BY SANTI GABINO JR. AND KORI LUSIGNAN

Every now and then, I’ll invite a guest writer to join this column, celebrating the things that bring us together: cooking, family recipes, and the stories that shape our lives. Since relocating from South Florida nearly three years ago, I’ve been fortunate to meet so many incredible people who share these passions.

One of them is Kori Lusignan, someone I connected with through work. Our bond grew quickly, fueled by a love for food and exchanging favorite recipes. This month, Kori has graciously agreed to share her thoughts and some of her top recipes with us for February. She adds:

“It’s February, and even here in Florida, the temperatures have dipped low enough for coats and hats in recent weeks,” Kori said.

“Cooler weather is perfect for batch cooking — warming the house with something simmering on the stove or baking in the oven feels extra comforting this time of year.

“Growing up in Wisconsin, I have fond memories of coming in from the snow to big pots of chili or trays of freshly baked cookies.

“If your thoughts are shifting from New Year’s resolutions to Valentine’s Day — along with the cozy meals shared with loved ones — let me share two main-dish recipes that are filled with love and affection. They also happen to feature pasta and, really, who doesn’t love pasta?

“Early in my marriage, my husband Mike and I made an important discovery: The Super Bowl, a game I always enjoy watching, held no interest for him. When we hosted Super Bowl parties, Mike happily took charge of the food and drinks, since missing the game wasn’t an issue for him. For me, a die-hard Packers fan, this was the sweetest gift — being able to relax and enjoy the game while savoring his delicious creations. I like to think it was a gift for him, too!

“Every year, Mike would prepare his ‘secret’ recipe, a dish originally created by his college friends, as they tried to re-create a favorite meal from a local restaurant. Chicken Mamou, scribbled on a sauce-stained piece of notebook paper, became legendary among our loved ones. Sweet, peppery, spicy and buttery chicken thighs braised in a rich tomato sauce and served over angel hair pasta has remained our annual Super Bowl tradition. Over the past 25 years, we’ve tweaked and perfected the recipe until it truly feels like our own.

“Now that our daughter is away at college, we often prepare double or triple batches of Chicken Mamou during her winter break — it’s always one of the homemade meals she requests before heading back to dorm food. Since the sauce freezes beautifully, Mike and I can pull out a portion for our own Super Bowl evening, leaving us with just two simple tasks: reheating the sauce and cooking the pasta.”

Chicken Mamou

Original recipe inspired by the White Horse Inn, Madison, Wisconsin,
modified over 25 years by the Lusignan family.

Mamou Sauce:

3 cups finely diced yellow onions, roughly 4 large onions

4 tablespoons butter

4 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 large (28-ounce) and one mini (8-ounce) can tomato sauce (NOT Hunt’s brand)

4 tablespoons sugar (1/4 cup)

4 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

4 teaspoons black pepper

1 tablespoon dried thyme

2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

2 teaspoons dried basil

2 teaspoons white pepper

Mamou Chicken:

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

4 tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil

1-2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

2 teaspoons crushed thyme

Accompaniment:

Angel-hair or vermicelli pasta

Directions:

Chop onions and prepare spices in separate bowls for the sauce and chicken.

Cube chicken into 1- to 2-inch pieces.

Place in a mixing bowl, then melt butter. Add chicken spices to butter, pour over chicken, and rub the spiced butter into the pieces. Spread on an aluminum-foil-covered baking sheet; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 300° F.

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, sauté onions in butter. When honey-colored, add all sauce ingredients; stir and bring to a gentle simmer.

Place chicken in the preheated oven. Cook 15-30 minutes, checking frequently to ensure it doesn’t burn.

Remove cooked chicken from the oven, and add to the sauce, along with butter and spices from the pan. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a bare simmer. Stir often and cook until the sauce thickens, at least 1-2 hours. Be careful not to let it burn or get too thick.

Boil water and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and mix with roughly a cup of sauce.

Serve pasta with generous scoops of Chicken Mamou on top.

