Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook (27 page)

3.
Add the fusilli to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Scoop out and reserve 1½ cups of the pasta cooking water. Drain the fusilli and return it to its cooking pot. Toss the fusilli with 1 tablespoon oil and cover to keep warm.

4.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining ¼ cup oil and the garlic in a large deep skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until the garlic has softened, about 1 minute. Add the anchovies and mash into the oil until they dissolve and the garlic turns golden, about 1 minute more. Stir in the reserved pasta water and the basil and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer briskly to meld the flavors, 1 to 2 minutes.

5.
Add the anchovy sauce to the pasta and mix well. Divide the pasta among four pasta bowls and sprinkle each generously with the toasted bread crumbs. Serve immediately.

Linguine with Lobster Sauce

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

This is a good way to stretch a lobster to serve four people. If you don’t want to dispatch the lobster at home, buy a cooked one and use the shells to make the sauce. My mother eats this whenever she gets the chance.

One 1½-pound lobster

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups
Tomato Sauce

¼ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Salt

1 pound linguine, cooked until al dente, drained

1.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Freeze the lobster for about 30 minutes to lull it.

2.
Add the lobster to the boiling water and cover. Cook just until the lobster shell turns red, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold running water until cool enough to handle.

3.
On a carving board, using a sharp knife, chop the lobster at the seam behind its head into two pieces. With the back side down, cut the lobster tail in half lengthwise. Discard the dark vein from the tail. Cut off the claws and knuckles and crack them with a nutcracker. Remove the lobster meat from the tail, claws, and knuckles and cut into bite-size pieces, saving the shells from the tail and claws. Cut the lobster head in half lengthwise. If the lobster has red coral or green tomalley, reserve it with the lobster meat. Cover and refrigerate the lobster meat, coral, and tomalley.

4.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the tomato sauce, wine, and red pepper flakes, bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the reserved lobster shells and halved head. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has slightly reduced, about 35 minutes.

5.
Using tongs, remove and discard the shells and head halves. Stir in the reserved lobster meat, with the red coral and green tomalley, if using, and cook just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add to the linguine and stir well. Transfer to a large serving bowl and serve hot.

Spaghetti and Veal Meatballs

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

With no false modesty, I have often heard that Patsy’s has the best meatballs in New York. These tasty icons of Italian-American cuisine do have a secret ingredient: ground veal, which has more natural gelatin than ground beef or pork, and provides extra moisture. For a little while, my dad Joe took them off the menu, believing that they were old hat. I argued that the customers demanded them. As an experiment, we put them back on the menu for two days to see how many orders we sold. Our meatballs will never leave the menu again.

VEAL MEATBALLS

1½ pounds ground veal

⅓ cup plain dried bread crumbs

2 large eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of dried oregano

2 cups olive oil, for frying

1 pound spaghetti

4 cups
Tomato Sauce

Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for serving

1.
To make the meatballs: Combine the veal, bread crumbs, eggs, Pecorino Romano, parsley, garlic, salt, pepper, and oregano in a large bowl. Using your hands, mix them together thoroughly. Roll into 12 meatballs and transfer to a plate.

2.
Line a platter or baking sheet with paper towels and place near the stove. Heat the oil in a large deep skillet and heat over high heat until the oil is shimmering (350°F on a deep-frying thermometer). Working in batches, without crowding, carefully add the meatballs and fry, turning occasionally, until they are nicely browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to the paper towels. Reheat the oil to shimmering before adding each batch.

3.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

4.
Bring the tomato sauce to a simmer in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the meatballs and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the saucepan and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

5.
When the meatballs are added to the sauce, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package directions until al dente. Drain the spaghetti and return it to its cooking pot. Add about half of the tomato sauce and mix well. Divide the pasta and meatballs among pasta bowls and top with the remaining sauce. Serve hot with the Parmigiano-Reggiano passed on the side.

Whole Wheat Spaghetti Provençal with Olives and Garlic

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS