HE’S GOT A FAVE BRONX EATERY

‘HOTBENCH” Judge Michael Corriero shares his memories of growing up in Little Italy — and of his favorite restaurant, Forlini’s — on Sunday’s episode of “Celebrity Taste Makers” (6 p.m. on Ch. 11).

“Forlini’s [93 Baxter St.] was really a very significant place for Italian-American families,” says Corriero, 75 (below). “It’s where we generally celebrated the main events of our lives — first confirmations, school graduations. I always remember it as a place of celebration.”

On Sunday’s “Celebrity Taste Makers,” Corriero talks with Lisa Mateo about his life and career, including his 28 years as a judge in the New York State Court. “I lived literally across the street from The Tombs [in The Bronx] and up the block from Forlini’s,” he says. “When I was working as a young assistant DA, and eventually as a judge, it was the unofficial commissary for the court house.”

It was during this time that Corriero met Judy Shendlin, aka “Judge Judy,” who created “Hot Bench” (9 a.m. on Ch. 2) — now TV’s number two court show (behind “Judge Judy”) with judges Corriero, Tanya Acker and Patricia DiMango.

“Judy and I met when she was a prosecutor in the family courts and I was a criminal defense lawyer,” he says. “We had a very interesting case where ... we worked it out to prevent a significant miscarriage of justice. She never forgot that and I never forgot that, and then we became judges together.”