Pasta House Branson

[snagged in outlet 3]

Dino's!! That's it. A good lasagna and glass of red wine after fishing in cold weather. Can't beat it. Haven't been to the Atrium. Man you guys take your eats seriously. I remember the mexican thread, watch out!!

I travel to Memphis alot and down there they have a family called Grisantti's (sp?). Very good!!

Okay that's it, I'm having pizza rolls for lunch.

SIO3

[WebFreeman]

Terry, DiGiacinto's is pretty good. Nonna's just south of the square used to be pretty good. I haven't been there in a few years. I think she sold it to her kids, or something. I always thought J Parino's was overrated. Parino doesn't own it anymore, but he's opened another place. I think Tuscan Grill, or something like that. Haven't been there either. You'd be surprised, but the Pasta Express on Republic Rd. is surprisingly good. Parino used to own those, but he sold it. It's much more of a sit-down place now, though they have a drive through.

I agree that the Pasta House in Spfd stinks. I've never had a good experience there, whether their new location on National or when they were at the mall years ago.

[rps]

Pretty slim pickings for authentic Italian anywhere. College years were spent in Providence, RI. Totally ruined me for most Italian restaurants. It was especially embarrassing since my father represented the owner of the "best" Italian restaurant in Tulsa for many years.

fly2fish: Drive south to Campesi's on Mockingbird Lane in Dallas, TX.

Dano:

Try this for a simple sauce that doesn't taste like a jar.

Saute in extra virgin olive oil on low heat 1/2 cup diced shallots. When translucent, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and four or five cloves of minced garlic. Stir and saute until paste thickens the onions and oil. Add 2 teaspoons dry oregano, 2 teaspoons dry basil, one drained can of diced tomatoes, and one can of diced tomatoes with liquid. Add a good splash of Frank's hot sauce, pepper to taste, and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Do not salt until the end. The liquid in the can tomatoes is very high in salt. Bring the sauce to simmer for 15 to 30 minutes. Use a blender or food processor to turn the mixture to sauce. Add 4 or 5 chopped leaves of fresh basil if you can.

All others:

Where is this Hill you are talking about?

[Danoinark]

I travel to Memphis alot and down there they have a family called Grisantti's (sp?). Very good!!

Okay that's it, I'm having pizza rolls for lunch.

SIO3

Snagged. Grisanti's on Lamar at Airways (the old location, original) was a favorite haunt of mine back in the 70's. Sandy and I went every anniversary for years (and maybe once a week) and Big John Grisanti would sing to us and bring us a glass of his family stock wine. He would walk around the place with his red sauce soiled apron and meet and greet. We always started with bacon wrapped chicken livers.....none better....I bet John Berry remembers the old place.

Dano

[snagged in outlet 3]

Yeah Dano, that's what I'm talkin about. I think all the kids now run them because there is Ronny Grisanti's and one off Poplar in the Embassy Suites, I think is just called Grisanti's.

RPS, The Hill is an Italian neighborhood in St. Louis, MO. If you're ever in town go there for dinner, you won't regret eating at any of the places.

SIO3

[Gavin]

What do you like? Making meat sauce from scratch takes a couple hours...but you can come really close in minutes with some souped up Ragu..Big jug of Ragu Traditional, fresh garlic to taste, cooked ground beef (optional), Ital Seasoning from Sam's, a dash of cayenne, a bit of salt if you wish.. Works for almost everything red except linguine with clam sauce and pasta marina.

Lasagna:

Soup up some Ragu

Boil enough noodles for 4 layers. 20-24, depends on your pan..

Sauce bottom of a rectangular baking dish

Lay noodles out lenghtwise and overlapping

Cover with meat sauce

Top with cottage cheese, provel cheese, and parmesian cheeses ( I usually add some thin sliced Roma Tomatoes, thin slices of Fresh Mozzarella, and basil when I make it at home)

Lay out another layer of noodles going the other directions

Repeat till done

Cook in a 400 degree oven till done, let cool overnight, and cut into serving size pieces.

Cream Sauce Topping (optional) Stuff they use for Lasagna, Manicotti, and Cannelloni

Quart of 1/2 1/2

1t White Pepper

1/2 stick of butter

Flour

Melt butter over heat and add flour to make a light rough.

Bring the half/half to a hard boil

Add chunks of rough and stir till sauce gets thick and creamy

Remember it will get thicker as it cools, and turns to a jellow like substance in the fridge

To serve:

Make Cream Sauce and it cool a bit..

Coat bottom of a dish with red sauce sauce Add portions of Lasagna

Top with more meat sauce Cream Sauce and Provel Cheese (or just more meat sauce and some cheese)

Bake in oven its its hot.

Most of their cream sauce pastas are pretty easy to do at home...Basically half/half, butter, seasonings, veggies..add noodles to heat and and some parmesian cheese to thicken it up after it gets to a hard boil. It will boil up at that stage. Cheers.

[Terry Beeson]

Okay that's it, I'm having pizza rolls for lunch.

STOP IT, Snagged... You're makin' my side hurt!!!

OMG, RPS!! The Hill!! Home of Yogi Berra! Home of Joe Garagiola!! The Hill!!! (OK... I'm sure there are many who haven't heard of it...)

But that sauce sounds really good. I'm gonna try that one soon. It's going in my recipe collection for sure.

Gavin... That cream sauce reminds me of a shrimp and pasta dish I use to get at Lazzari's, only it had a kick to it like a bit of hot sauce. MAGNIFICO!!!

OK... Now I'm going to go heat up a Tony's frozen pizza...............

[Danoinark]

Thanks rps and Gavin. Some great sounding recipes. I will try them both.

Dano

[rps]

For something to put the sauce on, try this:

Mix 1 cup of whole milk ricotta with enough soft goat cheese (like chevre) to equal a half stick of butter. Add about a cup of grated parmesan cheese. Add two egg yolks and mix. Chop well drained spinach and add about 1/2 to 2/3 cup. Salt and pepper to taste.

Use the mixture to fill large shells cooked but left very al dente. Spray grease a cassarole and put the filled shells in one layer. Cover completely with the sauce. Bake uncovered at 350 for 45 minutes to one hour.

The liquid from the sauce finishes the pasta cooking while the egg and cheese mixture firms up.

[snagged in outlet 3]

I burnt the pizza rolls but I'm having pot stickers for dinner. How about a Chinese thread? One name comes to mind, PF Changs.

Snagged likes his Kung-pao spicey! And I guess I'll duck now.

SIO3