On any typical evening, particularly during weekends, the queue for Ballato in lower Manhattan often extends down the street as diners await a chance to snag one of the restaurant’s prized 50 seats.

According to Mario Vitolo, the Chef and Head of Hospitality, waits can stretch up to three hours during peak times, largely due to the establishment’s star-studded clientele and the bustling holiday season.

This Italian staple, nestled in New York’s Nolita district, has long been a favorite among celebrities. Since its opening in 1956 by founder John Ballato, it has welcomed icons like Andy Warhol and John Lennon. Today, famous figures such as Rihanna, Naomi Campbell, Jimmy Fallon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and even Barack Obama have enjoyed meals there.

The walls of Ballato are decorated with framed photos of its star-studded visitors. However, among the gallery of Hollywood luminaries, Taylor Swift’s image is notably absent, despite her previous visit with Blake Lively and actress Sophie Turner.

In an exclusive chat with the Daily Mail, Vitolo, now 40, chose to remain discreet about the restaurant’s celebrity patrons. “What makes it so special and sought-after here is our commitment to privacy and treating guests like ordinary people,” Vitolo explained.

Of course, it also helps that the food is exceptional.

For the more than three decades since his father, Emilio Sr, and his mother became the owners of Ballato, the Vitolo family – including his brothers Emilio Jr and Anthony – has been serving up classic Naples fare.

They know a thing or two about cooking with – and for – family. So, in the spirit of the holidays, Vitolo has shared his coveted recipes as well as some easy kitchen tips that easily elevate dishes that will surely wow guests.

Mario Vitolo sat down with the Daily Mail to divulge the easy – and quick – holiday dishes that will impress family and friends

On any given evening, the line in front of Ballato’s red door stretches down the block

Taylor Swift and Blake Lively dined at the restaurant two years ago

Vitolo (left, with his brother Emilio Jr, Obama, father Emilio Sr, Malia Obama and brother Anthony) recalled when the former president visited Ballato. He told the Daily Mail that secret service agents were sent to canvas the restaurant and kept tight-lipped about the White House guest who planned to dine there

The Feast of the Seven Fishes

Vitolo’s go-to Christmas spread draws inspiration from the Feast of the Seven Fishes, an Italian American Christmas Eve tradition that includes seven seafood selections.

As the lore goes, the practice originated out of need – it was standard in the Roman Catholic church to abstain from eating meat before a religious holiday. Fish, then, was an ample substitute.

Fried Calamari 

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon of salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups of whole milk
• 16 ounces of calamari

1. Prepare the squid

After cleaning your squid rings, soak in a bowl overnight. 

(Tip: use milk for this step. While ‘unconventional,’ it makes better calamari because, according to Vitolo, the flour sticks to the milk and ‘gives it more of a crunch.’) 

The next day, put all your calamari in with salt and pepper mixture. 

2. Flour the squid

Coat the squid rings in flour and slightly shake off the excess.

Vitolo is seen removing the squid from the milk marinade and putting it into the flour

Vitolo deep-fried the squid, but that doesn’t mean you need one. Simply use a deep pot or with ample oil

3. Fry the squid

In a deep pot, pour in oil and boil it to a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. (Tip: you do not need a deep fryer. Calamari – or arancini, but more on that later – can easily be fried in a saucepan.)

Once the temperature reaches 350 degrees Fahrenheit, put in the squid rings and fry until light golden brown.

4.Serve

Drain on a rack or pat dry with a paper towel. 

Sprinkle on salt and pepper afterwards with a garnish of parsley and vinegar peppers. 

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is a traditional Italian American spread with an emphasis on seafood. For the holidays, Vitolo recommended a clam linguine, fried calamari and classic arancini

Small swaps, big results

Dishes can be easily elevated with simple additions – even garnish can take a plate to the next level.

Calamari, for instance, is typically served with marinara sauce, but Vitolo recommends swapping it with a lemon aioli if you really want to wow guests.

And rather than making a traditional espresso martini, he puts a seasonal spin on the cocktail with a tiramisu eggnog martini (more on that later) – garnished with a sprinkle of nutmeg or some cacao shavings to ‘elevate’ the drink.

Arancini

Vitolo seen holding a plate of arancini

Ingredients (makes four servings):

• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 2 cups of risotto
• 4 cloves of finely cut shallots
• 1 cup of white wine
• 4 cups of vegetable stock
• 1 stick and 1 tablespoon of butter
• 1 cup of Parmigiano Reggiano
• 3 slices, cube cut, of low moisture mozzarella
• 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper
• 2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 6 eggs
• 2 cups of breadcrumbs
• Vegetable oil or avocado oil for deep-fry

1. Prepare the risotto

Put olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the risotto and shallots with butter for a few minutes in medium heat. Wait until the shallots are translucent, and the risotto is golden brown. 

Add the vegetable stock and white wine. Cover the top and wait until the risotto absorbs the liquid.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter and Parmigiano Reggiano. You can add more.

2. Let it chill

Refrigerate it. Minimum 2 hours.

(Tip: ideally refrigerate it overnight for the starch to hold structure. The longer it is, the risotto will hold its texture.) 

3. Make balls of risotto

Scoop the desired amount to form a ball around the cubes of mozzarella. Continue this process until none is left.

(Tip: Instead of using only mozzarella to fill the arancini at this step, you can also add eggplant, ground beef or another favorite filling.) 

Add the risotto ball to the flour mixture. Mix eggs until consistent texture and dip the risotto balls enough to cover it. Roll the risotto ball over the breadcrumb.

Vitolo said to never cover the arancini in sauce, otherwise they will become soggy

4. Fry the risotto balls

Add vegetable oil to a deep pot. Wait for the temperature to reach 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Put the risotto ball and fry until golden and crisp. Take it out and drain on paper towels.

