When Tony’s on Main Street first opened in the Magic Kingdom in 1989, I was thrilled as Italian food is among my favorites. But somehow on our 1990 trip, we didn’t make it there. Not even once. This only added to its mythology to me as an exclusive, impossibly romantic restaurant with old-school Italian grandmothers laboring in love over handmade pasta.
My first trip was not until 1994 with my now-husband. I had a good-enough spaghetti, and pretended that I was Lady and that he was the Tramp. Good, clean Disney role playing is damned good for the marriage.
But it was the rich lasagne that my husband ordered that cemented this now 31-year-old mainstay as a tradition for our family. Recently, I’ve noticed that the quality can be inconsistent, but it’s still some of the best food in the Magic Kingdom. I first made the lasagne recipe at home a couple of years ago, but a couple of very minor tweaks have brought it up to a more authentic, sublime level (translation: more tomatoey).
Now the funny thing about lasagne is there’s not one single perfect recipe. At least that’s what New York Governor Andrew Cuomo says. And yep, like many of us during these days of quarantine, my husband and I are tuning in to his COVID19 updates/wisdom daily. Today, we shared my husband’s big recliner as Cuomo talked about finding joy in the midst of all of the uncertainty that surrounds us. And of course, that talk turned to Italian food and the abundant joy of family meals.
Way back in 2010, Cuomo famously defended chef his girlfriend’s lasagne after his mother attacked its use of Americanized ingredients, such as tomato soup. At the time, Cuomo said, “Lasagna is like politics . . . everybody gets an opinion. Everybody’s right. Nobody’s wrong.” You gotta love a man who will stand up to mama for his lady every now and then. Especially an Italian one.
Nevertheless, Mama Cuomo would mostly approve of Tony’s Market Square version, with its ricotta cheese and generously seasoned meat sauce.
Tony's Town Square Lasagne
Ingredients
- 1 10 oz. package lasagne noodles
- 2 quarts water well salted
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup finely chopped onions
- 1 clove fresh garlic, finely chopped
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds this is my addition for a real Italian flavor
- 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1/2 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp Spanish paprika
- 1 can Cento tomato paste this is my addition
- 2 cups Cento tomato puree
- 1 1/2 cup ricotta cheese I sometimes replace 1/2 cup with sour cream
- 1 large egg
- tabasco sauce to taste
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 oz mozarella cheese, sliced can use more
- 1 cup mozarella cheese, grated
- 3 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese I use freshly grated Reggiano
Instructions
- Bring salted water to boil, and cook noodles according to package directions. Drain well.
- Brown ground beef in onion and garlic. Drain and add the salt, Italian seasoning, oregano, thyme, paprika, and fennel seeds.
- Stir the tomato paste and puree into the meat mixture, while continuing to cook on low heat.
- Continue to cook for about five minutes. Meanwhile, combine the ricotta cheese with the egg and a little tabasco sauce.
- Beginning with a shallow layer of meat sauce, layer the meat sauce, noodles, mozzarella cheeses, and ricotta cheese, and repeat. Top with a layer of meat sauce or cheese.
- Cover in tin foil and bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove foil for last 10 minutes.
