This might seem a big lunch at first glance, but the portions are carefully controlled so my guests won’t explode at the end of the day. There is enough here to choose from that it can accommodate a vegetarian at the table too.

Yesterday I went to check my garden and with great surprise I discovered that one of my sage plants has sprung back to life after the cold winter and has put on some wonderful and huge leaves. While I was admiring it I was savoring the thought of it fried and so I added it to my menu this year. I’m only going to fry a few leaves per person. Just a little taste with a cold glass of Prosecco.

I decided to change the focaccia pugliese a little bit. I’m going to skip the tomatoes and olives and will top it with rosemary sprigs instead.
My first dish is a spinach ricotta roll wrapped in fresh egg pasta. This recipe is not published yet, but I’m going to post it soon. I suggest Rice and peas for you, a praise to spring.

Every year my husband and I disagree on the second course because he wants lamb and I want Pasqualina cake, a Ligurian specialty made with artichokes ricotta and eggs. This year we made a compromise, he can have his lamb and I will enjoy my Pasqualina served with a green salad. The meat will be served with grilled asparagus and baked cherry tomatoes. I cut the tomatoes in two, scoop out the pulp and seeds and mix it with bread crumbs, pecorino cheese, origano and oil then I sprinkle the mixture on top of the tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil.

I usually offer some cheese before the dessert.  Better if accompanied with honey or one of the numerous sauces to serve with cheese.

And finally the dessert. I love the pastiera napoletana even if  it’s not a typical Eastern cake where I live. This year I put a lot of efforts into the dessert. I usually buy the wheat berries already soaked, but this time I decided to buy them dry and follow the whole process. It took me four days but now I’m so proud of my work and patience!  I’ll know for sure how it came out soon. In the meantime I wish you a Happy Easter.

Appetizers
Fried sage leaves
Focaccia Pugliese
served with
prosciutto, mortadella, ham, salami, coppa etc.

First course
[Spinach ricotta roll]
Rice and peas

Main course
Torta Pasqualina
Grilled lamb and pork ribs

Side dishes
Grilled asparagus
Baked cherry tomatoes
Mixed salad greens

Assorted cheeses
Gorgonzola or Rockford
Monte veronese
Parmigiano Reggiano
Aged Asiago

Cake
Pastiera napoletana

Fruit
Honey due and strawberry salad
scented with lime and mint

Coffee with Pastafrolle cookies

Preparation tips:

Appetizers: The batter for the sage leaves can be prepared 30 minutes or so in advance before frying them. The sage has to be savored hot.
The focaccia pugliese needs 2 hours to raise, 4o minutes for baking but first of all the potatoes have to be cooked. It will take at least three hours so plan ahead to have it ready to serve it right after the sage.

Risotto: Vegetables can be prepared ahead of time like the vegetable broth as well but the rice has to be be prepared at lunch time.

Side dishes: The tomatoes can be prepared in advanced and baked just before lunch. The Asparagus only take a few minutes so making them at lunch time isn’t a problem. You can season them in advance if you prefer and cook them when it’s time. They’re good when tepid.

Main course: Pasqualina can be baked right after the focaccia pugliese or even before it. You can clean and cook the artichokes the day before or if you prefer even a week before but  you have to freeze them. Cake can be assembled few hours before baking it and kept in the refrigerator. Serve the Pasqualina with mixed salad greens.
Lamb and pork ribs must be grilled just before serving. Serve them with the asparagus and baked tomatoes.

Dessert:  Not only can you make the Pastiera 2 days or the day before I highly recommend that you do. It needs to dry a bit and it is much better to eat it few days later.
The fruit salad can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator

Wines: I recommend a good Prosecco for the appetizers and a Soave for the risotto. For the main course and cheeses a nice strong red like Valpolicella Superiore. For the dessert I’d serve a Passito.

Antipasto
Shrimp cocktail
Grilled scallops

First course
Black risotto with cuttlefish

Second course
Fish Kebab

Side dishes
Roasted potatoes*
Salad with oranges

Dessert
Fruit salad
Panettone with orange sauce
(I’ve just published it on Not Only Pizza)

Wine Recommendations
Serve Lugana wine with antipasto, first and second course
Sauvignon with the Salad
Moscato d’Asti with the dessert

At midnight
Lentils with Cotechino or Zampone
Serve it with Valpolicella

PREPARATION TIPS:

1. Antipasto: The Shrimp cocktail has to be served first, followed by the grilled scallops, 2 per person are more than enough.

2. Black risotto with cuttlefish is a Venetian specialty and a real delight. There are two versions of this rice one doesn’t use the black ink from the cuttlefish the other one does. I personally prefer the second one is more flavorful and of sure effect.

3. Fish kebabs are easy to prepare you can assemble and refrigerate them until you bake them.

4. Side dish: I don’t have a recipe for the potatoes but they can prepared easily. Use yellow or red fleshed-potatoes, cut them in small cubes and cook them in few spoons of warm extra virgin olive oil. Cook them for about 10 minutes or until browned. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. The salad with oranges is a light and refreshing salad after the fish dinner and prepares you to enjoy the dessert.

6. There’s no new’s year eve without lentils and cotechino (or zampone). Traditionally lentils brings you luck and prosperity for the new year to come.