5. Serve

Lay tomato sauce on the serving plate. 

(Tip: Do not drizzle sauce over the arancini as that will make it soggy over time. To maintain the crunch everyone is looking for, keep the sauce minimal and only on the plate.) 

 Sprinkle on some parsley and grated Parmesan.

For the ultimate cheese pull

For a picture-worthy cheese pull, you’ll need buffalo mozzarella, said Vitolo

A celebrity chef should know a thing or two about getting the perfect shot for social media – and what better than a viral-worthy cheese pull?

To pull it off, Vitolo shared the little-known secret ingredient: Buffalo mozzarella.

The cheese is a favorite in his father’s region of Naples, Italy, and achieves its gooiness thanks to its high fat and casein content, which makes it more elastic.

Meat thermometers are your friend

Too often, home cooks think they can determine the readiness of a pan or the doneness of meat by sight – and they are usually wrong.

To ensure the food is cooked properly and thoroughly, Vitolo recommends using a meat thermometer to measure the temperature of the oil before putting food in the pan. Too hot and the food will burn, too cold and the food will not cook thoroughly in the desired time.

Linguine alle Vongole (Linguine with Clams) 

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces of linguine al dente 
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 cup of parsley finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon of salt 
• 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
• 1 cup of white wine
• 1 cup of vegetable stock
• 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup of fresh, chopped clams

1. Prepare the clams

Combine chopped clams, vegetable stock, salt, red pepper flakes, white wine, extra-virgin olive oil, and fine parsley in a bowl. 

2. Sauté the mixture

Put mixture in saucepan as well as the cloves of garlic for flavor depth. Let it reduce down till the point it thickens. 

(Chef’s note: ‘Eventually this will come to more of a sauce… like a cream,’ said Vitolo.)

3. Prepare the pasta

In a different pan, add the linguine to boiling water until it becomes al dente. 

(Tip: ‘al dente’ – or ‘to the tooth’ – pasta only takes a few minutes to make if fresh, otherwise follow instructions on the box of store-bought pasta.) 

‘Eventually this will come to more of a sauce… like a cream,’ said Vitolo.

When you combine the pasta with the clams, add a small amount of pasta water to make the sauce stick

4. Combine pasta with clam mixture

Throw away garlic cloves from the pan with the sauce and add linguine. Cook for two minutes.

(Tip: Add a small amount of pasta water from the pasta pan as well. The starch helps the sauce hang on to the pasta and reduces dryness.)

5. Serve

For garnish you may add finely chopped parsley and red pepper flakes, or a zest of lemon in the amount you desire. 

Choosing the right wine 

When cooking dishes that call for white wine, don’t just reach for any old bottle, said Vitolo.

He recommends only using a pinot grigio, which is crisp, dry and, most important of all, neutral compared to other kinds of vino, which can become too bitter or add unwanted sweetness to your dish.

‘There’s more of a drier texture to it with a little fruitiness to it, that’s the best,’ he said. ‘You don’t want something that’s too acidic.’

Add your own flare

Vitolo started working at the restaurant at ten years old and was tasked with hanging up coats. Then, he began cleaning bathrooms and scrubbing floors before he eventually was allowed to work in the kitchen. ‘The first thing [I learned to make] was omelets,’ he said

Vitolo’s recipes are often inspired by the places he’s traveled to.

Before he began working full-time at Ballato, he studied under prominent New Orleans restauranter and chef Dickie Brennan where he learned to make Creole cuisine.

Now, he builds upon the basics of Italian food, ‘elevating it’ with flavors from other regions.

‘You could go to any Italian restaurant, right? But to actually be a good chef and to have something that’s a signature, you have to put your own trademark into it,’ he said.

He’ll make a matcha tiramisu, for instance, or his eggnog martini (again, more on that later), is a ‘homage to the Coquito aspect of things, especially with Christmas coming into town.’

Tiramisu Eggnog Martini 

Ingredients:

• 1 ounce of coffee liquor
• 1 ounce of dark rum or bourbon. (Tip: if you want it sweeter, dark rum. If you want more of a kick, bourbon.)
• 1/2-1/4 ounce of Disaronno
• 2 ounces of eggnog
• 1 egg white (Chef’s note: this is for added foam.)
• 1 pinch of nutmeg
• Cacao powder or micro-graded chocolate for finishing

1. Combine ingredients

Add coffee liquor, dark rum or bourbon, Disaronno, eggnog and egg white and shake for more than 45 seconds. 

2. Add ice

Then shake again for 45 seconds. 

3. Pour and serve

Pour into a chilled glass, add a pinch of nutmeg on top and finish with cocoa powder or cacao shavings.

Chill the glasses

The easiest way to elevate a cocktail is to serve it in a chilled glass, according to Vitolo. Not only does it serve a function – to keep your drink cool – but it also looks cool, too.

‘Well, you don’t want a hot glass, right?’ he said. ‘With the glass itself, when you just drink it, [it’s] refreshing – cool.’

‘I remember when we first got this restaurant, my dad wasn’t making a single cent, so in order for us to keep afloat, we couldn’t really afford groceries… so we would always eat here at the restaurant,’ Vitolo said

Make it with love 

Above all else, Vitolo said the easiest way to keep stress-free in the kitchen and prepare the best holiday meal is to do so with love.

‘The first thing I would tell everybody is you gotta love what you do,’ he said. For Vitolo, he loves ‘bringing people together’ through food.

‘I love interacting with people… and the customers that come to the door. So that’s why it’s so effortless. It’s like, you’re coming in my house and I’m just making you feel welcome.’