The Scottos: Christmas Eve Dinner
December 21, 2007
The Scottos of Manhattan's Fresco by Scotto and Fresco on the Go are sharing their favorite simple recipes for a delicious Christmas Eve dinner: Cheese Lasagna, Zuppa di Pesce, and Nutella Mousse Parfait.
Their three-course holiday meal includes a creamy cheese lasagna, combining layers of Ricotta, Mozzarella, Parmigiano Reggiano with a homemade tomato sauce, a zuppa di pesce with shrimp, clams, mussels, codfish and calamari in a lightly spiced tomato white wine broth with Cannellini beans, and finishes with a scrumptious Nutella mousse parfait—a chocolate hazelnut mousse layered with whipped mascarpone cream.
Have a happy holiday with these dishes from the Scotto family! Here's how:
Procedure: Cheese Lasagna
- To make the lasagna: Mix ¾ of the mozzarella, 1 cup of the Parmigiano Reggiano, and the ricotta in a large bowl. Add the eggs and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and cook the pasta until al dente, about 1 minute. Drain and shock in cold water.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour 1 cup of the hot tomato sauce in the bottom of an 8x12-inch baking pan. Place a pasta sheet over the layer of sauce, cutting the sheet to fit if necessary.
- Spread ⅓ of the cheese mixture over the pasta. Add some of the sauce and sprinkle with the remaining ¼ of the mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat the layers of sauce, pasta, and cheese, two more times.
- Spread the remaining cup of tomato sauce over the top layer of the pasta and sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano Reggiano cheese over the sauce.
- Bake the lasagna for 1 hour or until the top is golden.
- To make the sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and onions, and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until the garlic just begins to turn golden brown.
- Increase the heat to medium-high, add the tomatoes, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes, or until the tomatoes are softened and a sauce is formed. Stir in the fresh basil.
Makes 6 servings.
Procedure: Zuppa di Pesce
- In a large sauté pan over medium heat, sauté the carrot, onion, celery, leek, fennel, and tomatoes in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the red pepper and oregano.
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine and reduce to half over medium heat. Add the clam juice and cook over medium to low heat for 15 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- In a large sauté pan over low heat, sauté the garlic in the remaining olive oil for 2 minutes, or until golden brown. Pan-sear the fish and seafood at the same time and sauté for 2 minutes until golden brown on each side. Add the sauce and beans, and cook for about 15 minutes over low heat. Add extra clam juice if necessary if it seems too dense.
- Garnish with diced red and yellow tomatoes, cannellini beans and basil.
Makes 6 servings.
Procedure: Nutella Mousse Parfait
- For the Mousse: Whip Nutella and mascarpone until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whip cream and Frangelico till stiff peaks form.
- Fold cream into Nutella mixture and pour into dessert cups.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight.
- For the Mascarpone: Whip until stiff.
- Starting with the chocolate pudding, alternate layers of pudding and mascarpone cream, finishing on top with mascarpone.
- Garnish with chocolate shavings.
Bonus Recipe:
Procedure: Struffoli with Honey
- Beat eggs, salt and rye with a wooden spoon.
- Make a well of flour on a pastry board. Add egg mixture and knead dough until all of the egg mixture is absorbed.
- Cover dough and let stand for 20 minutes.
- Take a piece of dough and roll out to a cylinder about the thickness of a pencil. Cut off small pieces and deep fry.
- After all the frying is done: In a large pot, heat 4 cups of honey with the juice of 1 lemon and 1 cup of chopped walnuts.
- Pour melted honey over Struffoli and stir to coat.
Makes 12 to 15 servings.
 | Struffoli are an Italian specialty typically served at Christmas and Easter. |
More on The Scottos:
Visit The Scottos on the web @ frescobyscotto.com.
