We spoke to Rossella Rago about her Nonna and the story behind her copycat SpaghettiOs.
These stories became the backbone of her new cookbook,Cooking with Nonna: Sunday Dinner with La Famiglia.
“This cookbook is a love letter to my Italian American upbringing,” says Rago.
Simply Recipes / Evi Abeler
I had no idea I lived in America until I was five and went to school."
My chat with Rago stirred many emotions in mejoy, sadness, surprise, and compassion.
I suspect her family’s Sunday dinners “set for ten people, minimum” would feel the same.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
You see, Nonna always tried to appease me with whatever American thing I was obsessed with.
Like I remember wanting Dunkin' Donuts.
She said, “No!
We don’t eat Dunkin' Donuts!”
So when I told her I wanted SpaghettiOs, she said, “I could do that!”
That’s the recipe.Looking back now, I can see that she respected both sides of my heritage.
She’s an Italian, but she realized that her granddaughter is Italian American.
She’s cute like that.
One day, you will be someones nonna.
I just can’t get that same flavor!"
It’s never supposed to taste the same because you’re a different person.
And one day you’ll be a nonna and your kids will say the same thing about their cooking.
You flavor everything with your own love, your own experience, and your own zhuzh.
There’s just something about that generationshe was born in 1933.
In my humble opinion, that’s the greatest generation that has ever lived.
We’re just not made like that anymore.
Just to see how steadfast she is through adversity is so inspiring to me.
There is never enough time to spend with someone you love.
I encourage everyone to ask the questions now.
Do what you must because you never know what can happen tomorrow.
