Lidia Bastianich Quotes

I took some lifelong lessons away from my days of playing chess. The game is very analytical, and you must change your analysis with every single move. I realized that the same lesson applies to life, too--if your course changes a little bit, your strategy must change along with it.

Being near the sea liberates me from negativity and tension and enlightens me when I am feeling lost or confused. I feel a certain freedom when I am close to the water.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine ¼ cup of the olive oil, the rosemary, garlic, and parsley in a large bowl. Let this marinade steep while the potatoes roast. Spread the potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, then season with the salt and toss with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Place on the lower rack of the oven, and roast until golden on one side, about 10 minutes. Flip the potatoes, and roast until golden on the other side, cooked through, and very crispy, about 10 minutes more. Immediately dump the hot potatoes into the bowl with the garlic-rosemary mixture, and toss to coat. Season with black pepper, and use tongs to crush the potatoes lightly, so they absorb the flavored oil better. Toss again to let the

ripe medium tomatoes, cored, cut into 1-inch pieces 1 pound fresh mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes 4 packed cups coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach leaves 1½ teaspoons kosher salt ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar 1 teaspoon dried oregano     Toss together the tomatoes, mozzarella, spinach, and salt in a large serving bowl.

Fried Mozzarella Sticks Bastoncini di Mozzarella Fritta Fried mozzarella is a tasty dish that children especially like; it can be half fried in advance, then reheated in the oven when guests arrive. It is great finger food to be passed around at a party. MAKES 16 STICKS     Vegetable oil, for frying 1-pound block low-moisture mozzarella cheese (lightly salted) 2 cups all-purpose flour, for dredging 2 cups fine dry bread crumbs 2 large eggs Kosher salt

Heat 1 inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet or wide, shallow pot to about 365 degrees F. (If you don’t have an oil thermometer, drop a few bread crumbs in. If they sizzle but don’t burn, the oil is ready.) Cut the mozzarella into four slabs, then cut each slab into four pieces, to get sixteen sticks. Spread the flour and the bread crumbs on separate rimmed plates. Put the eggs in a shallow bowl, and lightly beat

SERVES 6 TO 8 AS AN APPETIZER     Two 10-ounce packages large white stuffing mushrooms (about 24 mushrooms) ½ cup finely chopped scallions (about 4) ¼ cup finely chopped red bell pepper ¼ cup fine dry bread crumbs 6 tablespoons grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano 3 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley ¾ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup dry white wine 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

SERVES 6     Vegetable oil, for frying 1½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning 12-ounce can lager-style beer (any light beer will do) Finely grated zest of 1 lemon Three 6-ounce jars artichoke hearts, drained well, patted dry, then quartered Rémoulade, for serving     Heat ½ inch vegetable oil in a deep skillet over medium heat. Whisk together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Slowly pour in the beer, whisking to make a smooth batter. Whisk in the lemon zest. Dredge the artichokes in the batter, and let the excess drip back into the bowl. When the oil is ready, fry the artichokes, in batches, until batter is crisp and golden, about 5 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels, and season with salt. Serve hot, with rémoulade for dipping. Fried artichokes at Liuzza’s in New Orleans

Working a few at a time, dredge the mozzarella sticks first in flour, then in the beaten egg, then in the bread crumbs. Once they’re breaded, dip them again one by one into the egg and bread crumbs, so that no cheese is visible. When the oil is ready, drop half of the mozzarella sticks gently into the skillet. Fry until golden on all sides, about 3 to 4 minutes in all. Remove mozzarella sticks with a spider, or slotted spatula, to drain on paper towels. Season with salt. Repeat process with remaining mozzarella sticks. Serve warm, with marinara sauce for

My mother is an extraordinary anchor for me. In this fast-paced and hectic new world, so many people are liberating themselves from their families, putting their loved ones in old people’s homes. This is tragic, to me. Parents and grandparents are a precious commodity. You must not waste them. Make sure your children have time with them. They, too, can gain strength from them.

I feel that today the importance of grandparents’ role within the family is not fully appreciated; children do not usually have the opportunity to be enriched by close proximity to and strong relationships with their grandparents. I know how important those relationships were in my life, and how a lot of the basic understanding I have of life and its values is rooted in my relationship with my grandparents.

But no one came. My father was safe, and his family was together in a free land. We’d left virtually everything we had behind—our home, furniture, clothes, and possessions. Our lifelong friends, too. We’d left behind the fields we’d lovingly tilled, the fig and cherry trees that I cherished, and the farm animals that were once so important to us. My father had nothing to show for the business that he’d worked so hard to establish and grow.

You need to have a kind of home port where you put down anchor when the hurricane comes; you must stay connected to your roots. That helps you to have humility and an understanding of your true self.

I took some lifelong lessons away from my days of playing chess. The game is very analytical, and you must change your analysis with every single move. I realized that the same lesson applies to life, too—if your course changes a little bit, your strategy must change along with it.