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New Year’s Day – 1 p.m. to 10 p.m.

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She discussed growing up in Italy, and how she same to the United States and built a career in Food Service. She also answers questions about her philosophy that guides the running or the Trattoria and advises aspiring chefs that a restaurant career is not glamorous, but humbling, and to never loose site of their passion.

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First Course

Carciofi Ripieni e Pallotte “Cacio e Ove”
Stuffed artichokes and Cheese filled Rissoles
- 2009 Nozzole ‘Le Bruniche’ Chardonnay

Second Course

Spaghetti alla Chitarra con Ragu’ di Agnello
Spagetti Alla Chitarra with Lamb Ragout
- 2008 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Pinot Nero

Third Course

Choice of
Arrosto di Maiale con Limone Caramellato
Roasted Pork Loin with Caramelized Lemons
or
Brodetto di Pesce Abruzzese con CrostiniSeafood Stew prepared Abruzzese-Style served with Crostini
- 2006 Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi Mormoreto

Fourth Course

Assortment of Abruzzese Desserts
- 2009 Rosa Regale

(TV Diner) – With a cozy, quietly decorated dining room, modest bar and a tented space that transforms into al fresco seating during warm weather months, Patrizia’s Italy in Plymouth, MA is fairly small in size, but but we’ve heard big in flavors! Owner Patrizia has a reputation for adding flare to the regional dishes of her Northern Italy homeland.

We began with the misto griglia. Grilled eggplant, zucchini, peppers, asparagus and goat cheese over field greens created a colorful salad of contrasting texture and temperature, fresh and beautifully presented.

Up next, was a shared plate of pasta. House-made cavatelli with Brussels sprouts and diced pancetta, crowned by tangy Pecorino cheese was beyond delicious.

The same could be said for the pan-seared pork tenderloin, wrapped in Speck prosciutto and paired with an amazing sweet potato soufflé and rainbow Swiss chard, then enveloped in apple-brandy sauce. Talk about a “wow” factor.

The veal Milanese also earned our praise. The thinly pounded, breaded and pan-fried chop was partnered with arugula salad and roasted potatoes making for an authentic presentation of this Northern Italian favorite.

Patrizia’s offers a changing menu of sweet endings.

We delighted in an excellent limencello tart. Fluted shortbread pastry was the perfect foundation for creamy lemon custard topped by plump blueberries.

In contrast, the ricotta pie was somewhat underwhelming. While ample in portion and tempting in appearance, the slice was rather bland and slightly dry.

There were no complaints whatsoever with our charming server whose gracious attention added to a memorable dining experience.

Prices are on the high side with appetizers and salads from $8 to $18; pasta $16 to $24; entrees ranging from $24 to $35; and desserts $6 to as much as $10.

For its signature spin on old world standards, expert use of fresh seasonal ingredients and warm atmosphere, Patrizia’s Italy will earn a glistening Gold Plate.

Open daily, Patrizia’s Italy is located at 170 Water Street within the Village Landing Marketplace in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Call 508-747-0015 or visit www.patriziasitaly.com

8. Authentic Italian

Tucked inside a bustling shopping plaza along the Plymouth waterfront, Patrizia’s Italy Trattoria is a delightful little restaurant dedicated to serving up big flavor. With only a small number of tables to attend to, the atmosphere is cozy and restaurant staff are able to deliver attentive, accommodating service. Chef Patrizia Galassi’s menu is constantly evolving to incorporate the freshest, seasonal dishes. The authentic Italian bistro has the energy of a small family-run restaurant in Italy, and if couples come in for dinner on a Sunday evening, chances are good they might even catch an accordion player serenading diners with Italian music. 170 Water Street, Plymouth, (508) 747-0015, www.patriziasitaly.com

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Patrizia Galassi’s Italian cooking demonstrations are authentic Old World experiences, with one exception: When Galassi hands out the recipe, she does not conveniently leave out any key ingredients.

There’s no chance to fool anyone in Galassi’s kitchen/classroom. All the ingredients are assembled on the spot when Galassi leads one of her cooking classes.

“Classic Italian Made Simple” and “Cooking Italian on a Budget” are two of Galassi’s more popular offerings. Students in the classes generally share an interest in Italian culture and food as well as a willingness to learn something new. But does Galassi really combine raisins with pine nuts in her braciole?

A group of friends from Pembroke, Kingston and Duxbury who joined Galassi to make the classic Northern Italian dish recently were pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

“Sweet, but not too sweet, no?” Galassi said of the raisins as her guests sampled the stuffed rolls of beef that she’d assembled and simmered before their eyes.

“Some people omit them, but the true, authentic braciole from Naples is made with the pine nuts and the raisins,” Galassi said. “It’s like a couple, or, as they say, the envelope and the stamp: They need to go together. They have all these silly sayings in Italy about food.”
Born and raised in Brescia, near Lake Garda in the lakes region of Northern Italy, Galassi studied in numerous cooking schools and learned traditional cooking in the family restaurant.

