Perfect Tucci Family Meatballs From The Rachiele Test Kitchen

Rachiele Test kitchen

I grew up more like a Tucci than a Rachiele. My grandfather was Stanley Tucci, and my grandmother was Theresa Tucci. Their son was also Stanley Tucci, and his son is also Stanley Tucci (the actor). They lived in Peekskill and Katonah, NY, less than four hours from where we lived in Chittenango, NY. My father's family lived in Arizona, and we rarely saw them. We would drive to Peekskill as many as two to three times a month to spend a weekend with the extended family. All of the cousins my age—Pierre, Jeffrey, Maria Pia, Stanley, Gina, and Christine would gather at my grandparents' home often. We would look forward to playing together, but the real treat for all of us was dinner. It was partially the food, but mostly the hours of stories, some interesting and some hilarious. As children, we would rather be with the adults from dinner on than go and play together. It was a memory I cherish to this day. As I became an adult, I realized how lucky we all were because I had never met anyone my age that had such a family life. I spent most of the time with the boys for playtime and sports like ice skating, etc. My cousins Pierre, Jeffery, and Stanley were, as I recall, good skaters and skiers. We were all close, and I do not ever recall any of us not getting along.

We wanted only the best for our kitchen. We wanted to recreate the same atmosphere. After a year of thoughtful design and hard work, we are thrilled to share the results. The star of the show is our 60" Harmony dual-drain stainless steel workstation sink with a stunning brass apron. Our dual-tiered workstation is a game-changer, allowing us to juggle multiple accessories and zip through prep work like pros. With a pair of faucets and our ingenious dual-drain system, multitasking has never been easier. For seamless cleanup, we've installed a 24" stainless undermount workstation sink right beside the dishwasher. And for that extra sprinkle of elegance, we've decked it out with Waterstone 9750 faucets, accessories, and a pot filler in stainless steel and satin brass. 

In our kitchen's debut run, we stumbled upon some delightful surprises! First off, our sink isn't just good; it's downright amazing! Thanks to its clever design and tailor-made accessories, I and our daughter-in-law Danielle had a blast working side by side. They chopped, cleaned, and even cooked those yummy meatballs right in the sink, keeping every inch of the countertops and stove gleaming!

And, oh boy, did we get a giggle out of Dino's camera skills! He was so wrapped up in meatball magic that he totally missed framing their smiling faces! Fear not, more scrumptious recipes are on the way, and we'll make sure to capture all the fun and faces next time around!

Be sure to check out the video below for the Tucci Family Meatball Recipe. If you'd like to learn more about Dino's family and the history behind the Tucci Meatball recipe, be sure to check out Dino's original meatball blog

Tucci family meatball recipe

If you recall the movie Big Night, starring Stanley Tucci, Isabella Rossellini, Tony Shalhoub, and Minnie Driver, you may remember the unforgettable dish that anchored the story. The Timpano.

What most people do not know is that this dish did not originate on a movie set. It came from my grandparents’ family. Stanley and Theresa Tucci. My mother made this exact Timpano every Christmas for more than fifty years. It was not a novelty. It was tradition.

This is a link to the original Tucci family recipe, shared just as it was made in our home. The image on the top of the page is the way it should look—made by my mother and father, just as it was passed down from generation to generation.