I Nostri Vini - Backhillonline

The Hill
Anita Besagni nee Fassini
The story continues
In last month's issue I made a
mistake in the last paragraph where I
said that it took three years before
Maria and her three daughters finally
made the journey to. England; they did
in fact arrive in 1919. We left our
story at the point where Pietro Fassini
Anita's father, had finally arrived in
England on his return journey from St
Petersburg in Russia, where he had
spent seven years separated from his
wife and children through circumstances
beyond his control. His one
aim throughout his years in exile was
to return 'to Vernasca, Piacenza in
Northern Italy where he would be
reunited with his family. As fate
would have it he inadvertently met his
eldest daughter Cesiril who unbeknown
to him had already immigrated
to England.
1919 we pick up our story as
Pietro waits in London with'Cesira for
the arrival, of his wife Maria with her
three daughters, Anita (whose story
we are telling) and her two younger
sisters Rosa and Elisa.
Even in those far off times, papers
had to be filed and reasons given for
anyone to be allowed to leave the
country of their birth and settle
8
permanently in another country. (1
have been looking through some old
documents that were required in order
for Anita (my mother-in-law) to gain
pennission to emigrate, one of them
had the heading Certificato Dj Miserabilita",
in other words, a statement
that she was living in a state of abject
poverty. When you see a document of
this nature it really brings home to
you the reasons why so many people
had no choice other than to pack up
and go, leaving behind them the
sombre dark green mountains, the
pine woods and beautiful valleys, the
long hotslinuniis aiid -short WinterS,
plus the strong community bond that
existed between their relatives and
friends in their homeland. In this case
however there was the added incentive
that they were to be reunited with
Cesira who had preceded them and
their father Pietro.
1921 Famiglia Fassini
Together at last!
I wonder what Anita's feelings
were when she finally set foot in the
country that was to be her home for
the rest of her days. Joy) . at the
thought of seeing not only her beloved
elder sister Cesira and her
father, who she had last Seen in 1911
when she was 10 years old: but also a
great sense of loss for the relatives
and friends that she had left behind in
Vemasca (she certainly never forgot
them, and being the generous hearted
sonl that she was, as her lot improved
over the years she was always sending
parcels home to Vemasca). When the
little family arrived in Clerkenwell's
'Quartiere Italiano', I wonder if Anita
felt excitement or dismay as she
viewed the dark cobbled streets and
alleyways. The eerie shadows cast by
the street gas lighting, the noise, with
rattle of the trams and the general
cacophony of sound that was London
in those' days, (unlike today when
television and radio keeps people off
the streets and in their homes, particularly
in the evenings). The population
would be milling about, there would
have been groups standing about on
the street corners, children playing,
Antonio and Giovanni Besagni -
Italian Army 1918
Olive Besagni
the plaintive strains of Santa Lucia
coming from one of the many street
organs in the area, intenningled with
the cry of the hot chestnut vendor, the
clop - clopping of the horses hoofs on
the cobbled streets as they pulled the
ice carts bearing the great blocks of
ice that would be left outside the
shops and restaurantS. However, when
they entered Leicester Place, you can
bet all the street were out viewing the
newcomers. As they closed the door
of their own rooms in No 4 behind
them, together at last as a family, all
under the same roof after so many
years apart, how- emotional it must
have been. Cesira had· worked hard
and spent hours and what money she
had on preparing the little home
(which' consisted of two rooms in No
4 Leicester Place, Saffron HilI) look
as nice as she could. There were new
white net cUrtains at the windows,
china and cutlery, furniture and all the
things neCessary to make a home: a
stove, a sink with running water.
Pietro had by this time found work, so
there was plenty of food on the table.
