Treasured Family Recipes
Food has always been a very special part of our family. Our father has a passion for cooking that runs in his blood. In fact, many of the recipes that inspired Mici have been in the Miceli family for generations. Although our dad is not a chef by trade, he did receive formal cooking instruction from Tuscany’s renowned Toscana Saporita after retiring as president and CEO of an international company.
Cooking was not only therapeutic for him with a high stress career, but a way to pass on his love of food to his family. One of his rules has always been to use the finest ingredients available. Therefore, Mici abides.
Customers are often surprised that a quick-casual restaurant like ours uses ingredients such as Prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano.
Pizza Di Pina: During a visit with our Italian relatives, our cousin Pina prepared an abundance of fresh pizzas in her summer kitchen’s pizza oven. One of our favorites was a simple combination of ingredients – one that made an impression on our taste
buds.
That day, the Pizza di Pina was born. Delicious crust, olive oil, a blend of three cheeses and thinly sliced fresh zucchini. Mmmmm, perfecto!
Tortellini alla Miceli: For as long as we can remember, tortellini in a cream sauce with prosciutto and peas was a staple on special occasions. When we were in school, our friends (who were very familiar with our dad’s cooking), would ask if he would prepare a special meal prior to homecoming and prom instead of going out to a restaurant. So, it became tradition that our mother would create a fine dining experience in our home while our father prepared elaborate meals. In tuxedos and formal gowns, we always enjoyed Tortellini alla Miceli.
Digirolomo: Every family has a story and for us it starts with our Grandpa Pop DiGirolomo (Dee.jur.aw.loh.moh). Born July 19, 1885, Antonio Leonardo DiGirolomo grew up in Faeto, Italy – in the region of Puglia. Orphaned at the age of twelve and raised by his grandmother for the next few years, Grandpa Pop came to America by himself at the age of fifteen – with little to no money. He immediately found work on the railroad, and eventually got a job with a foundry where he worked for over fifty years. A very hard worker and a happy man who always made people smile – Grandpa Pop inspires us when we are tired and keeps us fighting for our family business (or something like that?). It is no surprise to us, that in 2004, after weeks and weeks of frustrating delays, Mici’s opening day ended up being July 19th.Grandpa Pop’s Birthday. Our favorite pizza is named after one of our favorite people.
Caprarola: In 1985, Constance Cristofori Korenz got a letter from her cousin *****. Constance remembered well her little best friend when she was a young child in Caprarola, Italy.
Unfortunately, Constance never made it back to Caprarola, but her daughter Rosalie has. Our mother and father have been back several times. One of our most popular pizzas is named after this special place.
Marinara: Our father spent a lot of time with his mother in the kitchen after his dad died at a young age. Making homemade sauce together was comforting, which may explain our dad’s love of cooking. Our sauce at Mici is made with the same love. Large pots filled with marinara simmer for hours on the stove until it reaches the perfect level of richness and flavor.
Cortonese: We sell more of our meat sauce than any other pasta dish. This intricate, complex sauce was perfected when our dad spent time at Tuscany’s renowned Toscana Saporita cooking school. The beef and pork is cooked slowly creating a crust that we deglaze. The vegetables, beef and pork are then simmered, creating a depth of flavors that are unique to the Cortonese sauce. It is seasoned with fresh herbs and spices that round out this dish resulting in a heavenly, rich flavor that so many of our customers love.
Meatballs: We’ve heard that many Italian restaurants use pre-made meatballs, which we find hard to believe. Nothing can stand up to the real thing. Beef, pork, breadcrumbs, eggs, and seasonings, gently blended together and hand rolled.now that’s how you make a meatball.
Italian Wedding Soup: As kids, when we woke up to find dad hand rolling tiny meatballs, we knew it was a special occasion. Our Italian Wedding soup is made the same way – we hand roll each and every tiny little meatball. At Mici, any day can be a special occasion.
