Celebrate St. Thomas Aquinas With an Italian Meal

Saint Thomas Aquinas (Italian, Tommaso d’Aquino), born in 1225 A.D., reportedly was born in the castle of Roccasecca in the Lazio region of Italy, which was formerly part of the Kingdom of Sicily. He had politically powerful parents: his father, Landulf VI of Aquino, was lord of Roccasecca and was a knight in the service of the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick II. His mother was Theodora Galluccio, Countess of Teano, who belonged to the Rossi branch of the Neapolitan Caracciolo family.

The youngest son of 8 children, his family expected Thomas to enter the monastery. At the age of five, Thomas entered the local monastery, Monte Cassino, near his home. Even at his early age, Thomas asked his fellows to please fully explain who God was. He stayed there as an oblate until the military conflict between Pope Gregory IX and Emperor Frederick II reached the abbey. He was then transferred and enrolled at the Studium Generale (university) in Naples at the age of 14.

While there, Thomas’s true vocation evolved because he came in contact with the Order of Preachers, founded by St. Dominic de Guzman. By the age of 19, he resolved to join the Dominican Order. His family, however, was not happy with his choice. To protect him from his domineering mother, the Dominicans chose to send Thomas to Rome and then to Paris. But on his way to Rome, Thomas, by the order of his mother, was captured by his brothers and returned to his parents’ castle.

For almost one year, he was held captive there as an attempt by his family to keep him from assuming the habit of the Dominicans and to force him to renounce his role in the order. Thomas remained stubbornly opposed to his family’s order, and he was finally released in the fall of 1245. He then went to Paris to the convent of Saint-Jacques, the university site of the Dominicans.

It was in Saint-Jacques Monastery that he found the atmosphere of recollection and meditation necessary for the proper pursuit of his studies. To study theology, he entered the university, where the Seraphic Doctor St. Bonaventure was a companion. His guide and master was St. Albert the Great, whom he followed three years later to Cologne.

Having finished his baccalaureate, Thomas returned to Paris in 1252 to begin teaching so he could receive a master’s degree. In 1256, with St. Bonaventure, he received his licentia docendi. During this period, he wrote various commentaries, including on the Gospel of Matthew and the Book of Isaiah. He later wrote the Summa contra Gentiles, in which he showed his support for the Christian faith.

Between 1259 and 1265, Thomas was asked to accompany the Papal Court on its trips through Italy. He acted as the theologian consultant to the Pope. He also kept his teaching duties in Paris. After a very busy life, Thomas received the last Sacraments and passed away on March 7, 1274. He most surely could personally express his love to God, to whom he had devoted his life.

Thomas was an energetic author, and many of his well-known works include the unfinished Summa Theologica, the Disputed Questions of Truth, and the Summa contra Gentiles. He also commented on Christian scripture and wrote Eucharistic hymns, which are part of the church’s liturgy.

Thomas Aquinas was canonized as a saint in 1323 and named a Doctor of the Church in 1567. As a Doctor of the Church, St. Thomas has been noted as one of the Catholic Church’s most outstanding theologians and philosophers. He is also known as the Angelic Doctor, the Universal Doctor, and in 1999, Pope St. John Paul II titled St. Thomas as the Doctor of Humanity.

The Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas is January 28. To celebrate the day, try feasting on any or all of the following Italian-based dishes. Enjoy!!!

Lentil and Rice Soup

A high-protein legume, lentils are popular in most Westernized countries and particularly in Italy, where home cooks turn lentils into soups or stews. Lentils are also popular in the Italian New Year’s Day table because they are thought of as good luck omens; this comes from the custom of giving a “scarsella” (purse) full of lentils at the end of the year in the hope that each lentil would turn into a coin, making the recipient one lucky and rich person. This filling lentil and rice soup can be made in less than an hour and needs only a salad to provide a complete and well-balanced meal.

Pancetta is a flavorful Italian bacon made from pork belly meat. Although it is cured, it should not be eaten raw.  (Recipe credit: Kathy Vestermark, published in the cookbook Cooking with the Saints, Sophia Institute Press, 2022)

Serves 6 to 8

½ cup lentils, rinsed in cold water

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

¼ cup diced pancetta

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup minced Italian parsley

6 cups chicken broth

1 ½ cups canned plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 cup short-grain rice, such as Arborio

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

Grated Romano cheese for sprinkling

Pour the lentils into a soup pot; cover them with cold water, and cook them over medium heat for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain the lentils and set aside. In the same pot, stir in the pancetta, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until crispy. Drain and set aside.