There was also the added luxury of an
outside toilet, (remember that in those
days back on the farm you simply
went out into the barn and pushed the
animals out of the way). Those two
rooms in Leici:ster Place must have
seemed like Buckingham Palace to
the newcomers. So'what did the future
have in store for Atiita? She was
eighteen years old,attractive, fit and
strong. She soon got a job with Cesira
who at this time was working as a
waitress in Bertorelli's restaurant in
Charlotte Street and life must have
seemed rosy) A wage at the end of
each week; naturally most of the
money went to Mama (Maria), but
with the rest she was able to buy nice
clothes, shoes and treat her little
sisters now and again. Their first
Christmas in England was spent with
Zia Natalina who lived in Bell Street,
off of the Edgware Road, where, as
you can imagine, they savoured many
new delights, an abundance of food
and wine, English chocolate, and toys
for the little ones. What a happy day
it was for all of them. Imagine how
Pietro must have felt as he feasted his
eyes on his wife and children, the
long lonely years spent alone in
November 97

I
Novembre97
Riebard Samuel Lombardi Grimm: Charles e Aurora Grimm
Isabella'Lonergan: Denis e Elena Lonergan
Franeesca MoruzziiRemo Moruzzi e Samantha Saundcrs­
Deborab Nicole Stewart: Robert Stewart e Carmella Montieolombr
Lando Gabriele Luigi Jacobueci: Giuseppe laeobueei e Linda Gilbert
Giovanni GUaltieri: Gennaro Gualtieri e Batbara Mathis
Gianni PagDotta: Giovanni PagnOlla e Nicoletta Bcsagili
Daniela Silvana »i Nardo: A1fredo Di Nardo e Silvana Centanni
AJessandro Louis Easom: Robert Easom e Oriella Mariani
Harry Jack-lovinG: Giacomo lovinG e Elaine Hoodlcss
James Gabriele lovino: Giacomo lovinG e Elaine Hood1css
"; '-,
Hanno unito le loro vite davanti a Dio nel Matrimonio
Nunzio Di Pace e Fiorinda Celentano
Matthew Weir e Elena Cerri
Giovanni Palazzo e Maria Polizio
John Theodorou e Antonina Aeeurso
, Shanon Sullivan e Saiidra Crabb
Simon Rose e Julie Fagiani
Giuseppe Sorce e Mana AV3I\7-'.o Martin Kelly e Maria Di Lieto
lan Rawlinson e Nadia Molinari
Marlo Saggcse , Liliana Cifonelli
Justin Bacon e Marinella Valeri
Haider Ali e Lisetta Terenzio
Vito Caraeei e Lidia Pini
Gianni Anncssa e Palricia Balfe
Silvio Cieeone e CarOline Smith
Renato Fort e Maria Paola Dominici
Claudio Stilari e Gabriella Chiappa
Michael Moretti e Assuntina Pctrasso
Salvatore Avanzato e Jacqueline Coe
Sergio Anneeehiarico e Mara Di Laurenzio
S tephen Photiou e Nadia Bazzinotti
Stephen Welch e LindaBertelli
Teodoro eatino e Sonia Femandez
Andrew Squire e Rosaria De Francisci
Carlo Amodio e Vedeka Williams
Costas Economides e Loretta Sartori
Santo Giordano e Anna Papanicolaou
Tornmaso Minichiello e Franccsca Nasta
Paul Cullinan e Cristina Bergonzi
Antonio Cancelliere e Lina Di Maria
Palrick Bircha11 e Claudia Caira
lMauro Dirago e Domenica Cirillo
Domenico Ciampa e Bridget Perez
Riposano nella Pace del nostro Signore
Giuseppe Saponara Pictro Di Rosa
Vincenzo Gallo
Robcrto Santilli
Giuscppe Guamieri
Veronica Marzolini
Pietro CaItini Umberto C3sdias
Beatrice Palmisano Giovanni Dadomo
Antonio Torino
Filomena Criscuoli
Maria Cardellieehi
Angelino Pi talis
Vittorio Callegari
Maurizio Putzolu
Franca Ferrari
Alice Bolognini
Margherita Brigati
21
•

34
Oggetti Religiosi
Ogni domenica dalle 9.45 am - 2.00pm al No.2 Back Hill
Potete trovare tutti gli oggetti religiosi per:
Prima Comunione, Cresima, Matrimoni, Benedizione del
Papa, Rosari, Bibbie, Statue, il Nuovo Catechismo della
Chiesa Cattolica, quadri, ecc ...
