Serving dinner to the family

LIMA — Viva la famiglia. It’s time again for this area’s biggest family dinner, the annual Italian Dinner presented by the Charitable Italian American Organization, CIAO. Now in its 21st year, the dinner will be served from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at Veterans Memorial Civic Center.“I think the pasta dinner is a mainstay for a lot of area people,” said Andy Maravola, president of CIAO. Last year, that group served 4,200 plates of pasta during the six-hour event.Maravola believes it’s the sense of family — as well as the good food — that brings the crowds. “Probably the food is tops. We get a lot of rants on the food. But it’s also the people all sitting around and visiting that really makes it nice. I love to walk out every year through the dining room and just watch the people sit back and talk, maybe run into people they see only once or twice a year. And if we’ve got 2,000 people in there eating, you’ve gotta run into somebody you know,” Maravola said.The dinner began as a fundraiser in 1987 at the Civic Center, with cooks using the kitchen of the Milano Club, a few blocks away, to prepare the food. Organizers ran carts of pasta from the restaurant to the guests, serving about 800 people that first year.But a tradition had begun.“The original organizers wanted a fundraiser that would become a tradition, and something Italian. So what would you think they’d do?” Maravola said.In the intervening years, the method of preparation has been perfected, and now runs like a well-oiled machine. “Our crew has everything down to a science in getting everything ready to roll,” Maravola said. From its 157-member roster, CIAO has recruited cooks from some of the area’s finest restaurants to prepare the dinners.“John is Captain of the Kitchen,” Maravola said of John Venturella, who has led the kitchen crew for years. But he doesn’t work alone. There is a contingency of cooks working together to get the food out to the community.Again this year, CIAO will have a two-sided drive-through to accommodate all carry-out orders.“And we have a big bake sale as part of this year’s dinner, too. All of our members have been making homemade Italian goodies to sell,” Maravola said.New this year for CIAO was getting sponsors to help foot the bill. “We wanted to make it bigger and better, and I have to thank these sponsors, they were all so receptive,” Maravola said.And because of them, the Rocky Chirchiglia Band is back this year to entertain. And, more cannoli will be available for purchase.“Our menu is easy. We have pasta, meatballs, Italian sausage, salad, garlic bread, coffee. Where you gonna beat a dinner like that for $8.50?”And visit with friends and neighbors, for free.  A few of the favorite local Italian recipes, taken from “Cucina Di Casa: A Celebration of Italian Home Cooking.”Meatballs from ItalyFrom Jennie Venturella1 pound ground beef10 saltines, crumbled10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed½ teaspoon parsley flakes1 cup grated Parmesan cheese½ teaspoon salt½ teaspoon pepper3 eggs, slightly beatenFlour2 tablespoons salad oilMix lightly; Shape into meatballs. Roll in flour. Brown in oil; Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Can be served with spaghetti sauce.Ricotta GnocchiFrom Josephine (Babe) Venturella2 cups flour2 cups ricotta cheese2 eggsMix ingredients in a large bowl until dough is formed. Roll dough into a large bowl on a floured board. Add more flour if needed to prevent sticking. Then roll small amount of dough into ropes about the size of a cigar. Cut dough diagonally into 1-inch pieces.Drop gnocchi into a large pan of boiling water. They will sink to the bottom. Stir once gently and cook about 8 to 10 minutes. When gnocchi floats, they are done. Drain and serve on a platter topped with fresh tomato sauce, cheese and fresh basil.Spaghetti All’Arrabbiata (Spicy Tomato Sauce)From Phyllis Moscato Guagenti1½ pounds canned tomatoes, drained4 tablespoons olive oilSaltFreshly ground black pepper¾ teaspoons hot red pepper flakes15 fresh basil leaves, chopped1 pound spaghettiCook tomatoes over medium heat for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and crush tomatoes. Return to heat and add red pepper flakes. Simmer 15 minutes more. Add basil.Cook spaghetti in salted boiling water. Drain. Pour sauce over, mixing very well.