Angela Pia is an elegant, easy no bake dessert that is as rich in history as it is in flavor. Light, chilled and boozy, this dessert will cap off any meal in style.
After making a Grasshopper Pie from a family recipe for a vintage affair a few weeks back, I was inspired to pull out my Grandmother's recipe box which is filled with her hand written recipes, and those from her friends as well as my Great Grandmother.
It was a time before canned soup casseroles with three ingredients were in vogue and everything was a whole food for the most part.
I was thumbing through the dessert sections and landed on a few that felt unique or seasonal I wanted to try and pass along.
My first choice proved that in the '60's (my guess at the recipe vintage) cocktail hour was clearly NOT just for before dinner.
The dessert named 'Angela Pia' or translated from Italian to be 'Pious Angel' was not something I could pass up.
Angela Pia – An Easy No Bake Dessert
Pietro 311 Restaurant – San Francisco
My grandparents would have lived in San Francisco at the time. Anyone who has lived in Northern California in the last century would have heard of famous newspaper columnist Herb Caen.
His columns in the San Francisco chronicle began in the late 1930's and spanned almost 60 years, always the talk of the breakfast or dinner table in my grandparents' household.
When I saw his recommendation on this recipe slip I was sure it must have been a hit at the time.
I did some sleuthing on the pre-printed recipe I found that had seemingly been torn from a larger document.
What I pieced together with some internet help is that the original dessert was served at a restaurant named Pietro 311 on Washington Street in San Francisco.
At the time this would have been in the Produce District, I suspect leaving the clearly adored restaurant a surprise due to its unlikely location combined with its quality cuisine.
The area where it stood is now the Embarcadero Center for those knowledgeable to the Bay Area.
I found a few references to the restaurant in chat sessions from the past decade.
They all shared a common palpable nostalgia and fondness for how 'special' the restaurant and its cuisine were. This dessert was always mentioned so must have really something in the era (before Jello Pudding Parfaits hit the shelves!).
Using Raw Eggs
Friends of Pietro 311
Following the posting of this article I received two emails that I could not resist sharing.
After my research travels on the internet and encountering many misty nostalgic references to Pietro 311, I felt there are others who would relish this background history as I do.
My great thanks to Francis for taking the time to write.
Please check the comments for more similar historical accounts of this favorite restaurant too. They piece together the experience at Pietro 311 and a bygone era of dining.
“Hello. My cousin, Stephanie Alioto, was married to Pietro Pinoni, who owned and operated Pietro’s 311 restaurant at 311 Washington Street in San Francisco, where I was a frequent diner. I loved the Angela Pia desert, which means “pious angel” but which was named after his sister-in-law, Angelina Alioto Figone. And the reason the restaurant was in the produce district at the time was because Pietro’s father-in-law, my Grand Uncle Ignatius Alioto’s fish processing plant, Consolidated Fish Co., was just up the street, and my Grandfather’s plant, San Francisco International Fish Co., was a couple of blocks away where what is now the redwood grove of the Transamerica building at the corner of Washington and Montgomery Streets.
Pietro started his restaurant in the late 50s at 311 Washington St., then when that lease was not renewed, he moved up a block, but kept the 311 name until redevelopment took that building for the new apartments and high-rise buildings sometime in the mid- to late ’60s. Pietro then moved the restaurant across to Marin County, but that was short-lived. He “retired” to make wine, write a book on wine making, and travel.
How long did you all live in SF? Do you remember the Tortola on Polk Street? The predecessor, Garabaldi’s Tamale Parlor, was started by my Great-grandfather; operated by my grandparents, and then by my father until about 1978, when it closed, as none of us wanted to go into the restaurant business.
At one time, a group of us made a list of t he old SF restaurants (and businesses) that were such a part of the city and are now gone – e.g., Maye’s Oyster House, The Old Poodle Dog, Jack’s, Paoli’s, The Temple Bar, El Matador, Original Joe’s on Broadway, Vanessi’s, Veneto’s, The White House, J. Magnin, Roos Brothers, etc. I am sure you remember all of them.
Regards,
Francis Scarpulla”
More Classic Easy No Bake Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
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Recipe
ANGELA PIA (Pious Angel)
Ingredients
- 3 eggs separated
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ounce brandy
- 1 ounce rum
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1 package Knox gelatin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Set a saucepan filled with water over medium high heat on the stove to come to a low boil.
- Add the packet of gelatin to ¼ cup of water in a metal bowl (which will go over the saucepan of hot water) for 5 minutes.
- While the water is coming to a low boil and gelatin is soaking, add egg yolks to a different bowl and whisk or beat with a mixer until fully mixed. Gradually add the sugar and continue beating until fully mixed into a light yellow, thick mixture. Add the brandy and rum and mix thoroughly.
- If 5 minutes has elapsed, place the bowl with gelatin over the hot water and whisk until it is fully dissolved. Remove from heat to cool for a few minutes. Pour into yolk mixture and stir to fully combine.
- Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Note: this cane be done during the time the gelatin was processing.
- Beat whipping cream until it forms peaks and add the vanilla.
- Fold together the egg whites and whipping cream mixture. Fold those into the yolk mixture until all are fully combined. Put into small cocktail glasses or sherbet cups to chill or freeze at least two hours before serving (I froze mine longer and they were light and easy to eat).
E.D.H. says
What a kick! When I was at Cal in the 50's, I had a “beat” friend who was writing the great American novel. Sadly, it was lost in the mail when he sent it to a publisher (way before computers and copiers) and disappeared into eternity. His name was Dave Pinoni and his father was Pietro who owned Pietro's restaurant. That's where I got the recipe for Angela Pia and I still remember Pietro who was not happy with son Dave who wanted to write the great American novel rather than work in the restaurant. Talk about bringing back memories!! I actually looked for Pietros a few times when we were in the city, but it's gone and I remember that Dave Pinoni decided to become a postman so he could relate to the common man!
francine pinoni says
E.D.H. Help me! I am literally having a panic laugh over your post about Pietro and his son Dave, aka. my father-in-law! Soooo funny. Dave is alive and well in Walnut Creek, California and is about to celebrate his 80th birthday in November 2015. If you’re local, do contact me. I can’t wait to share your post with his sons. And fyi, nothing has changed- Dave is still a great guy, an absolute character. Thank you.
Lea Ann says
Ok, where do I begin with this? First of all, love the street car napkin… nice touch. Really nice photos Toni. I have hand written recipes from the late 40's and early 50's and those dreaded canned soups do appear. And how fun to research and piece together the history of this recipe. Great post Toni.
Eliotseats says
I love heirloom recipes, especially one like this with such history behind it. I love your cocktail napkins!
claire says
Yum! Will defo be trying this out!
Amy says
This sounds delicious! I love going through my Grandmother's recipes! You seem to have found some delicious gems in the process!
Sarah Catherine says
I just love how you styled this! Minimal yet festive, it looks like it belongs on a Christmas dessert table.
JoeinLA says
If it weren't so early in the morning, I'd give it a go! Thank you for your thorough research, particularly on the eggs. And thank you for bringing San Francisco a little closer!
S.V. says
This looks fantastic. I love that you did all the research about this dish, it's very cool to know where it came from and the nostalgia behind it.
Susan Lindquist says
This is such a beautiful post! Your photos and staging are just beautiful! This light frothy dessert IS special! Love your sleuthing too – it brings so much to the post!
Meeling says
That looks so good! I love coming across old recipes like that. Your photo styling is perfect for this dish too.
Great job!