November 97

Mamma's Ricetta
Pasticcio di Polio e Riso
Ingredicnti
700 gr riso di lunga cottwa
175 gr di parmigiano grattugiato
100 gr mozzarella tagliata a fettine
SugodiPoUo
1 cuchiaio di olio
1 cipolla tritata
2 spicchi di aglio schiacciati
4 fettc di pancetta tritata
250 gr di funghi tagliati ii fettiDe
350 gr di polio maccinato
2 x 500 gr di passato di poodoro
6 cucchiai di vino
sale, pepe, oregano, Vz dado
Metodo
Fate friggcre leggermcnte ncl olio la cipolla, I'aglio c la
pancetta. Aggiungete I funghi ed iI polio e cucinate per
altri 5 minuti. Unite iI pomi, iI vino e iI dado, sale, pepe e
un cucchiano di' oregano. Cucinate per 1 ora.
Salsa di Formaggio
50 grburro
65 gr farina
500 mllatte
150 gr di gruyere grattugiato
25 gr parmigiano .
sale, nOcc moscata
Metodo
Mcttcte iI burro, iI latte e la farina in una casseruola.
Mcttcte suI fuoco e cucinate, scmpre mcscolando, fincM la
salsa si addensa. Levate dal fuoco e aggiungete iI
formaggio.
Pasticcio
Unite 100 gr di parmigiano aI riso. Imburrate una teglia.
Coprite la base della teglia con un terzo del riso, coprite
con metA del sugo di polio poi con un terzo di salsa di
formaggio. Continuate con strati di riso, polio e formaggio
fincM arrivate con riso e salsa di formaggio. Coprite con
fettine sottile di mozzarella ed iI rcstante parmigiano.
Passatela nel forno pre-scaldato 190 0 /no. 5 per 1 ora.
38
:jr,#AJIl- -
RIVJSl'A DElLA COMUNITA'ITALIANA
Mrs. M. G.
Chicken and Rice Lasagne
Ingredients
1 V:. Ib long grain rice, cooked
6 oz parmcsan cheese, grated
4 oz thinly sliced mozzarella
Chicken Sauce
1 tbspn oil
1 large onion chopped
2 cloves of garlic crushed (optional)
4 rashers of bacon, chopped
6 oz button mushrooms, sliced'
12 oz chicken, minced
2 x 16 oz sieved tomatoes (passato)
6 tbspns wine red or white
salt, pepper, oregano, V:. stock cube
. Method
Lightly fl)' the onion, garlic and bacon in the oil until
onion is soft. Add mushrooms and chicken and fl)' for
a further .5 minutes. Add thc sicved tomatoes, wine,
stock cube, salt, pepper and 1 teaspoon of oregano.
Simmer for 1 hour.
Cheese Sauce
2 oz butter
2V:. oz flour
1 pint milk
5 oz Cheddar chccsc grated
1 oz parmigiano, grated
salt, good pinch of nutmeg
Metodo
Put butter, milk and flour, salt and nutmeg into a
saucepan. Stir. Place over heat, cook stirring continually
until sauce thickens. Remove from heat and add
the cheeses.
Mix 4 oz of parmcsan with the rice. Grease an
ovenproof dish. Place a third of the rice over the base
of the dish; top with half chickcn sauce then a third of
cheese sauce. Repeat layering, ending with rice and
cheese sauce. Cover with mozzarella and remaining
parmesan cheese. Bake in a pre-heated oven 190 0 /no.
5 for I hour.
November 97