“We wanted our version to taste like classic lasagna, but we added a few Italian-American touches. It's perfect for sharing, because everyone gets a pre-portioned ‘roll.’”
The dish
Both raised in Italian-American families, Scott Tacinelli and Angie Rito run a restaurant that has become a real media sensation in New York. Their passion? Celebrating their ties to Italy, but with a fresh, modern culinary style. This is confirmed by the aesthetics of the recipes at Don Angie, often characterized by alternative presentation, such as the famous “lasagna girandola” (which, as we told you here, is offered at $68 for two servings and regularly sells out, with a record 13 kilos sold in just 24 hours).
“We usually go to Italy once a year,” Angie confessed to Great Jones Goods. “We got married in Italy; we're obsessed with Italy. Yet my grandmother goes crazy when she hears about some of the combinations we make. She says we can't do it, but we're trying to see food from a different perspective.” No generational clash, though: in the end, everyone likes lasagna rolls! The dish has an interesting origin, which, the restaurateurs confessed to Today, "came from a photo of cinnamon rolls and the idea of replicating their shape for a savory evergreen. We wanted this version to taste like classic lasagna, but we added a few Italian-American touches. It's perfect for sharing, because each person gets a single-serving pinwheel and the surface stays crispy thanks to the even cooking. Our lasagna is also lighter than most traditional lasagnas, as we use robiola cheese for the filling." Here is the recipe, also reported by Today!
The recipe
Ingredients for 16 rolls
For the pasta
- Kosher salt, for salting the pasta water
- 8 sheets of fresh egg pasta made with egg yolks only
- 280 ml cold béchamel sauce
- Grated whole milk mozzarella
- 160 g finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- Sausage
- 500 ml San Marzano tomato sauce
- Robiolina or other creamy cheese
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped parsley
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
In a large pot, bring 4 liters of salted water to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, prepare an ice bath in a large bowl. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Working with one pasta sheet at a time, dip it in the boiling water for 15 seconds, then drain immediately and cool in ice water for another 15 seconds. Transfer to the baking sheet and pat dry with paper towels. Cover with another layer of parchment paper and repeat with the remaining pasta, creating a stack of pasta sheets, each dried and separated by a sheet of parchment paper.
On a clean work surface, lay out a pasta sheet with the short side facing you. Spread a little béchamel sauce on the pasta sheet. Sprinkle the béchamel sauce with mozzarella and Parmigiano.
Place another sheet of pasta on top. Spread the Bolognese ragù evenly over the second sheet, leaving a 5 cm border uncovered on the short side at the top. Spread 2 teaspoons of béchamel sauce on the uncovered border (this will serve as “glue” to seal the roll).
Starting from the bottom, roll up the pasta in layers to form a thick roll.
Transfer to a small baking sheet with the seam side down. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours; this will make it firmer and easier to cut.
Repeat with the remaining pasta sheets to make a total of 4 rolls, transferring them to the refrigerator as they are ready. (At this point, the rolls can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 3 months, before being cooked. If frozen, thaw in the refrigerator before slicing.)
How to make the béchamel sauce
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
- Thinly sliced shallot (about 1 medium shallot)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 sprig of thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 80 g all-purpose flour, “00” flour
- 500 ml cold whole milk
In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic, shallot, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, and salt. Cook over low heat until the shallot becomes translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add the flour and mix well. Increase the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula, until the flour forms a smooth paste and becomes slightly golden—this will take about 5 minutes. Add the milk and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until the béchamel is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh strainer.
Let cool in the refrigerator. The béchamel sauce can be stored, well covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to make the ragu
- 2 yellow onions, coarsely chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled
- 5 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
- 2 carrots, coarsely chopped
- Pancetta, to taste
- Mild Italian sausage without casing, to taste
- Ground veal
- 3 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- Tomato paste
- 250 ml white wine
- 2 cans whole tomatoes (preferably San Marzano DOP)
- 500 ml whole milk
- 2 whole star anise pods
- 2 teaspoons colatura or fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
In a food processor, working in batches if necessary, blend the onions, garlic, celery, and carrots until finely chopped, similar in size to uncooked rice. Set aside. Rinse the food processor and blend the pancetta until very finely chopped, the same size as the vegetables. Set aside. In a medium bowl, mix the Bolognese sausage and veal and season with salt.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. When it shimmers, add the meat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon to break it up, until evenly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside. Drain the excess fat from the pot, but keep the browned bits in the bottom.
Add the pancetta to the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has melted and the pancetta is golden brown, about 8-10 minutes. Add the chopped vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very soft and have taken on a darker hue, about 10-15 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes, until it is deep orange and caramelized. Add the wine and cook until completely evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, crush the tomatoes (including the liquid) with your hands in a medium bowl until they are completely broken down.
Return the ground beef to the pot. Add the milk, star anise, and tomatoes. Mix well, bring to a boil, and cook over medium-low heat, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and turns a bright orange color, about 2 hours. If the fat separates, emulsify again. Remove the star anise. Remove the pot from the heat and add the colatura, sugar, and lemon juice, stirring well to combine and re-emulsify the sauce.
At this point, the sauce is ready to use, or it can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to make San Marzano tomato sauce
- 2 cans of whole San Marzano tomatoes
- 125 ml of extra virgin olive oil
- 8 cloves of garlic, crushed with the flat side of a chef's knife
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
- Chopped red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 2 sprigs of basil
In a food processor, blend the tomatoes (including the liquid) until they are chopped but still coarse.
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat until it begins to sizzle. Add the garlic and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the red pepper flakes and stir. Add the tomatoes and cook until the sauce begins to boil, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat immediately and season with the sugar, then add the basil sprigs.
Let the basil infuse in the sauce for at least 5 minutes and up to 30 minutes, then remove the basil and garlic from the sauce before serving. At this point, the sauce is ready to use, or you can store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Contact
Don Angie
103 Greenwich Ave, New York, NY 10014, United States
Phone: +1 212-889-8884
