Whence Raisins?
Friday October 1, 2004
Diane writes, "Hi, my mother used to put raisins in her meatballs, she said that they helped cut the acidity of the tomato sauce. Many times I have made the comment to other Italian cooks, and only one had heard of this. I know that pinola nuts are used in some regional cooking, however I don't know where my mother learned this as her mother and grandmother did the same. Can you tell me what region in Italy uses raisins in their meatballs?"
I'd guess the South, and probably either Sicily or Calabria, since I have come across meatballs with raisins in both regions. See Purpette a Ra Passula, Calabrian meat-based meatballs, and Sardine Meatballs in Sauce, which is Sicilian (and very, very good). In Sicily, and (I expect) Calabria the use of raisins and pine nuts came from contact with Arabs, who use them extensively (remember that Sicily was an Arab Province for a time). Though the Arabs never dominated further north you do find raisins in savory recipes in old cookbooks. For example, Artusi included raisins (and pine nuts) in his sauteed spinach. Now you get garlic and salt, and perhaps a little red pepper.
Bottom Line: I expect that your great grandmother brought the custom from somewhere in the South, probably Sicily.
I'd guess the South, and probably either Sicily or Calabria, since I have come across meatballs with raisins in both regions. See Purpette a Ra Passula, Calabrian meat-based meatballs, and Sardine Meatballs in Sauce, which is Sicilian (and very, very good). In Sicily, and (I expect) Calabria the use of raisins and pine nuts came from contact with Arabs, who use them extensively (remember that Sicily was an Arab Province for a time). Though the Arabs never dominated further north you do find raisins in savory recipes in old cookbooks. For example, Artusi included raisins (and pine nuts) in his sauteed spinach. Now you get garlic and salt, and perhaps a little red pepper.
Bottom Line: I expect that your great grandmother brought the custom from somewhere in the South, probably Sicily.
Comments
My mother’s family was from the Bari Region of Italy where it was common to have raisins in the meatballs and it’s something we grew up with. But it seemed like NOBODY who was not from that area ever heard of adding raisins. One time I was photographing an event in Alaska (of all places) and met a photographer from Italy - we started talking and I asked him where in Italy he was from and he said Bari - I was very excited and immediately asked if he used raisins in his meatballs to which he responded “Of Course!”
The meatball and raisin “question”‘ was very interesting when I was growing up - My mother used to make two kinds of meatballs - round ones without raisins and oblong ones with raisins (ten raisins per meatball) When I was a kid I wouldn’t eat the ones with raisins because I thought they weren’t real Italian (since none of my other italian friends mothers made theirs with raisins) but when I got older I LOVED the ones with raisins.
I promise you, if you try meatballs with raisins, you will beVERY pleasantly surprised!!