Villa D'Este

Saturday and Sunday we were in Rome so that Paul could help President Waddoups with some computer software installs and so we could attend the senior couple get together on Sunday.  Saturday night we went to Tivoli to see the Villa D'Este.  Sister Waddoups and a new senior couple, the Hansens,  came with us.  President Waddoups was in Malta for the weekend. Here we are in the town of Tivoili in front of some castle, not the Villa D'Este.

The gardens are incredible with five hundred fountains and garden pathways and hedges everywhere.  The palace was for the governor of Tivoli and was built before 1550.  But Cardinal Ippolito D'Este, when he became governor, took possession in 1550 and remodeled it. The area for the gardens is so big that they had to demolish a whole area of the town to make room for the elaborate gardens.

I took lots of pictures and also snagged some of sister Waddoup's photos. So if they look familiar, they probably are!

Learning to make Pizza from Martina

Last night we were invited over to Martina's house to learn how to make Pizza.  After being here for more than a year and a half I was so happy to learn how to make pizza.  This was a family recipe from her grandmother.

So I will share this secret recipe with you and keep it to use again and again.

Martina's Pizza. (Really it is her grandmothers recipe)

This makes 2 jelly roll pan size pizzas

6 cups of flour (best to use half Manatoba flour and 1/2 type 0 flour)

2 fists full of salt

1 big pinch of sugar

3-4 T olive oil

1 cube of yeast

2 1/2 cups of warm water

Put cube of yeast in 2 1/2 cups of warm water and let sit for a few minutes.

In a separate bowl : Add 5 1/2 cups flour 

Add salt and sugar and mix in with flour

Pour 3-4 T of oil on top of dry ingredients

Pour in yeast and water into flour mixture by about a half cup at a time and mix by hand and then keep adding until all mixed

Put the last 1/2 cup of flour on the table and knead dough til smooth 5-10 minutes

Round up in a ball and put back in bowl.

Mark a big X on top of dough with a knife and cover with a cloth.

Let rise til double and punch down and let it rise again.  You can punch down and let it rise many times.  The better it is supposedly.  But let it rise at least two hours.

Divide dough in half.

Put 1 T. Olive oil in each pizza pan to grease pan.  Rub in well

Drop in 1/2 of pizza dough and just work it in to cover the whole bottom of the pan with a slight turn up the side.

Pizza sauce:

Peeled ripe Roma tomatoes, blended and sautéed in pan with olive oil and garlic.

Fry it up to combine flavors and then add salt to taste and as much fresh basil as you like.  Makes a very thin and runny sauce and that's what you want

Margherita pizza:

Cover dough with  tomato sauce and bake in hot oven 200* C or 400* F just until edges are turning brown.  About 8-10 minutes . check often in the last few minutes

Remove and add diced mozzarella and sprinkle olive oil lightly over that

Back in the oven til cheese melts...just a few minutes

Remove...add fresh basil and eat!

Fiori di Zucca

Don't put tomato sauce on this one

Cut up zucchini flowers and put on top of of dough

Sprinkle lots of pepper over all of it and add 2 pinches of salt

Then add what ever you want ie: bacon, ham, or sausage, 

Sprinkle olive oil all over it and bake it til edges turn lightly brown

Remove and add mozzarella cheese and return to oven to melt cheese

Garnish afterwards with basil

We also made some small fried pizzas, by making about 4-6 inch circles of dough that we just formed with our hands from small balls of dough.  Then we fried them on both sides in peanut oil and put the fresh red sauce on it and topped with fresh Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.  These were Anziano Scherbel's favorite!

Things I love about Italy

Today I was thinking about things I like about Italy.  My list goes on and on.  I have developed a love of hanging clothes out on my balcony as does the rest of the Italian population.  I love the fresh smell , 

And since I am on the fourth floor, I like to look at the view of the mountains around me, and of course I see the colorful apartment buildings right next door.  

          I can also see our town castle up on the hill.

One thing that I really like about Italy, is their use of outdoor space.  Every few blocks they have little piazza's which are open areas with a few benches and usually a statue of the Madonna.  This is where neighbors and village people mingle and gather in the early evening before it gets dark.  There are always lots of old men who will just be sitting on a bench and watching all the people go by.  They smoke their cigarettes and occasionally talk to each other.  But it seems like there is not a soul who stays in their apartment, but they all are walking around town, or standing around talking, or just sitting on a bench.

Paul and I even do that sometimes!

Of course, one of our favorite things to eat here, is pizza.  Battipaglia has the traditional Napliatano pizza's which are a very soft yummy crust with any type of topping you like.  Our favorite pizza place is Donna Sophia's right around the corner from our apartment.

Our favorite hike to take the missionaries on, is just about 10 minutes away, in the mountains overlooking Battipaglia.  There is an old medievil castle ruin between two rocky clefs. The hike is exhilarating and the views are beautiful.  We usually take a picnic lunch.

We love Zone conference in Pozzuoli where we get to see about 24 missionaries from the Napoli Zone.

Of course we think it's the best zone in the whole mission.  We love to sing our mission song together.

       We love eating at our investigators homes.  It's more than the food, but of course that is good, but we love these good people who have close families and wonderful family traditions centered on strong beliefs in the Savior.

                  Most of the food they serve comes from their gardens:

Here we have zucchini flowers breaded and fried, potatoes, tomato salad, fried egg plant, green beans,  egg/zucchini frittata, Italian bread and a lettuce salad. 

Our English classes, two nights a week, are a highlight for us.  We love these kids so much.  They come every time, and love us back.  We have a fireside in our home every other Friday night to discuss the gospel.  We feed them American pancakes afterwards and we get a good group.

I have to admit that I like taking the train.  It's very relaxing and I don't have to worry about getting killed by crazy Italian drivers!  Here we are waiting to take the train to Rome.  I guess we are checking to see if Paul spilled any pasta sauce on his tie!

I love these little mountain villages that are everywhere.  You feel like you are way back in time.  The buildings are crumbling, and the people have such a weathered look.  They must have so many stories to tell.

I love the doors and windows on these old buildings.  The building could be the ugliest structure you have ever seen, with thirty coats of paint peeling and the cement patching all coming apart.  Yet the doors are gorgeous and the windows are brightened with pretty shutters or flowers.  It's a very pleasing mix.

We have loved working with each and every missionary that has come to Battipaglia.  We have had them over for many cooking lessons.  Some of our favorite lessons were learning how to make Sister Ghio's tortillas.  Oh my they are good. Paul is now an expert!  

         We have taught them how to make Ivan's lasagne.  It is one of our favorite recipes.

Our little branch is really like one big family.  Everyone knows each other.  The active members have served in every single calling possible, sometimes in 5 or 6 callings at once.  We can not even begin to realize the sacrifices they make to be members of the church.  We have several eternal investigators that come to everything and have even been dressed in white and at the font, but can't make that final step....yet they remain active.  We love the and pray for each one that they may be blessed for their faithfulness.

      

I have really enjoyed serving in primary where the kids are so patient with me as I try to speak Italian.  I have loved working with Carrie and Greta.

Paul and I have learned a lot about each other as we have served this mission.  I am guessing that might be one of the reasons we needed to go on a senior couple mission.  It is a refining time and a growing time. I appreciated him more than I ever have before.  He will do whatever he is asked to do, to help anyone.  He is so patient with me.  He is learning to understand me better than ever.  I am accepting our differences better than I have before.  We are two very different beings.  We approach all things different.  We each have very different strengths and weaknesses.  I am discovering that I have a lot more weaknesses than I had heretofore thought!   But I love him all the more because of this growing time.  I am so thankful that he is my eternal mate and my missionary companion!