WE ARE GETTING SMALLER MORE
FREQUENT SNOWFALLS.
GOT HIS HAVING SYMPATHY ON US
BECAUSE IT IS SO COLD.
WE MIGHT BE IN THE MOOD FOR
SOME ITALIAN COMFORT FOOD.
THIS TIME OF YEAR FOLKS LOVE
LASAGNA.
WE WANTED TO FIND THE BEST
MINNESOTA HAS TO OFFER.
NATALIE NYHUS TO ASKED IN YOU
ANSWER.
JOIN HER ON THE EAST SIDE OF
ST. PAUL FOR A HUGE PLATE AT
THE LITTLE OVEN.
Reporter: THE MARELLI FAMILY
HAS BEEN DOING ITALIAN FOOD ON
THE EAST SIDE OF ST. PAUL FOR
MORE THAN 100 YEARS. MY
GRANDPA CAME HERE SHORTLY AFTER
THE TURN-OF-THE-CENTURY.
Reporter: IT WAS GRANDMA WHO
WANTED A SHOP. HER FATHER WHO
WAS THE MAN WHO BREAK THE BREAD
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
THAT'S WHAT HE DID FOR A
LIVING.
HE GAVE HER $500 TO START A
STORE IN 1915.
Reporter: THAT WAS
MARELLI'S.
IT STILL EXIST IN ST. PAUL
TODAY. THE LOWER EAST SIDE
WAS PROBABLY THE HUB OF LITTLE
ITALY.
IT ALWAYS WAS AN IMMIGRANT
NEIGHBORHOOD.
THERE WAS A LOT OF PRIDE IN IT.
A LOT OF PRIDE IN THE HOME.
AND FAMILY, GREAT RESTAURANTS
THERE, AND BUSINESSES THAT
SURVIVE DECADES AND DECADES.
Reporter: THE LITTLE OVEN IS
ONE OF THOSE MARELLI RESTAURANT
SERVING PIZZAS PASTAS, AND THE
BEST LASAGNA IN MINNESOTA FOR
25 YEARS.
MY DAD HAD A GOOD REPUTATION
FOR LASAGNA.
AS MY DAD GOT OLDER HE SHOWED
ME.
THAT IS THE RECIPE THAT I TOOK
A PEER WHEN WE STARTED THE
LITTLE OVEN.
Reporter: THEY MAKE THEIR OWN
SAUSAGE, AND THEY HAVE CREATED
THEIR OWN SAUCE RECIPE.
THEN THERE'S THE MOZZARELLA.
WE GO THROUGH OVER A TON OF
MOZZARELLA CHEESE IN A WEEK.
IT COMES IN 50 POUND CASES.
WE GO THROUGH 45 TO 50 CASES A
WEEK. Reporter: THAT IS A LOT
OF MOZZARELLA.
THOSE INGREDIENTS MAKE LAYER
AFTER DELICIOUS LAYER OF
LASAGNA.
SIX IN TOTAL.
HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO WAY?
IT PROBABLY WEIGHS ABOUT 10
POUNDS. Reporter: WHAT DO YOU
THINK MAKE SURE LASAGNA THE
BEST IN MINNESOTA?
THE CARE THAT WE GIVE IT.
AND THAT WE'VE HAD THE SAME
PEOPLE WITH THE SAME RECIPE FOR
SO LONG.
Reporter: LIKE JIMMY SAYS IF
IT'S NOT BROKEN DON'T FIX IT.
THIS IS DEFINITELY NOT BROKEN.
I BROUGHT MY DAD ALONG TO
VERIFY.
FOOD LIKE THIS IS BEST ENJOYED
WITH SOMEONE YOU LOVE. WE ARE
SO BLESSED TO HAVE THIS TYPE OF
LONGEVITY IN THIS BUSINESS.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE OF THE OWNER
IT'S BECAUSE OF THE LOYALTY.
I AM JIMMY MARELLI, WE ARE THE
LITTLE OVEN IN ST. PAUL.
AND, WE HAVE THE BEST LASAGNA
IN MINNESOTA!
THAT WAS ONE OF THE BEST
SHOUT OUTS OF ALL TIME.
THE LUNCH PORTION OF LASAGNA
$7.50.
1099Ã$10.99 FOR THE DINNER
PORTION.
BRING YOUR APPETITE.
THEY WILL MAKE YOU -- OF THE
FAVORITE PLACES TO GO.
I LOVE JIMMY'S ENTHUSIASM.
HE IS SUCH A GOOD GUY.'S BUT
YOU DID NOT BRING ANY FOR US?
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO GO.
YOUR PAPPY APPROVED? YES, HE
LOVES MARELLI'S.
HE SAYS HE REMEMBERS ME BEING
IN THE CRYING ROOM AT OUR
CHURCH WHEN I WAS LITTLE.
NEXT WEEK WERE LOOKING AT
THE BEST HOCKEY RINK IN
MINNESOTA.