4 Italian/American Delights From Patsy's NYC 🌞

ZUCCINI A SCAPECE

"HOW CAN I TRANSLATE OR EXPLAIN THE WORD SCAPECET SAYS JOE.
"IT'S dialect, and means something like 'however it goes.' It's a dish best
epitomized by a shrug, and expresses a casual attitude. Maybe the best
translation of scapece is the current slang expression, 'Whatever.' Don't
like mint or can't find it, use basil whatever.

SERVES 4

2 medium zucchini, rinsed and dried
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup **Basic Vinaigrette
10 fresh mint leaves, chopped (fresh basil
may be substituted)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley
Pinch of oregano

Trim and discard the ends of each zucchini, and cut into
1/4-inch-thick rounds. Heat the oil in a large skillet over a
medium flame, and saute the zucchini rounds in batches
on both sides until browned, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove
with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain.

Decoratively arrange the warm zucchini rounds in one layer
on a large platter. Season with salt and pepper. Alternate raw
garlic slices and zucchini, drizzling each time with the
vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the mint, parsley, and oregano. Marinate
at room temperature for 2 hours, occasionally spooning marinade
over the zucchini. Serve at room temperature.

**Basic Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS FOR SALAD DRESSINGS CAN BE WHISKED
TOGETHER IN A bowl or shaken up in a cruet. But I suggest
using a screw-top jar because it makes blending easier.

MAKES 1 CUP

3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh basil
(about 4 leaves)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste

Place all ingredients in a screw-top jar. Close tightly and shake
until thoroughly blended.


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SAUTEED SPINACH

THIS IS AN EASY DISH TO PREPARE AND IS LIKED BY BOTH
SPINACH LOVERS and people who thought they hated spinach.
The important thing is to make sure that the spinach is completely
free of sand. Rinse and drain a few times until there is absolutely
no sand left in the bowl.

2 pounds fresh spinach, stemmed and
washed thoroughly (see above)
1/4 cup olive oil
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper,
to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the spinach for 2
minutes. Drain, press out as much water as possible, and reserve.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a low flame and saute the
garlic until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat
and add the drained spinach. Toss until evenly coated with the oil,
add 1/2 cup water, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and
return to high heat for 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer
for an additional 3 minutes, being careful not to cook off all of the
liquid (or the spinach will burn).

Serve hot.


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MANZO ALLA SICILIAMO

MANZO MEANS BEEF IN ITALIAN, AND THIS DISH, SERVED WITH A RED
sauce, is quite popular in southern Italy. We prepare it at our restaurant
with an expensive cut of meat, but it can also be made with chuck steaks,
pounded thin, or skirt steak, broiled and then thinly sliced.

SERVES 4

1 large carrot, diced
8 large white mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for
coating roasting pan
1 leek (white part only), washed and thinly sliced
2 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 16-ounce can whole plum tomatoes, with juice
1/2 cup beef broth
Pinch of sage
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 medallions of beef, or 4 beef filets,
about 8 ounces each, 1 3/4 inches thick

Preheat the oven to 500°F.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the carrots and the
mushrooms, and blanch for 2 minutes. Drain and reserve.

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium flame and saute
the leek and scallions until just soft, about 3 minutes. Add the
garlic and saute for 1 minute, until golden.

Coarsely chop the tomatoes and add with their juice to the saucepan.
Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1-5
minutes. Add the beef broth, reserved carrots and mushrooms, and
sage. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10
minutes. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Keep
warm over very low heat.

Lightly oil a roasting pan large enough to hold the meat in one layer.
Season the filets with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon
pepper, place in the pan, and roast in the oven, turning once, for 1 5 to
1 6 minutes for medium rare (the meat should reach an internal temperature
of 1 50°F.). Drain the oil from the pan and discard. Spoon a small amount
of the sauce on a serving platter, place the beef on top, and spoon the
remaining sauce over meat.


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STEAK ALLA PATSY

WHY DOES EVERYONE LOVE OUR STEAKS? AFTER ALL, WE'RE
A SOUTHERN Italian, red-sauce restaurant, not a steak house.
First of all, we use prime beef. And then we serve it with our very
special sauce. This is steak plus! Prepare it at home and you'll
also get raves. The steaks can also be pan-broiled on top of the
stove, instead of in the broiler.

SERVES 2 TO 4

4 slices bacon, diced small
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 sirloin steaks, each 1 1/4 pounds,
1 1/4 inches thick


Preheat the broiler.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over low flame. Add the bacon
and saute until crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the
bacon with a slotted spoon and set on paper towels to drain.
Remove and discard the bacon fat, wipe the pan clean, add
the oil, and return to the low flame. Add the onion and saute
until soft and almost caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the
reserved bacon, scallions, basil, broth, and wine. Add 1/2
teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce
the heat to low, and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half,
about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Place the steaks in the preheated broiler about 3 inches from heat,
and broil, turning once, to the desired degree of doneness. Place
the broiled steaks on a platter, and pour sauce over steaks.


All the above from "Patsy's Cookbook"
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1321331.Patsy_s_Cookbook

Squisito!