Scotto Secret Sauce Rewind:
- Bread and Ricotta Dumplings with Genovese Sauce
- Video: Watch the Scottos prepare this dish on TODAY
- Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Fresh Spring Berries
- Spring Salad & Warm Goat's Cheese Crostini
- Pistachio Crusted Sea Bass with Salsa Verde & Roasted Artichokes
- Video: Watch the Scotto's trip to Italy on TODAY
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I was hoping to find the recipe for the fried tower on this website. I am Sicilian decent and we called it Benalatha.(?sp) I never got the recipe from my mother or grandmother and would love to make it. please help. It was with honey, chocolate and toasted almonds.
On the show today (12-21-07) the Scottos were talking about a cookie they made that they left in a big bowl on the table for everyone to pick on. I can't remember the the exact name but it started with an S - is the recipe available.
Marge
On the show today 12-21-07 What was the name and the recipe for those bite size pieces of something ( looked liked fried dough) stacked in the shape of a Christmas tree and sprinkled with powdered sugar.It was a dessert that you could just stand and pick at! Thanks - Merry Christmas
Can you tell me where I can find the recipe for that fried dough ball tower they showed on the Today show 12/21/07.
Thank you!
Merry Christmas everyone! I found a recipe that sounds similar to what they showed for that "tower" on allrecipes.com named "sfingi" not sure but am going to try to make them thin tiny sheets(nibble size) instead of doughnut clumps. I am sure my family will enjoy it even if it is not the same one. Hope this helps.
Thank you for the bonus recipe. I can hardly wait til Christmas eve to try it. I may not haha. Merry Christmas!
Could any tell me about the chinese lasagna that was prepared on the today show tocay
How about a printer friendly version for this?
Please provide the recipe for the Praline Toasted Hazelnuts and what is mascarpone cheese?
Please provide the recipe for the Praline Toasted Hazelnuts and what is mascarpone cheese?
For the Nutella Mousse, where does the choc pudding come in? Do you just use reg choc pudding(how much?) and layer that with the nutella mousse mixture and the marsc/cream mixture?
The nutella is what they are calling the *chocolate pudding*
I tried two of these Christmas recipes - disaster! The struffoli recipe directions are completely inadequate - I found a much more complete and accurate recipe on foodnetwork - Mario Batali. Unfortunately I'd already wasted 12 eggs and two lbs of flour (which was a real pain to measure out). Also - the nutella parfait recipe makes no sense - are there two or three ingredients to layer? I've had a few people review it for me and no one can make any sense of it. We're all pretty experienced cooks (a couple are from Italy) but could not figure this one out. Very disappointing.
I saw a horseradish Crusted Prime Rib, I believe it was Rocco's for Christmas dinner, I believe it was on the 12-21 show, could I get the recipe?
Thanks!
What is so hard about the nutella mousse recipe - the instructions are very simple.
MMMMMM, the Zuppa di Pesce sounds divine! Nothing like a nice cioppino or fish soup on a cold night! Grazie mille for the recipe!
Hey.....I just want to know how the Scottos convinced their kids to stay in the family business! I've got a floor covering store I'm trying to convince my daughters and sons-in-law to carry on! Scottos, I enjoy watching you on the Today Show and receiving your e-mails. Please, keep it up!
Pamela Mahan
What a wonderful family! I love to watch their cooking which reminds me of my mother and the foods she prepared in much the same way.Our 40 ft marble table was filled with food,family & friends in summer & holidays. Thank You Today and to the Scotto family- Graci per tutti!
I love this website! You've got fabulous recipes and I'm linked here on many subjects from the NBC Today Show. But, I have to say.... I find it difficult to easily print the recipes off your site.. wish you had a printer-friendly click button.
Sandra
When we go to New York, after we check in we go to Scotto's for a late lunch - its the best.
Once the family did a salmon dish that was rolled into foil, sliced and placed on the grill.
I would like to have the
recipe.
Thanks
i do like to watch the Scotto's, when i can, BUT... i do agree that the webpage should include an option for 'printer friendly' since i don't care for the other recipes !
what a waste.