Traditional family recipes include “Baccala Crostini” hors d’oeuvres and ricotta cheesecake.

Looking for delicious dishes for the holidays? Executive Chef Justin Pagano from Maris Grove, an Erickson Living-managed senior living community in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, shares his traditional family recipes below.

For Christmas Eve, which for Pagano’s family means the feast of the seven fishes, Pagano shares his family’s recipe for “Baccala Crostini” hors d’oeuvres. The second recipe is his grandmother’s (Nanna’s) recipe for ricotta cheesecake.

At Maris Grove, residents are able to enjoy delicious gourmet holiday meals prepared by professionally trained executive chefs at the community’s on-site restaurants, which offer reserved seated dining, carryout, and hot meal delivery.

To learn more about Maris Grove's active retirement lifestyle, visit MarisGroveCommunity.com.

Christmas Eve, Baccala Crostini

Ingredients

For the Baccala Bruschetta

2 pounds salt cod (Baccala) cut in 3-inch pieces

1 cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic chopped

1/2 cup lemon juice and zest of 2 lemons chopped or microplanned

2 cups hot and sweet vinegar peppers, chopped

¼ cup finely minced fennel

1 cup Gaeta olives, chopped

1/4 cup capers

1/3 cup diced Roma tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Salt and pepper, to taste

For the Crostini

1 loaf artisan Italian Bread, sliced into 1/8 inch thin slices and cut in half too wide for two bites

2 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil

1 to cloves garlic halved

¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese

Preparation

For the Baccala Bruschetta: Soak cod for 2 to 3 days, refrigerated, changing water regularly. In large pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil, add cod and cook until fish breaks off easily, 8 to 10 minutes. Strain and cool. After it cools, remove skin and bones, if there are any, and break into bite size pieces, jumbo lump crab size. In a sauté pan heat oil and sauté chopped garlic for 2 to 3 minutes. Cool. In a bowl, add cod, pour oil and garlic over, add lemon juice, lemon zest, peppers, olives, tomatoes, fennel, capers, parsley, scallions, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

For the crostini: rub the sliced bread with the halved garlic, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with parmesan and toast for 3 to 5 minutes until cheese begins to brown, remove and chill.

To serve, top each crostini with 1 tablespoon of the baccala bruschetta mixture, garnish with parmesan, fennel fronds and lemon zest. Enjoy!

Nanna’s Ricotta Cheesecake

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 pounds ricotta cheese
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 eggs
• Zest of 1 lemon chopped or microplanned
• Zest of 1 orange chopped or microplanned
• 1 Tablespoon Grand Marnier
• 2 Teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of teaspoon salt

For the Sauce

• 1 cup Raspberries
• 1 cup Blackberries
• 2 Tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Zest of 2 oranges, chopped or microplanned
• 1 Tablespoon Grand Marnier

Preparation

To make the sauce, mix the blackberries and raspberries, with the sugar, Grand Marnier, orange zest and vinegar. Cover and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 320 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 inch spring form pan and tap out excess flour. Place the ricotta and citrus zest in a mixing bowl, and beat it until smooth. Add the sugar and the flour and continue mixing until blended. Beat in the eggs at low speed, 1 at a time. Add the vanilla, and salt. Pour batter into the pan. Bake for about 1 hour, until a light golden color. Make sure the center is fairly firm, and a knife or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool - It will sink slightly as it cools. Cover, and chill till serving time. To serve, cut the cake into 8 slices, (use a knife dipped in hot water), spoon over the berry mixture. Enjoy!

About Maris Grove: Maris Grove, one of 20 continuing care retirement communities developed and managed by Erickson Living®, is situated on a scenic 87-acre campus in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. The not-for-profit community of more than 1,900 residents and 750 employees is governed by its own board of directors, affiliated with National Senior Campuses, Inc., who provide independent financial and operational oversight of the community. Additional information about Maris Grove can be found at MarisGroveCommunity.com.