the rolled out dough. But she does mention making them with Lois. I don't know why she did not mention Virginia Ann? Did you two blackball her from your baking?
Mary Ellen has a slightly different dough recipe, but the same fruit, nuts, honey, etc. filling. And the real secret as far as I am concerned is the cutting of strips, folding them over and rolling the rosettes.
So, come on you two. How about a demonstration? I'll even mix the dough and bring the filling material for the reunion if the Louie Ellis gals want to do some cutting, rolling, and baking.
I don't remember the Google search words I used but Mary Ellen came up as number one on the Google list. That was an amazing coincidence. I will try to redo it. But it should not be necessary.
If you Google pita and Ellis and reunion, which I did not do I just lucked out on googling her, you will find her because she titled her web recipe something like Pita --Recipe -- with Ellis Reunion in the title.
You are busted, Mary Ellen. Holding out on us. And you too Lois? Asking if "anyone can bake this wonderful treat?" HA, when you and you sister or sisters knew all along that you were the experts.
Lois: Whoa, David! The recipe you found online is from the Ellis Cookbook project I did for our 2017 reunion! Who knew it was in cyberspace?
I just searched and found the link. https://www.familycookbookproject.com/recipe/3720348/pita-piata.html
Yes, that photo is of Mary Ellen rolling the dough. In 2012, Mary Ellen and Virgie came to our cabin in Blue Ridge. For three days, Mary Ellen, Virgie, Mary, and I canned and baked with our friend Barb who lives on the mountain. Barb wanted to learn how to can tomatoes - easy. We did that plus canned Italian peppers and made pita piatas. It was a busy, fabulous few days.
Mary Ellen's recipe is a little different from Aunt Lucille's recipe. Pita piatas are hard work and making them requires a few folks. That's why I opened it up to the family and asked if anyone wanted to make this wonderful treat. You caught me! I was hoping someone would step up and volunteer. Smile!
Let's see if we can make this demonstration work in July. Mary Ellen did teach us that the key to making good pita piatas is to roll the dough until it is very thin - you can almost see through it. We'll need a large rolling space. I always thought it would be fun to cook together during one of our reunions. Maybe this year, we can give it a try! Virgie, are you in? We'll have to call Mary Ellen. She no longer does email.
And then we heard from Virgie:
David, I think you got 'em! Good work! It appears to me, and surely to all, that I only did the typing for Mary Ellen and Lois Jean. That being the case, I'll leave it up to their capable hands to create these delectable delicacies! Go to it, sisters! I'll cheer you on!
Oh, dear me, and then there's Lois's email of explanation! I don't know. This doesn't look good. Hmmmm. I'll have to think on this one, for sure! Could take awhile. Don't call me. I'll call you! My memory...she no work-a so good. But I'll help.
Jackie: I love reading all of these! Love you all!
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This recipe for Lucille's Pita Piate is from