Meet Mr. Zappone

We have all met Mr. Zappone at orientation and have seen him in the hallways. But how many of us really know just who he is and what his role is in making this culinary department function?

Mr. Zappone has a B.S. degree from Indian University of Pennsylvania and a Master equivalency at Penn State and the University of Pittsburgh. He started out teaching high school for 5 years than he and his brother started a catering-grocery-deli business and a pasta manufacturing company. He moved on to country club management, obtaining Certified Club Manager status from Georgia State University and worked at various country clubs throughout the area. He continued to teach part time all the while. He also was a sales representative for US Foodservice Industries. Luckily for us, Mr, Zappone came to AiP in January 2004 as an instructor than became the program director of the culinary department in 2005.

As director of our department, Mr. Zappone’s duties include overseeing the curriculum as he works side by side with our instructors continually fine tuning just what we are taught, how we are taught and how they will all mesh together. He is responsible for overseeing accreditation of faculty, our on-line culinary programs and resolving any problems that arise from faculty on down to the students. He orders all of our food, glasses, plates, spoons and 1000 other miscellaneous items. And let us not forget, he is in charge of our uniforms and locker assignments. He oversees all of our programs and off-campus functions for our department and is constantly working on developing new ones as well.

When do you as a student need to speak to Mr. Zappone? If you have any problems at all adjusting to the school or the culinary program, a scheduling dilemma, need help with course descriptions, have a suggestion, a comment, Mr. Zappone’s door is always open. He is here Monday through Friday ready to help and assist in anyway he can.

On a personal note, Mr. Zappone is from Greensburg, Pennsylvania and he and his wife Mary have 2 children, Michael and Maria. His wife is a professor and department director of the culinary and hospitality program at Westmoreland County Community College. They frequently travel to Italy with Mrs. Zappone heading up a “cooking” tour of the country every other year that is an amazing blend of cooking lessons and sightseeing in all the best spots throughout Italy. Mr. Zappone loves to cook, especially Italian and we’ve included a couple of his favorite recipes that are sure to be keepers.

Heidi Riley

Pasta é Fagioli

(pasta and beans)

Ingredients:

½ Onion 1 #10 can or 4 28oz cans of Diced Tomatoes

4 oz. Carrots 1 #10 can or 4 28oz cans of Tomato Puree

4 oz. Celery 46 oz. can of Chicken Broth

3 cloves of Garlic 3 28oz. cans of water

½ cup Olive Oil 1 12oz. can of Tomato Paste

2 Tbsp. Basil 3 cans of Great Northern Beans (Cannallini)

½ tsp Salt ¼ cup of grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese

¼ tsp pepper 1 lb. Ditali or Ditalini pasta (cook separately)

¼ cup Sugar 3 medium potatoes, small diced

Directions:

1. In a food processor chop garlic, celery, carrots and onions as fine as possible.
2. In a 3 gallon sauce pot, heat olive oil, add the chopped celery, carrots, onions and garlic. Sauté lightly until onion is translucent.
3. Add basil, salt, pepper, and sugar.
4. Add chicken stock, water, and stir thoroughly
5. Add diced tomatoes, tomato puree, and tomato paste
6. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally
7. Reduce heat to simmer and continue to simmer until flavor is acceptable (if necessary, adjust seasonings) until the sauce thickens
8. Add diced potatoes, uncooked
9. Stir frequently until potatoes are cooked
10. You may add tomato paste if more thickness is needed or desired
11. Add grated romano or parmesan cheese

Note: At this point you can cool down (and freeze) for future use!

Or continue to completion adding the Great Northern Beans directly from can with all juices (do not drain or rinse beans)

Cook Ditali or Ditalini pasta according to directions, drain the pasta and place in a serving bowl and add the desired amount of sauce to the pasta (this recipe makes enough sauce for use with at least 3 lbs. of pasta). Cook the desired amount of pasta for the meal you are preparing and the remaining sauce freezes very well for future use!

Yield: 2 gallons (sauce)

BOLOGNESE (Meat) SAUCE

Ingredients:

½ lb. Onion 2 ½ lbs ground veal (or pork)

4 oz. Carrots 2 ½ lbs. ground beef

4 oz. Celery 1 #10 can or 4 26oz cans of Diced Tomatoes

3 cloves of Garlic 1 #10 can or 4 26oz cans of Tomato Puree

½ cup Olive Oil ¼ cup Sugar

2 Tbsp. Basil 6 cups of Chicken Broth

½ tsp Salt

¼ tsp pepper

¼ cup sugar

Directions:

1. In a food processor chop garlic, celery, carrots and onions as fine as possible.
2. In a 3 gallon sauce pot, heat olive oil, add the chopped celery, carrots, onions and garlic. Sauté lightly until onion is translucent.
3. Add ground veal (pork) and ground beef, mixing together in the sauce pot and sauté until the meats are thoroughly browned.
4. Add basil, salt, pepper, and sugar.
5. Add chicken stock, and stir thoroughly
6. Add diced tomatoes and tomato puree
7. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally
8. Reduce heat to simmer and continue to simmer until flavor is acceptable (if necessary, adjust seasonings) until the sauce thickens
9. Stir frequently
10. You may add tomato paste if more thickness is needed or desired

Note: This sauce freezes very well for future used

Yield: 2 gallons

PROSECCO

BABITURA

1 Quart Lemon/Lime Sherbet

4 oz. Vodka

14 oz. Prosecco (1/2 bottle)

· Combine ingredients in a blender.

· Whip and serve immediately in

6 or 8 oz. Champagne flutes

· A refreshing drink, or serve as dessert with Italian cookies

Yield: 8 Servings

PROSECCO

Sangria

1 750 ml bottle of Prosecco

16 oz. White Cranberry Juice

8 oz. Peach Schnapps

3 oz. Leche Nut Juice

Directions:

· Combine all of the above ingredients into a 2qt. pitcher

· Stir well

· Strain through ice into a large

· (10 oz.) Martini glass or over ice in a Tulip Glass

· Garnish with red & white seedless grapes, and 2 leche nuts and/or other fruits as desired, such as orange slices, peach slices, etc.

From the Kitchen of

Mike Zappone

From the Kitchen of

Mike Zappone