She studied law at the request of her parents and worked as an international trade representative and lobbyist when she first came to America a quarter century ago. She has since returned to her passion for cooking and made a niche for herself on the South Shore as a purveyor of Italian culture and cuisine.

In addition to her cooking classes, she offers a variety of Italian language courses from her home on Court Street. Classes are specially tailored to actors hoping to perfect an accent, businessmen looking for an edge overseas or retirees longing for chance to order dinner when they vacation overseas.

Galassi started teaching Italian language courses six years, shortly after moving to Plymouth from Washington, offering lessons through the Duxbury continuing education program. The cooking classes, which she often combines with language and cultural instruction, are more recent additions and the result of her marriage and move to Court Street.

Peg Kelleher of Marshfield started taking the language classes two years ago soon after her daughter got engaged to a man from Rome. Kelleher decided to learn Italian so she could communicate with her new son-in-law and his family.

With Galassi’s help, she learned enough Italian to enjoy the wedding ceremony in Rome. The acid test came later that same year when her new in-laws traveled to America for Thanksgiving. “I didn’t seem to insult anyone, so I must have done well,” Kelleher said. “And I think everyone appreciated what I was trying to do.”

A retired teacher, Kelleher studies with Galassi in a group setting every Thursday night. “What’s so wonderful about Patrizia is she takes a vested interest in her students and wants to know our goals. She let’s us dictate. And even though it’s a group, it’s very individualized,” Kelleher said. “It’s like a social outing. It’s not just Italian, but information about culture and style – why Italians are the way they are.”

Dr. David Pellegrini, a Duxbury dentist who lived in Italy for two years in the 1980s, got Italian cooking and language lessons with Galassi as a gift from his staff last year.

Pellegrini missed his chance to learn Italian when he lived overseas and now embraces the opportunity. He looks forward to returning to Italy with his wife some day, to conduct dental seminars and enjoy the cuisine.

“Patrizia is really good with the grammar. She’s Italian and she knows all the intricacies,” Pellegrini said. “Because she’s a native Italian, she knows all the little sayings in Italian that a lot of people won’t know. Even in the books there are sometimes two ways of saying something. She knows the right way.”

Galassi teaches basic as well as intermediate Italian and uses the same textbook used by students in colleges. Every Tuesday she has a class for two home-schooled high school students.

Julia Kanner, 15, decided to study Italian at the suggestion of her harpsichord teacher.

So much of the instrument’s music is written with Italian lyrics, Kanner decided the language would help her connect better with singers.
“She’s very nice, and she takes the time to make sure we understand things,” Kanner said. “She also tells us about her experience there (in Italy) and the difference in school years.”

Galassi maintains a running commentary behind the stove as well. For more advanced students, she teaches her cooking classes entirely in Italian. Most of the demonstrations are in English, punctuated with Italian wit and wisdom. “Life is so good where there is basil,” she said, dropping fresh leaves into her tomato sauce.

Students in the cooking classes get an insider guide to authentic Italian cooking, from what type of imported tomatoes to buy for the sauce to what type of pasta to serve with different variations.

Linguine and fettuccine go best with her pancetta sauce. Bow-tie pasta works better with the vodka and cream variation.

Galassi sweats nearly half a cup of water from her zucchini before frying them with lemon zest, mint and garlic. The vegetable, omnipresent in Italian kitchens, can be sautéed with walnuts as well.

Cooking class students get to help in the preparation. Better yet, they get to sample the fruits of their labors while Galassi works on the pans.

“My dream has come true. I always wanted to do exactly what I’m doing,” Galassi said. “I like to bring the true Italy, the authentic Italy to the people of the South Shore. I feel right at home here. I always felt Italy was my home because I was born and raised there, but finally I’ve found my home away from home in Plymouth.”

For more information about Patrizia Galassi and her Italian language and cooking classes, visit patriziasitaly.com or call 508-830-0954.
Copyright 2009 Wicked Local Plymouth. Some rights reserved.

Patrizia Galassi greets Mel Pellegrini, who performs at her restaurant every Sunday. (Photo credit: Steve Haines for The Boston Globe)

PLYMOUTH – For Patrizia Galassi, cooking has always been one of life’s great pleasures. But it took decades for the favorite pastime of this native of Italy to blossom into a lucrative career as a restaurant owner and chef.

Galassi, who recently opened Patrizia’s Italy Trattoria on Plymouth’s waterfront, attributes her love of cooking to her maternal grandmother, who taught her valuable life lessons, both in the kitchen and beyond, as she grew up in Brescia, a town nestled between Italy’s largest lake, Lago di Garda, and the towering Alps.

“When it came to cooking, Nonna Ester was the quintessential cook and busi nesswoman,’’ said Galassi, 48. “And I learned at her knee.’’
Watching her grandmother run two restaurants also taught Galassi that success requires hard work. As an adult, she adopted that same ethic.

