Nonnas House, Jody Scaravella
Nonnas House, Jody Scaravella
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Nonna's House
Cooking and Reminiscing with the Italian Grandmothers of Enoteca Maria

Author: Jody Scaravella, Elisa Petrini

Narrator: Cassandra Campbell

Unabridged: 2 hr 38 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/22/2025

Categories: Nonfiction, Cooking

Includes: Bonus Material Bonus Material Included


Synopsis

Now a Netflix film!

Discover the heart and soul of Italian tradition with this exquisite collection filled with mouthwatering recipes and vibrant tales from the iconic grandmothers of Enoteca Maria—a one-of-a-kind Italian restaurant where a rotating roster of nonnas take center stage as master chefs.

“If you have a choice between a three-star Michelin chef’s and Grandma’s, where are you going to eat?” asks Jody Scaravella, owner of Enoteca Maria on Staten Island. “Well, I’m going to Grandma’s. I’m going to the source.”

At Enoteca Maria, the chefs are nonne, or Italian grandmothers, whose culinary expertise comes from years of cooking for their families. Now, they invoke the food wisdom, artisanal methods, and recipes—handed down for generations—that are indigenous to their regions of Italy. Each nonna/chef creates her menu from whatever looks inspiring in her pantry—spontaneously, the way family meals evolve. Here are the recipes and stories from the kitchen at Enoteca Maria, a beautiful compendium of food and nostalgia, capturing flavors from the heart of Italy.

Nonna’s House is much more than just a cookbook; it’s a journey into the kitchens of eight Italian grandmothers who bring their regional specialties to life. From the savory to the sweet, the recipes include unique dishes like cod with cauliflower, fig and nut crostata, eggplant with chocolate, and fried chickpea flour with fennel. Classic favorites such as gnocchi, pasta, risotto, and polenta are also featured, ensuring there’s something for every palate.

The story behind Enoteca Maria is as heartwarming as the dishes themselves. Jody Scaravella’s vision of a restaurant staffed by Italian grandmothers began with a simple ad in a Staten Island newspaper. The result is a beloved dining spot that is becoming a cultural phenomenon. The book’s beautiful, four-color design, complete with full-color photographs, makes it a perfect gift for anyone who cherishes authentic Italian cuisine and the stories that come with it.

About Jody Scaravella

Jody Scaravella, or “Joe,” is the creator of Enoteca Maria, which opened in 2007 on Staten Island, with its signature cooking by Italian grandmothers. The “nonnas” have captivated the media, not only in New York but nationally and abroad, and have appeared on the Today show, Rachael Ray, Fox & Friends, and CNN’s Eatocracy, among other media.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Wendy on June 28, 2015

Nonna's House: Cooking and Reminiscing with the Italian Grandmothers of Enoteca Maria by Jody Scaravella is a wonderful cookbook that reads like a novel. Enoteca Maria is an intimate, neighborly restaurant on Staten Island where all the cooking is done by ten nonnas (grandmothers) using their own fam......more

Goodreads review by Michelle on January 24, 2015

Nonna's House is not just only a cookbook filled with delizioso recipes but its filled with stories from Italians families that makes you understand the love of a family and their special family recipes. Nonna's House incorporates the love of food and the importance of family. This book is filled wi......more

Goodreads review by Marie on April 05, 2021

I loved reading all the stories of the Italian nonnas who cook at Enoteca Maria in New York! I definitely want to take a road trip to that restaurant to experience the Nonnas' home cooked authentic italian meals!......more

Goodreads review by Edens Book Den on April 09, 2025

Food has a way of bringing people together, and the kitchen has always felt like the true heart of a home. This book brought me right back to my time living in Italy—where a kind, sweet grandmother who lived in my building took me under her wing and showed me how to make simple, beautiful dishes I s......more

Goodreads review by Dawn on January 08, 2023

The stories of the women who immigrated to America in the 50s, 60s & 70s, carrying their family recipes that provided some comfort & familiarity in a new world, are riveting!! The old country recipes, passed down for decades & in some instances, centuries, are sometimes too complex (and a little gro......more


Quotes

"This homespun audiobook mixes memories and recipes. Golden Voice narrator Cassandra Campbell brings her talent for storytelling, ease with Italian words, and melodious intonation to this fun and fascinating listen. At Enoteca Maria restaurant on Staten Island, New York’s least celebrated borough, eight Italian grandmothers, nonne, rotate their services as chef. Proprietor/author Scaravella gives them free rein in the kitchen, and the text offers them opportunities to both reminisce and discuss the regional variations of la cucina Italiana. The dishes range from classics—gnocchi, risotto, polenta—to more innovative—fig and nut crostata, eggplant with chocolate. Also offered are hints for everyday Italian cooking: Put a bay leaf in the pasta water."