Enjoy!

Uncovering a secret family recipe — even when it wasn’t intended to be a secret — has played a critical role in my family history. My dad was a first-generation American, one of nine children born to Southern-Italian immigrants. Holidays with the Andreoli family were always grand affairs, with relatives seated at tables snaking through living rooms and heaping platters of food filling a buffet. My Nana’s meat ravioli was often the centerpiece of these meals, but once she stopped cooking, no one seemed to be able to re-create the recipe just right.

That’s where my mom, one of Nana’s non-Italian daughters-in-law, came in. Determined to preserve the recipe, Mom spent an entire day with Nana, meticulously measuring and recording every ingredient. Nana, with years of experience in her hands, never used measuring tools, so my mom followed her step by step, using cups and spoons to document the exact proportions. It was a long and exhausting process for both, but by the end of the day, we finally had a reliable ravioli recipe that tasted exactly as it should.

Once completed, Nana’s ravioli recipe was shared with all of my dad’s siblings and even secured in a safety-deposit box. As my mom joked, she had nearly driven her mother-in-law crazy that day and never wanted to go through the process again!

Throughout my childhood, we had what we affectionately called “Rav Saturdays,” where we’d make, dry and freeze batches of ravioli to enjoy throughout the year. As a child, I started with the simple task of sealing the ravioli edges with a fork and gradually worked my way up to mastering more skilled parts of the process. Some of my most cherished memories involve watching my dad share this tradition with my own daughter, Ellerie. Having lost him to COVID in 2020, I hold those moments dear and treasure the joy we found in both making and eating these pasta treasures.

There are countless delicious variations of ravioli, but for me, the taste of this simple combination of flavors will always mean family. It’s a true Italian American recipe, blending the traditions of Italian cooking with the ingredients available in America. As with any Italian dish, the quality of your ingredients makes all the difference. Real Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated, and the best Italian (or similar) bread you can find truly elevate the final result.

Divina’s Holiday Ravioli

Created by Divina Andreoli and documented by her daughter-in-law Sharon

Ravioli filling:

3 1/2 pounds ground beef (chuck)

1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

5 eggs, room temperature

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

2 packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained

1/2 loaf dry Italian bread, soaked in water and squeezed of excess liquid

1 cup freshly chopped parsley

Salt, to taste

Pasta:

8 eggs

8 ounces ice water

4 pounds all-purpose flour

Sauce:

Your favorite marinara sauce

Directions:

Thaw and drain the spinach; set aside. Soak the bread in water, then squeeze out any excess moisture.

Combine all ravioli filling ingredients in a large bowl, and mix until evenly combined. Using your hands often works best to ensure everything is well-blended without overmixing.

In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine eggs with roughly half of the ice water. Gradually add the flour, pouring in more water as needed. As the dough becomes denser, switch to a dough hook and knead until smooth and elastic. The dough should be workable and easy to roll out with flour.

Let the dough rest for 30 minutes. If resting longer, refrigerate it.

Roll out the dough with a pasta machine or rolling pin until no thicker than 1/8 inch. Use flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut into 3-inch strips, then into 3-inch squares.

Set aside a small bowl of water. Roll the filling into small quarter-sized balls, or drop a spoonful onto the center of each square. Lightly dip your finger into the water, and run it along one half of the edge of each square, then fold the dough over to create a seal. Ensure the filling is completely enclosed and no air bubbles remain.

Use a fork to press the edges of each raviolo, making sure not to pierce the dough and expose the filling.

Allow the pasta to dry for 15-30 minutes. At this stage, the ravioli can be frozen for future use.

To cook, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, and add a generous amount of salt. Gently add the ravioli, being careful not to split or stick them together. Fresh ravioli will float to the top in 3-4 minutes when cooked al dente. Remove one to check that the filling is thoroughly cooked. Thicker pasta may require additional time.

Drain and serve with your favorite marinara sauce, topped with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese.