Tony Bennett's Mom's Lasagna: A Taste Worth Swearing By

Editor’s Note: The interview below was conducted in 2018. Although Tony sadly passed away in 2023, we're delighted to keep sharing his tales of family and cuisine.

For six decades, we've enjoyed Tony Bennett's remarkable vocals belting out classics from the Great American Songbook. Even though he had a busy calendar, we were delighted when Tony agreed to let us have his mother’s lasagna recipe.

What life lessons regarding cooking have you learned from your family according to Taste of Home?

Tony Bennett: Every Sunday, my relatives would visit us for dinner. They consistently showed up to provide emotional backing to my mom following the sudden loss of my dad when I was ten. After finishing our meals, everyone would form a circle, where my siblings and I would put on performances for them. This moment became pivotal as their unwavering affection and motivation led me to decide that I wished to become an entertainer dedicated to amusing others. Thus, what begins as a simple family gathering over food is ultimately all about showing love.

TOH: What type of cuisine were you exposed to during your upbringing?

TB: Every Sunday, we enjoyed a complete Italian feast—starting from antipasto all the way through to pasta cooked just right, smothered in tomato sauce. If anyone still had room left after that, they'd move on to either meat or fish dishes, followed by an array of sweets lined up along the table. When the weather cooperated, we’d pack up the whole spread and head out for a picnic at the nearby park where relatives played melodies on their mandolins for everyone’s enjoyment.

TOH: What is one of your most cherished holiday recollections?

TB: One of the most memorable holiday stories from my childhood occurred during a particular Thanksgiving. At that time, I was still quite young, and my mother was distressed because we lacked sufficient funds to purchase a turkey. Seeing a poster at our neighborhood cinema advertising a giveaway contest for turkeys through a raffle, I pleaded with my mother to let me visit the theater using only ten cents so I could enter the competition. Deep down, I felt certain about winning the turkey.

Once the film concluded, the theater manager collected all the tickets and drew the winner. 'Ticket number four!' It was mine! Thrilled, I carried the turkey home, valuing it above all else. The joy on my mom's face as I entered the house remains etched in my memory. After this incident, my relatives saw me as somewhat of a magician.

TOH: How does being a constantly traveling performer affect your dining experiences during tours?

TB: To be frank, cooking isn't something I do often. This probably stems from spending much of my life traveling, dining mostly at hotels and restaurants across various cities where each place has its own go-to spot for me whenever I visit. After marrying Susan, though, things changed dramatically; she’s an amazing cook who prepares incredibly healthy meals. Ensuring we maintain our fitness levels, she includes plenty of fresh veggies and fruits alongside other dishes. Being able to share this journey with her truly feels like hitting the jackpot in life.

TOH: What’s your most loved cuisine?

TB: Being Italian, my top loves come as no surprise: pasta, pasta, and even more pasta.

Here is Tony's lasagna recipe, exactly as his mother used to prepare it.

Tony Bennett’s Mom’s Lasagna Recipe

Tony mentioned that his mother, Anna Benedetto, was an excellent chef, Taste of Home . Her lasagna was a beloved family dish, and she used to prepare it every time everyone came together at our house for holidays or major family events. My sister, Mary, would assist her in the kitchen. After my mother fell sick and sadly passed away, Mary continued making the lasagna during each of our family get-togethers. For my 85th birthday celebration at Lincoln Center, my wife, Susan, proposed serving this lasagna. That night felt as though my mother were still with us.

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 pounds ground beef
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 1/2 pound spicy Italian sausage
• 5 to 6 crushed garlic cloves
• 1 28-oz can of San Marzano tomatoes
• 1 Can of 28 oz Italian Tomato Puree
• 2 cans of 6 ounces each tomato paste
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 1⁄4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of newly ground black pepper
• 1 pound of lasagna noodles, cooked until slightly firm
• 2 containers of 16 ounces each ricotta cheese
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 pound of grated Pecorino Romano cheese

Instructions

Step 1: Sear the ground beef until browned

Heat the oven up to 350°F. Cook the ground beef with onions in a skillet until they're done, then remove the excess grease. Put this mix to one side.

Step 2: Make a from-scratch meat sauce

Take out the Italian sausage from its casing, break it up into smaller pieces, and sauté it quickly in a Dutch oven along with finely chopped garlic. Incorporate canned tomatoes, tomato purée, and tomato paste into the pot. Flavor this mix with basil, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper. Then combine it with your ground beef blend and thoroughly incorporate everything together. Let the sauce simmer gently for about twenty minutes, giving it an occasional stir as needed.

Mix the ricotta with the eggs in a bowl.

Step 3: Put together the lasagna

Place a bit of sauce at the bottom of a 15-inch lasagna dish. Add a layer consisting of 1/4 of the noodles, followed by 1/3 of the ricotta mixture and 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Pour 1/4 of the sauce over this. Repeat these steps two more times. Finish with the last portion of noodles topped by the leftover meat sauce. Cook for 45 minutes, then allow it to rest for 10 minutes prior to cutting and serving. Buon’ Appetito!