The Sunday before Martedi Grasso (Fat Tuesday), our kitchen is full of scents and sounds. The recipe book hand written by Mom is open to “lasagna (Ma’s Way)”. Not surprising that there are no measurements. It is the way my grandmother “Ma” cooked. It is how Mom cooks and how I cook 99% of the time. I call mom to walk through the recipe. I call mom to spend time with her talking and laughing. It makes the distance shorter at least for the moment.
Time passes by so quickly. Mom was first diagnosed with cancer in 2020. And it returned nearly 2 years ago.
Behind each recipe is a story, a family memory. I want to hear them all. I want to remember them all. I want to share them and the story of my Italian-American family. I want to remember every word of our conversations. I want to hear her voice, love and elation. It’s one of our things, talking about food, recipes, and memories. I miss her everyday.
Conversations Between Mom and I
Mom: “I love Ma’s lasagna, do you remember eating it when you were little?”
Me: “Hmm, I don’t remember the eggs, I don’t think I want to put eggs in the lasagna, not this time at least.”
Mom: “It’s delicious but make it your own”.
My heart stops, I nearly fall over. Mom is a fierce defender of family recipes, of not altering them. I have watched mom change with grace in recent years. She may not realize it but she gave me permission to dance more freely, to not be burdened by the rules.
Me: “Ok mamma, I’ll make it my own this time and next time, I’ll make it with eggs. How about adding sausage to the meat sauce?”
Mom: “Sausage would give it great flavor and you can slice and layer them with the meatballs. Make lots of small meatballs, like the ones that we put in soup, the size of a nickel. It’s the most tedious part of the recipe.”
Me: “I remember. I won’t make each meatball the same size and circumference like Ma did, but I’ll make them with lots of love. Keep me company Mamma, while I form them. Tell me more about this recipe.”
Mom: “It was a favorite of my grandfather’s and your Uncle Al’s. Ma made it for my grandfather and Uncle Al’s birthdays in November. She would usually make it on Thanksgiving and then have pineapple shortcake because that was my grandfather’s favorite. Of course we’d put candles in and sing happy birthday. Ma would also make a strawberry shortcake for Uncle Al. I loved her lasagna too, much more than the ricotta filled version.”
Me: “Mamma?”
Mom: “Yes, G.”
Me: “How about if we make 2026 the year that we cook every recipe in the book that you hand wrote for me. You walk me through each recipe, share memories, and stories. We cook together. By December, we will print the recipe book.”
Mamma: “I love it! We can cook together this summer when you are here, when we are together. “
The olive oil glistens in the pan. Smash a few garlic cloves. The oil is infused with a sweet scent. Crush the tomatoes “pelati” with my hands. I like the feel of the squishy fruit. Into the pot they go. The sauce sputters away for hours until it is brick red, dense and sunbaked. A pinch or two of salt is added during cooking.
Lasagna, Ma’s Way – The Recipe
Ingredients
- hard boiled eggs
- small meatballs (ground beef mixed with egg, chopped parsley, black pepper and pecorino romano cheese – add a bit of Parmigiano Reggiano for a softer, sweeter flavor)
- pecorino romano cheese, grated
- mozzarella cheese
- lasagna sheets (fresh or dried)
- meat sauce aka gravy
Steps
Cook lasagna “al dente”
In a 9 x 13 inch baking pan, layer red meat sauce, lasagna, plenty of meatballs, sliced eggs, a generous dusting of pecorino romano, and sliced mozzarella.
Repeat until you fill the baking pan.
The last layer is lasagna sheets covered with gravy and a sprinkle of grated cheese.Cover and cook at 350°F for 30-45 minutes.Uncover and cook for 20-30 minutes until the lasagna is crispy.
Let settle before serving. Tastes better the next day.
