In 2002 a young woman stepped up to the podium of the oldest and one of the most beautiful Opera Houses in Europe, the San Carlo Theater. Certainly, a hushed silence must have washed over the crowd as they waited for her arm to raise, the music to begin.

Of all the frieds, these are the simplest and quickest to make and are a great snack to serve up to family or friends on the fly. Simply wash, cut, batter and fry.

Arriving at the table in a variety of shapes and sizes, what is hidden inside of each bite-sized morsel, and I use that term loosely, is known only to those in the know.

Something magical happens when the chicken, tomatoes, white wine, and peperoncino are combined and braised slowly on the stove. The result? A spicy, sweet, savory sauce, and chicken, or rabbit as the case may be, so tender it falls off the bones.

For this time honored tradition, Giuseppe called on the baker in the family, his big sis Anna, who schooled us in the art of making Pastiera, a Neapolitan Easter delight.

A classic secondo piatto di Pasqua, Capretto alla Napoletana vies for a seat at the Neapolitan Easter table with it's close cousin, a lamb dish made in the same vein, Agnello al Forno or Agnello al Forno con Patate.

Here in Napoli, this medium sized white fish with a succulent taste is known simply as la Spigola. Cooked whole, either baked (as we did) or steamed, it is a favorite staple of the Neapolitan diet.

Timballo di Maccheroni alla Napoletana or perhaps a Moda di Giuseppe - there is no other way to describe this Neapolitan delight than OMG - this is soooooo good!