Patsy's Italian Family Cookbook (46 page)

“Sal is one of New York’s most familiar restaurant chefs and his food is beloved by many. I have had the good fortune to have Sal on my show where he cooked his tasty clams oreganata and baccalà salad, demonstrating why Patsy’s is one of New York’s favorite eateries. I look forward to trying all of the recipes in this new book.”

—Martha Stewart, founder, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia

Apple Fritters

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS

Italians love fried desserts. Apple fritters are a casual dessert, best served to close friends or family in batches, just as they come out of the oil. There isn’t any sugar in the batter, so sweet apples work better than tart ones.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 large egg

¾ cup whole milk, as needed

3 sweet apples, such as Jazz or Gala, peeled, cored, and cut into ⅓-inch rings

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

1.
Pour enough oil into a large saucepan to come halfway up the sides and heat over high heat until it reads 360°F on a deep-frying thermometer. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with a double layer of paper towels.

2.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl. Whisk the egg in a small bowl, add the milk, and whisk again. Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk just until combined. The consistency should be similar to pancake batter; add more milk, if needed.

3.
Working in batches, dip the apple rings in the batter to coat. Let the excess batter drip off into the bowl, and transfer the apple rings to the hot oil. Deep-fry, turning halfway through the cooking, until golden brown, about 2½ minutes. Using a wire skimmer or a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to the paper towel–lined baking sheet. Sift confectioners’ sugar through a wire sieve over the fritters and serve immediately.

Afterword

by Peter Scognamillo (Sal’s son, age 16)

Peter, age 7, making tiramisu

Cannoli, marinara sauce, zeppoles, meatballs, and any other Italian delicacies that you can think of have surrounded me my whole life. I would like it to stay that way.

Ever since I can remember, I have aspired to follow in my father’s footsteps by becoming the head chef at my family’s restaurant. Whenever I walk into Patsy’s there is a thrilling rush that fills my whole body with joy. I am truly honored to be a part of this family. At least twice a week in the summer, and as much as I can during the school year, I visit my second home, Patsy’s Italian Restaurant. During those days, I look at what my great-grandfather had started, what my grandfather carried on, passing the tradition down to my father. I constantly remind myself of how blessed I am to be learning about what Grandpa Patsy did.

Whenever my father is showing me the ropes, he has always reminded me of the three F’s—the three reasons why Patsy’s remains in business. The first two F’s are the food, of course, and Frank Sinatra. Our food is the best I have ever tasted (and, being a chef’s son, I have tasted a lot of food). Frank Sinatra was a dear family friend, who we considered a family member, and who promoted Patsy’s and will never be forgotten. The third F, and perhaps the most important one, is family. Our restaurant is really just serving food to other family members at the dining room table. We love each other, and treat our customers the same way. Families are forever.

Acknowledgments

I love being a chef. In fact, I love it so much that I always say that I’ve never worked a day in my life. I also loved writing this, my second cookbook. This book contains several recipes from my extended family. I loved learning the stories behind a recipe from my wife’s Sicilian family, or reminiscing about a fond memory associated with one of Grandpa Patsy’s traditional dishes. In short, I had fun writing this cookbook.

I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the courage, hard work, and perseverance of my paternal grandparents, Pasquale (fondly known as “Patsy”) and Concetta Scognamillo. They came to this country from Naples, Italy with little more than the recipes from their ancestors. The lessons they instilled about the importance of family, honesty, and loyalty are the foundation of our family today. Thank you, Grandma and Grandpa, for everything.

My father Joe has always been, and will always be, the backbone of Patsy’s Italian Restaurant and our family. He has dedicated his entire life to making the restaurant the success that it is, and he continues to work to this day. I aspire to be more like him every day, learning from his wisdom, experience, and strength. Thanks, Dad, for always believing in me.

A very special thanks to my mom, Rose, who has been working alongside my dad for the past twenty-five plus years. Thank you for your love and support throughout the years.

I am eternally grateful to my wife, Lisa, and my two sons, Joseph and Peter, for their unconditional love, unwavering support and endless patience. My wife’s faith motivates me to be a better man, and my children’s love gives me strength. They are my rock.

I want to give special recognition to my wife’s parents, Jo and Pete Bonelli, who have always been there for me. They are my “other parents.” I also want to thank my sister, Tina, and her husband, Joe for their encouragement over the years.

Thank you to my cousin Frank and his family, who helped make this cookbook a unique family project.

I am grateful to Rick Rodgers for his creative genius and attention to detail, which make this book a cut above the rest.

Special thanks to Michele Pascetta and Russ Cahill, who help keep the office details of the restaurant running smoothly.

I am very appreciative of my editor Elizabeth Beier, and her assistants Michelle Richter and Anya Lichtenstein for their perseverance and determination in seeing this project through. Thanks for getting me through the rough spots. The same goes for my wonderful agent, Marly Rusoff. Thank you for your support and great advice throughout this process. And a special note of gratitude to the book’s copy editor, Leah Stewart.

The beautiful photography was the work
of Jeffrey Gurwin. Thank you for your patience and for being such a perfectionist.

I must say a very special thank you to my life-long dear friend Ben Stiller for writing such a moving foreword to this book. You and your family have always been a very special part of our family. We love you.

Most of all, thank you to you, my readers, and all those who have supported me throughout the years. With love from my kitchen to yours,

—Sal

Photo of Patsy and Concetta, taken by Frank Sinatra from the stage of the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami.

Everyone Loves
Patsy’s Italian Family Cookbook