Suggestions for an Italian meal?

Lasagna. Nothing better.

How about brick pastry with strips of Parma Ham on, grated Pecorino Cheese and fresh Rosemary. Bake for 12–15 minutes then leave to cool to crisp.

Here’s a classic Tuscan starter, prosciuto and melon.

Sounds like a good night by the way. Love Italian.

Also good is a classic Caprese salad. Just lay out fresh tomato slices, top with fresh mozzarella and basil leaves and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Well, feta cheese is not Italian.

I come from a Sicilian family and usually what we eat at family gatherings is lasagna (with riccotta cheese, mozarella, chicken, beef, eggplant, etc), manicotti, meatballs, chicken cattiatore… For dessert we usually have riccotta pie (the best version of cheesecake ever invented) and cannolis, with some Italian cookies (anisette cookies).

@Dibley What is brick pastry? I am hoping it will be a good night. I do my utmost!
@Snarp Ooh the salad sounds lovely.
@tragiclikebowie Oops I think I have got it wrong with the feta cheese. I was going to do bruschetta with peppers, tomatoes and feta cheese. Should I use some other cheese instead? What are anisette cookies?

@partyparty Very thin pastry. Very hard to get hold of though. 1 sheet of filo will do.

@partyparty For bruschetta you would generally use Parmesan cheese, or maybe mozzarella or both.

Remember that in Italy the food is really very regional. What’s common in Tuscany is different from what’s common in Rome, or Naples, or Sicily. One other thing that’s a popular main dish in Tuscany is pasta with anchovies. I was scared, but it was really good. Might have helped that the anchovies were pulled out of the sea and brought to the docks a few hundred yards away that morning. Also big in Tuscany is steak. Just plain steak, rare with salt and pepper. I guess that’s probably not obviously Italian enough.

@Snarp Thanks for the info about the cheese. I do have parmesan already, but can easily get the mozzarella. I would have really messed up serving feta!!
I did think about steak, but wanted to make something ahead of time, so I could spend more time with my guests, but thanks for the suggestions.

One more main dish that’s easily prepared mostly ahead – pasta with pesto sauce. You can add grilled chicken to that if you feel the need.

@Snarp Oh yes, that sounds really lovely. That is definitely going on my list, thanks.

italian pasta salad is easy and yummy

How about shrimp scampi over capellini. . . saute butterflied shrimp in garlic and EVOO, throw in some chopped parsley, and drizzle with juice from 1 lemon. salt & pepper to season. Toss in cooked capellini in the saute pan… plate-up and top with grated parmessan.

@njnyjobs Thanks… nice! What is capellini? Any ideas for a pudding?

capellini is angel hair pasta…very thin so it’s easy to cook than spaghetti or linguini

Panna cotta would be great.

Budino di Riso
Rice pudding, one of the most classic North Italian family type desserts. It’s tasty and easy to make . . .:

Ingredients:
•1 quart milk (whole is best though not necessary)
•1½ cups rice (use a rice that will give off starch, not minute rice)
•¾ cup sugar
•½ cup raisins
•2 tablespoons minced candied orange peel
•2 eggs + 2 yolks
•¼ cup unsalted butter
•A shot glass of rum or cognac
•½ teaspoon vanilla extract (or a vanilla bean)

Bring ⅔ of the milk to a simmer and add the rice. Cook until it’s half done, then stir in the sugar, raisins, candied orange peel, a pinch of salt, and the butter. Continue to cook, stirring and adding milk as the rice absorbs it, until the rice is quite done and the grains are soft. Remove the mixture from the fire, let it cool till it is hot but not boiling, and stir in the eggs, liquor, and vanilla, mixing well. Pour the mixture into a smooth sided pudding mold that’s been well greased with butter and dusted with breadcrumbs, and bake it at 350 F for a half hour or until set. Serve it hot.

@Snarp, that is exactly how I suss out a good Southern Italian restaurant: If they mess up a simple Caprese, they can’t be good for much else.

Something different is to make lasagna using white sauce, artichoke hearts, and the regular cheeses. Very rich, but…............................

@njnyjobs Oooh thanks for the recipe. I have made rice pudding myself in the past, but never like this one. It sounds great!
@thriftymaid This certainly sounds like something I might make, thanks

@partyparty These are anisette cookies. They’re really good – if you google recipes you should find some or if you can find an Italian bakery they should have them. The supermarkets around here carry them most of the time but I don’t know if that’s true where you are.

Thanks everyone for your ideas. Such a good selection offered.
I am hosting my party tonight.
Does anyone have any last minute ideas?

One for pudding:

Budino al Cioccolato (Chocolate Pudding)

Ingredients

* 4 egg yolks
* 3 ounces of extra-fine sugar
* 8 ounces of Ricotta cheese
* 1 Tbs instant coffee
* 2 Tbs boiling water
* 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
* ½ pint whipping cream
* salt

Method:

1. Dissolve the instant coffee in the boiling water.
2. Melt the chocolate either in a double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside, but keep over warm water.
3. Pour the cream into a cold bowl. Add a pinch of salt. Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Put it back in the refrigerator.
4. Put the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until thick, light, and creamy.
5. Beat in the Ricotta cheese and dissolved coffee into the egg sugar mixture. Make sure the coffee isn’t too hot. You don’t want to curdle the eggs.
6. Add the melted chocolate to this egg mixture.
7. Fold the whipped cream lightly into the chocolate/egg mix. You don’t want to break the cells of the cream, but you want it completely mixed through.
8. Spoon the mixture into tall stemmed glasses or a large decorative glass bowl. Chill for 3–4 hours before serving. You can decorate with cocoa and coffee beans.

Note: If you cannot find extra-fine sugar, you can create your own by putting the sugar in the food processor for a minute. This is also known as Caster or Castor sugar.

@aprilsimnel Thanks for the recipe. This is certainly going into my list of recipes. It sounds really lovely.