In the first episode of our new series MOLTISSIMO, Mario Batali, who needs no introduction, does what he does best—simple, flavorful Italian cooking, with a side of dry humor and some mid-day boozing.Actress Rosie Perez and journalist Ben Anderson were lucky enough to be on the receiving end of Batali's killer meal, which included saltine-crusted ribeye Milanese with a radish and arugula salad, as well as these lamb-filled zucchini boats cooked in a simple tomato sauce.
These may seem way more complex than your average, cheese-filled, Pinterest zucchini-boat recipe, but they're not any more laborious. The first step is the tomato sauce, which, according to Batali, is "the simplest, easiest sauce. No sugar. No bullshit. That's what it's supposed to taste like."Once the sauce is finito, the zucchini flesh gets scooped out and replaced by ground lamb that's been tossed with herbs, eggs, and the tomato sauce. Then, the boats are topped with breadcrumbs and popped in the oven.Seems too easy, right? Well, don't take our word for it. Take it from Mario: "It's good, trust me. I wouldn't give you anything bad—I'd be embarrassed."