Patsy’s Lasagna Recipe
Dec 4th, 2007 by Lasagna
Founded in 1944 in New York city by Pasquale “Patsy” Scognamillo, Patsy’s Italian Restaurant has been in its current and only theater district location (in the building just next to the original site) since 1954. In over 55 years of existence, Patsy’s Italian Restaurant has had only three chefs–the late Patsy himself, his son Joe Scognamillo, who has been at the establishment since the tender age of seven, and Joe’s son Sal Scognamillo, who has been manning the kitchen for the past 15 years.
The Patsy’s cookbook is without a doubt my favorate Italian cookbook. I bought it years ago and have used it over and over.
Ingredients
2 1/4 pounds (4 inches by 8 inches) fresh lasagna sheets
Coarse salt
10 cups homemade or store-bought pasta sauce
1/2 Meatball recipe below
1 1/3 cups freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish
2 pounds (about 8 links) sweet Italian sausage, broiled and thinly sliced
2 pounds fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 2 1/4 cups)
2 cups fresh ricotta cheese
1 large egg
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil; season with salt. Add lasagna sheets, and cook until pliable and al dente, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, and rinse under cold water.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour 1 cup sauce into a shallow baking dish; set aside. Cut two sheets in half lengthwise to make four 2-by-8-inch sheets; set aside.
- Spread 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Dip half of a reserved cut sheet crosswise in the reserved sauce, and drape over a corner of the baking pan, leaving the sauce-covered end in the pan with the other half hanging over the edge. Repeat with remaining 3 cut sheets and corners. Line edges of pan in the same manner using full-size sheets dipped lengthwise. Finish lining the bottom of the pan with 2 full sheets.
- In a medium bowl, toss to combine meatballs with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano, and 1/4 cup basil; spread evenly in bottom of dish. Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets.
- In the same bowl, toss sausages with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano; spread evenly in baking dish. Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets.
- In a medium bowl, combine mozzarella with 1/3 cup pecorino Romano; spread evenly in baking dish. Pour over 1 cup sauce, and cover with 2 lasagna sheets.
- In a medium bowl, combine remaining 1/3 cup pecorino Romano with ricotta and egg; spread evenly in baking dish. Top with 1 cup sauce.
- Center pasta sheets on ricotta within 1/2-inch of the edge of dish. Brush draped lasagna with sauce, and fold over to seal and enclose.
- Cover lasagna with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Double-wrap baking dish in aluminum foil. Place an ovenproof plate, upside down, in a large roasting pan; fill pan with 2 inches of hot water. Place lasagna on top of plate. Bake until lasagna reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees to 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 1 1/2 hours to 1 hour 40 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes before serving. Garnish with remaining basil, and serve with remaining sauce, if desired.
Patsy’s Meatball Recipe
Ingredients
Serves 10 to 12.
- 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs6 tablespoons whole milk2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil2 medium onions, finely chopped6 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 1/2 pounds ground beef, preferably chuck1 1/2 pounds ground pork3 large, whole eggs, lightly beaten3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheeseCoarse salt and freshly ground pepperDried breadcrumbs, for work surfaceOlive oil, for frying
Directions
- Place breadcrumbs in a small bowl. Drizzle the milk over and let stand until absorbed.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
- Place the ground meats in a large bowl. Add breadcrumb mixture to meats along with the reserved onion and garlic, whole eggs, yolks, parsley, oregano, and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, mix until just combined.
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs over work surface. Roll 3/4 cup meatball mixture into a thin strip, about 12 inches long; repeat 3 more times. Line strips next to one another; sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Cut strips into 1-inch lengths. Repeat process with remaining meat mixture.
- Working in batches, transfer 1-inch pieces to a large sieve; sprinkle lightly with breadcrumbs to prevent sticking. Toss until pieces become round and form meatballs.
- Lightly coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil; set over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook meatballs until browned and cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Repeat with additional oil and remaining meatballs.
Recipe from MarthaStewart.com