In the same pot, combine the olive oil and the butter over medium heat until the butter has melted. Stir in the garlic and parsley and cook until the garlic softens but does not brown. Stir in the broth, the tomatoes with their juice, the rice, and the chopped vegetables. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low; cover the pot, and continue cooking until the rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Stir in the lentils and reheat the soup. Serve immediately and offer the grated cheese to sprinkle on top. 

Polenta with Sausage and Artichoke Hearts

Popular in Northern and Central Italy, the dish known as “polenta” originated most likely in the 16^th century when the cultivation of corn began in Western Europe. Prior to that time, Italians made a polenta-type porridge from millet, spelt or farro. With the advent of corn, Italians learned to coarsely grind the white or yellow kernels and slow cook the ground kernels in water or broth. It can then be spooned into a bowl or onto a plate and eaten plain or dressed up with meat, cooked vegetables, cheese, or butter and milk.

Modern-day cooks have created a faster cooking version. Already-cooked polenta is available at grocery stores, which needs only reheating by grilling, frying, or baking.  Serve with slices of Italian bread, if desired. (Published in the cookbook Cooking with the Saints, Sophia Institute Press, 2022)

Serves 4

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil or more as needed

Four 2-ounce round slices of precooked polenta

One 13 ½-ounce can sliced artichokes, drained

1 medium-sized onion, peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

3 medium-sized Italian sausages, sliced

1 ½ cups marinara sauce, or more as needed

2 tablespoons oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese for garnish

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and fry the polenta slices for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until the slices soften. Remove them from the skillet and set aside.

Add the artichoke slices, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic to the skillet, and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, stirring often. Add more oil as needed. After the onion and red pepper soften, remove them from the skillet, add and cook the sausage slices, and cook them until browned.

Put the artichokes, onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and sausage slices in a large saucepan. Stir in the marinara sauce, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, and season the mixture with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the mixture is hot throughout.

To serve, arrange a polenta slice on each plate, spoon the artichoke mixture over the polenta, and garnish with the shredded mozzarella cheese. Serve hot.

Caramelized Salmon with Roasted Butternut Squash and Pasta Casserole

Leftovers keep for 2 days in the refrigerator or can be easily frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. (Recipe credit: G. Shepherd)

Serves 6 to 8

4 tablespoons butter at room temperature

1 1/2 to 2 cups of Panko or fine breadcrumbs

12 ounces of small pasta of your choice, such as elbows

2 6-ounce salmon filets (or 3/4 pounds of salmon)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons liquid coconut aminos or soy sauce

1 tablespoon maple syrup

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 bunch scallions (4 to 5 stalks), finely sliced

1 1/2 cups roasted red peppers, chopped (jar version is fine)

1 to 2 cups diced roasted butternut squash

1 bunch fresh dill, finely chopped

3 eggs

1 cup cream (you can substitute half-and-half or milk)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare a 2 ½- to 3-quart casserole pan or Dutch oven by using 2 tablespoons butter to grease the bottom and walls and sprinkle a thin layer of Panko or breadcrumbs throughout.

Boil the pasta in salt water with a splash of extra virgin olive oil to ‘al dente’ texture according to package directions. Rinse and set aside. Heat a medium-sized frying pan (large enough to fit the fish) over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, 2 tablespoons liquid coconut aminos or soy sauce, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and mix well.

Place salmon filets skin side up into the frying pan. Sauté for 5 minutes. Turn the filets over and sauté for 3 minutes more or until the skin comes off easily. Set aside. (It will finish cooking in the oven.) Return the pasta to the cooled pot. Add the scallions, red peppers, butternut squash, and dill. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Flake the salmon with a fork into bite-sized pieces or smaller. Mix into the pasta and transfer the pasta to the casserole dish or Dutch oven.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and cream or substitute with another creamy mixture. Pour over the pasta. Flatten out the pasta mixture and cover with a light layer of Panko or fine breadcrumbs. Use the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cut into little pieces to distribute evenly.

Bake uncovered at 350 F for 30 minutes. Then place it under the broiler for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes until golden brown for a crispy crust. Let cool for 5 to 10 mins and serve with a green or Caprese Salad