Ask Chef Walter: Frank Sinatra’s favorite RI foods and a recipe – Chef Walter Potenza

by Master Chef Walter Potenza

Dear RINewsToday readers: Here is a good question from this week – and our answer…

Denise V. from Seal Beach, California, wanted to know Frank Sinatra’s favorite foods. 

I had the privilege of running the kitchens of one of Rhode Island’s most famous restaurants during the 70s. In those days, every star and performer seemed to dine at Camille’s Roman Garden on Bradford Street in the heart of Federal Hill, the Italian colony. From Elvis to Fred Mercury to Tony Bennett, Frank Sinatra made his usual stop when performing in the Providence Civic Center.

Dear Denise, here you have it! Try the recipe below.

Italian-American cuisine is significant in the rich culinary history of the famous Italians, and Frank Sinatra was a great connoisseur. The iconic performer remained closely connected to his Italian heritage by indulging in his favorite dishes wherever he went. Among his favored dishes was the delectable marinara sauce, which he even featured in a cookbook and launched his bottled sauce line. The recipe called for plump and juicy Roma tomatoes, a generous olive oil, moderate onions, and a liberal amount of garlic. Sinatra was known to advise his daughter, Nancy, to order spaghetti in marinara sauce as a first course in an Italian restaurant as it would serve as a perfect introduction to the rest of the meal if prepared correctly.

In addition to the marinara sauce, Sinatra also had a great fondness for Eggplant Parmigiana, which he made using his mother’s recipe. He would dredge the eggplant slices in batter and pan-fry them to a crisp before layering them in a dish and baking them with Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese. Sinatra’s secret was to pan-fry the eggplant slices before baking them, resulting in an exquisitely soft and tender dish. Another classic Italian-American dish Sinatra enjoyed was the Clams Posillipo, which featured littleneck clams in a light tomato sauce, enriched with olive oil and broth.

While Sinatra appreciated his mother’s cooking, he was also impressed by his father’s culinary skills, and one of his favorite dishes was Veal Milanese. The preparation involved pounding the veal thinly, coating it with breadcrumbs, and pan-frying it. Sinatra’s secret to a perfect Veal Milanese was adding a little grated Parmigiano-Reggiano to the breadcrumbs and a squeeze of lemon at the end. He also enjoyed the classic Manhattan Cocktail, especially with blended whiskey instead of rye. He occasionally sipped on two fingers of Jack Daniels on ice with a dash of water.

Sinatra was an exceptional entertainer and host who enjoyed throwing extravagant parties with exceptional food and drinks. As an ambassador for Italian-American cuisine, he helped introduce his heritage’s exotic flavors and dishes to the rest of the country while sharing his unparalleled voice with the world.

The recipe listed below, is notoriously identified in Rhode Island as “Red Clam Sauce”

Clams Posillipo

Serves: 4
Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Three garlic cloves, chopped
Two large, ripe organic tomatoes, chopped
½ cup clam stock
1 tsp. dried oregano, crumbled
36 littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (more as needed for garnish)
One small dried pepperoncini pepper (optional)

For toasted garlic bread:

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Six garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh oregano leaves
One loaf of Italian bread

Clams Posillipo preparation:

Heat oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add chopped tomatoes, clam stock, and oregano. Bring to a boil. Add clams, cover, and cook until clams open (about 7 minutes).

Discard any clams that do not open. Reduce the sauce for 2 minutes, then add parsley. Divide the clams and sauce among the four bowls. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. Add the dried pepperoncini pepper for a bit of spice.

Garlic Bread preparation:

Preheat oven to 450°—heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and oregano and sauté. Slice the loaf of bread into eight pieces, then place on a baking sheet. Brush each slice with the garlic mixture. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve each dish with two slices of toasted garlic bread.

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Master Chef Walter Potenza

https://flavorsandknowledge.com/podcast

Ask Chef Walter! Send your Questions this week to:

[email protected] and [email protected]!

And look for Chef’s response next week in the Sunday column, “Ask Chef Walter…”

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Meet Chef Walter!

There is a constant, recognizable thread in the career of Walter Potenza to elevate the level of Italian culinary culture in the United States. Besides his unquestionable culinary talent and winning business perspective, Chef Walter has been a relentless educator with passion and knowledge who defeats stereotypes. His life, career, and values are a model, an example to follow by any chef of Italian gastronomy working outside Italy.  

Chef Walter appears regularly on National and International Networks such as Food Network, ABC, CBS, NBC, RAI, FOX, and Publications such as NY. Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Food & Wine, Saveur, Gourmet, and several Italian media outlets.  And now – RINewsToday!

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