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The
Salem Evening News Italian restaurant in Salem celebrates the family
EAST BOSTON -- You feel at home the moment you walk into the Graziani home on Thurston Street. The bright Tuscan-colored kitchen, which opens into the dining room, is warm and inviting. Unique bottles of homemade olive oil and balsamic vinegar sit on the countertop. The sweet, warm aromas of nutmeg and fresh basil waft from the stove, as the two boys Giacomo, 7, and Giancarlo, 12, run up the backsteps into the kitchen. Giovanni and Paula Graziani strive to extend that welcoming family feel to their restaurant, Caffe Graziaini, on Washington Street in downtown Salem. Their business card features a child's drawing of the family with the slogan, "The Family Place." They are open for breakfast and lunch on weekdays, and dinners on Friday and Saturday nights, a schedule more suited to raising a family. The couple come from different backgrounds, which put together "make a good team," Paula said. Giovanni, 53, grew up in a small town in Italy called Piglia, outside of Rome. His family had a farm where they made their own wine, grew olives, and raised chickens and rabbits. "When we go visit my mother," he says, "we can hear her up at 5 in the morning making homemade fettucini and we will have fresh eggs and chicken to eat." After a cousin went into the hotel industry and worked on a train dining car, Giovanni decided at age 14 to also study at the hotel school. His goal was to learn as many languages as possible and study overseas. He met his goal, and over the course of 24 years he has lived and worked in restaurants and hotels in Italy, England, Germany, France and Hong Kong. He speaks English, German, French and Cantonese. Giovanni was working at a Sheraton in Rome when he met Paula Gravallese, an American fluent in Italian working in the tourist industry. Paula, 45, grew up in East Boston, and studied at U-Mass Boston majoring in languages and liberal arts. After a few years working for the welfare department, she wanted a change. "I was 30 years old and was in a life crisis," she said. She found a job with International Weekends and was stationed in Rome when she met an Italian banquet manager at the Sheraton. The couple continued their relationship after Paula came back to Boston. "I wasn't sure if this was an Italian romance or the love of my life," Paula said. The latter proved to be true and after marrying in Boston in 1988, the couple moved back to Italy. Giovanni had a hard time adjusting to life back to Italy. "You had to know someone to get something," he said. The couple had always talked about moving back to the "states" and when the first- floor apartment was empty in Paula's family home, her mother suggested they move in. Paula was pregnant with Giancarlo and it seemed like a good time to come back. Giovanni got a job at the Copley Plaza Hotel, but was laid off during the Gulf War. The couple decided to look for a space to open their own restaurant. "We looked around and looked around and knew this was the right place for us," Paula said. "It was small and cozy and we liked Salem." In the Graziana-Gravallese households, "cooking is collaborative," said Giovanni. Paula's parents, Mary Ann and Peter, eat with the family most evenings. "I learned everything from my Mom," said Paula. Giovanni adds, "I do love their cooking." The couple cook mostly Italian, but also eat a variety of American foods such as steaks and potato skins. Giovanni said his son Giancarlo taught him how to eat tacos. In the basement, Giovanni continues some of his family traditions. Every October the family makes wine. Hanging in another section of the basement is Giovanni's own cured prosciutto, a spicy Italian ham. Out in their small garden are fresh herbs (tarragon, sage, parsley and basil) and vegetables used for daily cooking. The couple always has homemade olive oil made from the olives from his mother's tree back in Italy. There is an Italian saying that Paula says fits her family perfectly, "Buona frochetta," which translated literally means, "He has a good fork," or, more loosely, someone who enjoys food. Bruschetta Romana Bruschetta Romana is an appetizer served in nearly all restaurants in Rome. It is a mixture of fresh tomatoes, onion, garlic and olive oil served on crusty toasted bread. This mixture is best prepared 24 hours in advance. The tomatoes should be nice and ripe. Plum tomatoes are the best choice because they contain less water, but other varieties work well.
In a large bowl, mix together all the above ingredients except the olive oil and the bread. Gradually add the oil. If the mix seems dry, add a little more. Place the mixture in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator overnight. Slice the bread about 1-inch-thick and brush with olive oil and a little extra crushed garlic. Toast or grill until golden. Top warm bread with about one tablespoon of bruschetta mixture. Serve and watch it disappear. Tortellini Alla Ciociara (Cho-Char-ra) A Ciociara is a woman from the Ciociaria region of Italy, located approximately 30 miles Southeast of Rome. Giovanni comes from Piglio, a small village within that region. This dish is typical of the region because it uses ingredients found locally -- peas and mushrooms from the fields, prosciutto found on the farms, and fresh cream and cheese from local dairies.
Fill eight-quart sauce pan with salted water and boil for pasta. In a large saute pan, heat oil. When hot, add onion and garlic. Cook until translucent, about five minutes, then lower heat. Once the water boils, toss in tortellini. Then raise the heat under the onion mixture and add ham, mushrooms, peas and salt and pepper. Saute a few minutes, then add cream and nutmeg. By now the tortellini should be cooked. Strain and add to cream mixture. Toss until well-coated. Top with grated Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of nutmeg and parsley. Serves four. |
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