Diocese of Greensburg Cookbook shares recipes for meals, religion, life

When baking, the results are best if the chef sticks to the recipe.

The same goes for life, says Bishop Larry Kulick of the Diocese of Greensburg.

“I always say (life is) like baking a cake,” he writes in the foreword to a new diocesan cookbook. “Some people don’t follow the recipe or tweak the recipe. You pull the cake out of the oven and it’s flat or burnt. We throw our hands in the air and ask God why He did this to us!

“Maybe God is saying quietly that I didn’t do this to you. I gave you the recipe. Follow the recipe and you will get a good cake, ”wrote Kulick.

Faith and Food: A Clergy Cookbook contains more than 30 personal or family recipes for soups, salads, starters and desserts submitted by bishops, priests and deacons of the diocese. They have been passed down through the generations or collected while traveling.

The recipes are differently accompanied by photos, memories, stories of ethnic food traditions, Bible verses and prayers.

There’s even a real food star among the contributors.

Deacon Andrew Corriente, who shares a recipe for Snickerdoodle cookies, was crowned champion on ABC’s The Great American Baking Show: Holiday Edition in a season that aired in December 2020 and ended January 2

“In addition to making fantastic desserts, Brother Andrew cooks and helps feed those in need in his ward,” said Jennifer Miele, chief communications officer and director of evangelism for the diocese.

Strong connection

“There is such a strong connection between belief and food,” said Miele. “Whether we attend the Eucharist at Mass or say a prayer at home before dinner, we know the importance of giving thanks for the gifts we have received, especially during the holiday season.”

The collection should have something for every taste, Miele said, from well-known home-style dishes like the Bacon Cheddar Meatloaf by Rev. Michael Sikon and the Pennsylvania Pumpkin Pie by Monsignor William Rathgeb to more exotic dishes like Chicken Tinola by Rev. Victor Baguna and Leche Flan by Rev. Ronald Maquinana.

Rev. Anthony W. Ditto, senior priest at the Mother of Sorrows Parish in Murrysville, tells a story from his time in Italy, along with a recipe for the best pasta carbonara he has ever tasted.

It was a dish he had never liked in the US, but an Italian waiter assured that this experience would be different.

“On a sabbatical we went to a restaurant suggested by teachers and students at the North American College in Abruzzo, known for its carbonara,” he said. “Me and my three classmates told the waiter how wonderful it was. He went to tell the cook how much we loved it, he came out and told how they do it.

“I took notes trying to get this close to the Abruzzo recipe, but made it my own and added a little more egg and pecorino to my taste,” he added.

The salads and a recipe for Rev. James Morley’s Fast Low-Carb Pizza Slice with a Tortilla compensate for the rich diet.

Miele credits Rev. Douglas Dorula, pastor of the SS congregations in Fayette County, with the founding of Faith and Food. Cyrill & Methodius and Saint Hubert.

“He emailed me about three years ago and said, ‘You need to put this on your to-do list,'” she said.

Support international priests

The diocese shared some of the recipes during online cooking sessions and a personal cooking event in October where Kulick demonstrated his sausage-filled pork loin, which was then served to approximately 300 guests.

“I jokingly say if you are dieting, do not go on or eat it, and if you are watching your cholesterol, do not do it or do not eat it,” writes Kulick in the book Splurge. This is a great autumn and winter dinner. “

Proceeds from the cookbook will benefit the International Priest Program Endowment, part of the Catholic Foundation for the Diocese of Greensburg, a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation founded in 1986 to support pastoral, educational and social services.

The program developed from connections between the former Bishop Lawrence Brandt and Catholic dioceses in the Philippines, said Kulick.

“The projected number of local clergymen has been decreasing, and he knew that if we didn’t add to it, we would face a real challenge at some point,” he said. “Bishop Brandt had the vision to bring priests from the Philippines.”

The benefits of the program go both ways, he adds.

Visiting priests “are gaining missionary experience in the United States and hopefully this will help them with administrative skills and broader cultural understanding.”

To date, more than 30 international priests have served in parishes in the diocese.

Faith and Food can be purchased online at dioceseofgreensburg.org/cookbook or by mail with a $ 40 check, name and delivery address to Clergy Cookbook, 725 E. Pittsburgh St., Greensburg, PA 15601.

Rocket Salad by Monsignor Michael Begolly

“The dressing goes well with the rocket because the rocket has a peppery taste and the dressing has a sweetness and a salty crispness made from walnuts and prosciutto that goes well with the salad,” says Begolly.

ingredients

4 tbsp olive oil, divided

½ cup walnuts, chopped into bite-sized pieces

4 ounces prosciutto, cut into ribbons

½ cup of dried figs

3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon of honey

1 shallot, chopped

6 cups rocket, washed (can replace other types of salad such as romaine lettuce)

4 ounces of shaved parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

Directions

Roast walnuts in a pan over medium heat for about 5 minutes until they smell fragrant, turning occasionally so they don’t burn. Put aside. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Fry the ham, stirring occasionally, until crispy, about 7 minutes. Put aside.

While the prosciutto is cooking, cut the figs into pieces (kitchen scissors work best). Mix with vinegar and honey in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds until plump. Add shallots and 3 tablespoons of olive oil and stir. Set aside to cool.

Mix the rocket and the cooled dressing in a large bowl. Arrange on plates and top with prosciutto, walnuts and grated Parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste.

Shirley McMarlin is the author of Tribune Review. You can contact Shirley at 724-836-5750, smcmarlin@triblive.com, or on Twitter.

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