My grandmother was already 70 by the time I was born. Having raised eight rowdy kids in her time, my mother being the youngest of them, it's understandable that she was pretty worn out by the time the grandkids started piling in. Not that she didn't enjoy spending time with us, of course! I still remember her face lighting up every time we arrived for Thanksgiving or a weekend visit. But she admittedly didn't have the energy for the many small feet running around her tiny house.
It's one of my biggest regrets that I never asked her more about her long life while I had the chance. That's part of why I find this recipe video so charming. At 94 years old, Clara Cannucciari shares how she and her family survived throughout the Great Depression. Using the same simple, cheap ingredients they relied on back in the day, the great-grandmother also shares her stories of the era.
For this episode, she makes one of my personal favorite dishes: pizza! That's right, even when times were at their bleakest, no one could deny the healing power of sauce, dough, and cheese. She explains how they were much simpler back then, "not like all this fancy stuff they put on it now." Although Clara does pick an unusual topping for her pie, you can create your own customized version however you'd like!
While she prepares her meal, Clara talks about how close-knit her family was, huddling together around a lamp before their house had electricity.
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