A LITTLE BIT of DINO
Who knew that Frank Sinatra had a signature tomato sauce or even that the beloved star enjoyed spending time in a kitchen? Well, a whole lot of people in the 1970s got a glimpse of those chef proclivities when Sinatra appeared on NBC’s hit daytime show starring Dinah Shore. In a “Dinah’s Place” episode, the Rat Pack celebrity dished on and dished out his signature tomato sauce, rightfully credited as having come from his Italian-immigrant mother Natalie Della Garaventa, affectionately known as Dolly Sinatra.
Sinatra’s version is a pretty stress-free version of a classic Italian sauce, relying on cans of tomato puree and Italian-style tomatoes, which could include the renowned San Marzano tomatoes from the Agro Sarnese Nocerino region of Southern Italy. Due to volcanic soils from the nearby towering Mount Vesuvius, these tomatoes tend to be sweeter with intense tomato flavors and less acid than other varieties. The exact recipe attributed to Sinatra tends to vary slightly depending on the cookbook or source, but it’s generally agreed that the canned tomatoes get pureed in a blender and added later to a pot of emerging ingredients. Onions and minced fresh garlic get sauteed in olive oil on the stovetop, joined by the blended tomatoes and Italian-favorite spices such as parsley, thyme, and black pepper. That’s about it — just cook on low for a few minutes and top with crushed red pepper and extra fresh parsley.
Once you know Sinatra’s connection to Italian food, it makes sense when finding photos of him in a chef’s hat or seeing his name tied to Italian recipes in magazines and cookbooks, like the 2013 book SUNDAY SAUCE – When Italian-Americans Cook. He’s certainly in good company there, with his Spaghetti and Meatballs recipe appearing alongside a Sunday gravy from Joe DiMaggio’s Mama and several recipe incarnations from famous movie scenes, such as a Brooklyn Mob War Sauce from “The Godfather” and a Sauce in Prison from “The Goodfellas.”
Some of Frank Sinatra’s favorite foods were known to be Italian dishes, and he maintained enduring devotion to Italian cooking and restaurants, including the recently reopened La Dolce Vita in Hollywood and Patsy’s Italian Restaurant in New York City. Much like his inimitable fame and fan devotion, Sinatra and his mama’s tomato sauce recipe is still around — and it’s a fresh and easy take on classic Italian saucing.
Wendy Leigh
February 21, 2024
“FRANK & TONY” BENEDETTO & SINATRA
CHICKEN SCARPARIELLO SICILIANA
alla SINATRA
Chicken Scarpariello, do you know what that means? It translates to Shoemaker’s Chicken. Did you know that Frank Sinatra’s father, Saverio Antonino Martino Sinatra was born in Lercara Friddi, Sicily. His parents immigrated to New York City in 1903 when Marty was 11 years old. His American name was Marty, which is what everyone called him. Marty’s father was already in New York, working in a pencil factory when young Martino arrived in New York with his mother and two sisters Angela and Dorthea. As a teenager, young Marty apprenticed as a shoemaker, but didn’t last long, instead he became a Prize Fighter.
Along the way, it seems Martino’s mom taught him a thing or two about cooking Sicilian food, and George Jacobs (Frank’s Valet / assistant) has said that both Dolly Sinatra and Marty gave George recipes, and taught George how to cook Frank’s favorite dishes, Pollo Scarpariello being one of them, and the recipe was taught to George Jacobs by Marty, and George has said that of the two of them, Marty was actually a better cook than Dolly. This is now a great surprise, as it is not always the case, but it is sometimes among Italians, as in the case of the Sinatra Family, that the husband is a better cook than the wife, this has been the case in many Italian families, especially in the later part of the Twentieth Century and now into this, the 21st Century, Italian-American men, in many cases it seems, are more interested in cooking Italian Dishes then are the Italian women of these younger generations, and many young Italian-American men are better cooks than their wives. That’s just the way it is.
MARTY’S CHICKEN SCARPARIELLO
Chicken Scarparieello is a longtime favorite dish of Italian Americans, and the Sinatra’s were no exception to the rule when it came to this tasty dish. Chicken Scarpariello translates to English as Shoemaker’s Style Chicken. Scarpa is the Italian word for shoe. Marty’s father, Frank’s grandfather, was a shoemaker in Lercara Friddi, Sicily. Marty ate this tasty chicken dish all his life and made it for his wife Dolly and son Francis (Frank) Albert. This is Marty Sinatra’s recipe for Pollo Scarpariello. Make it and enjoy.
Ingredients :
1 – 3 lb. Chicken cut into 10 Pieces (or 10 Chicken Thighs)
6 links Italian Sweet Sausage
6 cloves Garlic, peeled and cut into 5 pieces each clove
1 Sweet Red Bell Pepper, cut into ½” strips
2-3 Sprigs Fresh Rosemary
¼ cup dry White Wine
½ teaspoon each Salt and ground Black Pepper
2 large Potatoes, peeled and cut into 2” chunks
Pat the Chicken dry, and season with 1/2 the Salt & Black Pepper
Place 5 tablespoons of Olive Oil in a large pan. Turn heat to medium flame. Place the Chicken in the pan, skin side down, and brown for 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over to the second side and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Add the wine to the pan and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove the Chicken from the pan and place in a bowl with the juices from the pan.
Add the Sausages and cook on low heat on all sides for 8 minutes. Remove sausages and place in a bowl with the Chicken.
Add the potatoes to the pan with 4 tablespoons of Olive Oil. Add a pinch of Salt & Black Pepper to potatoes and cook for 4 minutes on medium heat. Add the Red Bell Peppers and cook on low heat for 7 minutes.
Add the Sausage and Chicken and all the juices to the pan with the Peppers and Potatoes. Add the rosemary. Cook for 6 minutes on low heat. Turn the chicken over and continue cooking for 6 minutes more.
Let it cool for a few minutes, then serve each person some Sausage, 2 pieces of Chicken and Potatoes and some pan juice.
EXCERPTED From “SINATRA SAUCE”
by Daniel Bellino Zwicke
CLICK HERE ! For More SINATRA Recipes
Frank Sinatra & Grace Kelly
1958
Sinatra Sauce 