“Most people that know me will say I’m a tenacious person, and I don’t give up easily,’’ she said.

Nonna Ester also stressed the importance of self-reliance.

“She was ahead of her time, teaching me that as a woman, if you do not have your own money, you do not have a vote,’’ Galassi said. “But she was gentle, too. She also said you have to follow your passion.’’

An Italian girl’s education in the kitchen was thorough. “I still remember, when I was 12 years old, I was allowed for the first time to form a tortellini,’’ she said. “When I was done, I announced to my family, ‘Now I feel like a woman.’ ’’

Preparing for a special occasion was exciting. “It was always a large family affair, when all the women would gather to make tortellini, tortelli, and ravioli,’’ Galassi said. “That was before the Internet, so this was how we caught up.’’

Because Galassi was the oldest child and excelled in school, she initially trained as a lawyer. It was what her father wanted. She used her education in law when she came to the United States at age 25 to assist Italian companies in their dealings with American organizations. During that time she lived in Washington, D.C., and later in Florida.

Love for an American who had visited Italy on holiday had drawn the young woman across the ocean. “As young puppies in love, we decided we couldn’t be apart, so we got married,’’ she said. The couple had a son, but the marriage didn’t last.

As years passed, Galassi became increasingly dissatisfied with her legal career and missed spending time at home. “When my son was 12 years old, we had a family talk,’’ she said. “We made the decision I would return to school, and we have never looked back.’’

At age 37, Galassi made her way back home to apprentice under well-known chefs in the Emilia Romagna region, known for its diverse and distinctive cuisine.

“It was a humbling experience after being a decision-maker,’’ she said. “There, I had no position.’’ Once her training was complete, Galassi returned to the United States, this time settling in the Boston area and on the South Shore, where she offered classes in Italian cooking, conducted culinary demonstrations, and taught Italian.

When she moved to Plymouth eight years ago, she continued with language and cooking classes from her home on Court Street.
“It made me feel closer to my country,’’ she said.

Galassi’s son, now 23, has followed in his mother’s footsteps, and is training at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.
She, meanwhile, married a Plymouth resident a year ago, who encouraged her to open her own restaurant. With guidance from nearby small business advisory groups, she opened Patrizia’s Italy Trattoria in late August, selecting the Village Landing Marketplace on Plymouth’s waterfront because its quaint atmosphere reminded her of Italy. The small restaurant already has enthusiastic return customers, because, as Galassi proudly explained, “Here, the passion for food is so thick you can slice it.’’

At her trattoria, Galassi said, she recreates traditional recipes just as they were made in northern Italy 200 years ago, when garlic did not dominate a dish, but simply “whispered’’ in balance with other flavors.

“This is not the interpretation of an Italian recipe – it is the traditional Italian recipe,’’ Galassi said. “I have a lot of Italian expatriates who come here because it reminds them of Italy.’’

Sunday evenings at the restaurant feature an accordion player and singer to serenade diners. And on Tuesdays the dining room closes to the public for the enjoyment of small private parties. Those nights, Galassi invites guest chefs who specialize in Italian cuisine from the country’s various regions. “It’s a lot of fun designing the menus,’’ she said.

Weekend fare includes several specials along with the standard menu. Those might include pumpkin ravioli in a fruit sauce, sea bass in citrus oil, or stuffed veal breast. Boar, duck, venison, and rabbit, typical northern Italian dishes, are featured.

“I believe passionately if you are in America and you have a dream you’re willing to work for, you can attain it,’’ Galassi said. “What defines the American people is their generosity, their intelligence, and their willingness to help.’’

Patrizia’s Italy Trattoria is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily except for Tuesday. The restaurant offers a light breakfast accompanied by coffees, expresso, and cappucino. The lunch menu includes panini, pasta, soups, and salads. Formal reservations are not taken for dinner, but customers can call ahead to get a jump on the crowd. Christine Legere can be reached at christineleger@yahoo.com.

Follow your heart and it will lead you home. That is exactly what Patrizia Galassi did when she gave up her career as a lawyer. The laws of cooking were always her true passion, so she went home to Italy to compete her training as a chef.

After Studying in Emilia Romagna, she returned to the United States and opened her home to offer culinary demonstations. These demonstrations, which were followed by relaxed taste testings, received rave reviews and many urged her to start her own restaurant.

Last August, the Italian native of Brescia, a region of northern Italy, began her first restaurant- Patrizia’s Italy Trattoria in Plymouth. She is proud to finally be following in her maternal grandmother’s footsteps; the true master chef in her life. At her Nonna Ester’s knee Patrizia not only developed a love for cooking but learned the value of hard work and following your dreams.”My grandmother had two restaurants. She was a top chef and business woman. She showed me that gender is not a limitation and a woman can do anything she sets her mind to do”. said Patrizia as she fondly remembered the days of her youth.

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