]]> http://www.cookingwithpatty.com/italian/recipe/new-years-eve-menu-2008/feed/ 0 http://www.cookingwithpatty.com/italian/recipe/my-italian-new-years-day-menu/ http://www.cookingwithpatty.com/italian/recipe/my-italian-new-years-day-menu/#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:58:12 +0000 admin http://www.cookingwithpatty.com/italian/?p=1595 This menu is a classic at my house. It is simple dinner that even the pickiest eater can enjoy.

Appetizer
Sliced hams and salami

First dish
Tagliatelle with broth

Second dish
Boiled meats
Green Sauce
Pearà

Vegetables
Lentils

Dessert
Tiramisù

Preparation tips:
This menus is easy relatively easy to prepare. To save time on New Years Day you can prepare some of the food the day before.

The Tagliatelle pasta can be prepared the day before and then you need only to boil it in the broth at lunch time.

The green sauce can be prepared the day before as well. In addition you can make the lentils a day early too. They’ll just need to be warmed up before dinner.

Finally the Tiramisù needs to be made the day before.

Wine Ideas:
With the appetizer serve Soave. Then I’d suggest a Bianco di Custoza with the tagliatelle. With the Boiled meats I recommend Valpolicella and finally with the dessert a Moscato d’Asti.

Serving notes:
Serve the ham and salami with good bread. Don’t put out too much though since the lunch will be long and you wouldn’t want your guest full before they get to the boiled meat.

Serve the boiled meats already cut on a serving platter. Then set out a couple of serving bowls, one with green sauce and the other with Pearà. Then your guest can choose which cuts of meat they want and with which sauce they’d like to eat them.

Appetizer
Toast with Smoked Salmon

First dish
Roman style gnocchi

Second dish
Italian Meat Loaf

Vegetables
Italian Mashed Potatoes
Spinach

Dessert
Panettone Cake topped
with Orange Cream

At midnight
Lentils with Boiled sausage like Cotechino or Zampone

Preparation tips:
This menus is easy since so much of it can be prepared ahead of time
leaving you, the cook, with more time to enjoy your family and/or guests.

The gnocchi alla romana can be prepared few hours before and
refrigerate until it’s time to bake them.

The meat loaf also can be cooked one or two hours ahead and then
warmed up slowly at dinner time. If it gets too dry add a tiny bit of milk.

The spinach can be boiled also the day before and be prepared in the
morning.

Wine Ideas:
With the appetizer serve Prosecco. Then I’d suggest a Bianco di Custoza with the Gnocchi. With the Italian Meat Loaf a Bardolino and finally with dessert a Moscato d’Asti. Of course, a sparkling wine for midnight!

Serving notes:
This is a flavorful and delicate meal. Take your time serving it so your guests can chat and enjoy the moment. Here at home I start serving around 9 pm and we take our time so that we eat dessert around 11 pm. This gives everyone an hour or so to digest and make room for Lentils at midnight.

Antipasto
Walnut Salad in Parmesan Baskets

First course
Crepes with Prosciutto and Mozzarella

Second course
Veal Rolls up with Cream

Side dishes
Purè di patate
(Italian style mashed potatoes)

Cheeses
Parmesan Cheese with honey
Gorgonzola dolce with acacia honey
Mascarpone with Mostarda

Dessert
Semifreddo with Torrone served with two chocolate creams
(Almond Nougat Semifreddo)

Wine Recommendations
Serve the antipasto with Chardonnay
First course with Pinot grigio
Second course Bardolino rosé
Cheeses with Valpolicella superiore
Dessert with Recioto di Soave (it’s a white Recioto)

PREPARTATION TIPS:

This menu is for 6 persons.

1. For the antipasto I chose something light considering that the  rest of the menu is pretty rich. I served the Salad in Parmesan Baskets, they’re not difficult to prepare once you learn how but if you prefer to save time just skip the baskets and serve you salad in small plates or bowls.
To make kids happy I suggest you to bake some Pizzette before you grill the crepes, I can assure you that they’re always a hit.
If you would like to add more appetizers Smoked Salmon Toasts and Caviar Tartine will certainly do. For the Caviar Tartine follow the Salmon Toasts instructions. To add something vegetarian to the entree you can serve a Spinach Pie cut in small slices.

These are only few ideas but you can run through my Appetizer Section for more inspiration.

2. Crepes are not so difficult to prepare as it might seem. My suggestion is to make the wraps the day before. The crepes then can be assembled few hours before lunch and kept refrigerated. If you don’t have space place them outside in your balcony as I often do if weather permits.

3. Veal Involtini can be assembled ahead of time and kept refrigerated until you are ready to cook them. Here I serve them with Pure di patate which is perfect with the cream sauce but you can also accompanied the involtini with Peas and Ham or simply peas skipping the ham. Cultivated Mushrooms cooked in a little bit of butter and a sprinkle of fresh Italian parsley will be an excellent alternative to the peas.

4. Cheeses before dessert and fruit are often served in Italy especially in the important occasions. In the last few years sauces have become again complementary to the cheeses. I know it will be difficult to find all the Italian cheeses I will suggest you but you can substitute them with the ones you can easily find at your deli store. You don’t have to serve a huge tray 4-5 cheeses will be just fine also depending on the number of your guests.

5. The Semifreddo al Torrone can be prepared the day before. The chocolate sauces have to be made just before serving the dessert. The semifreddo can be decorated with dark and white chocolate swirls and when you serve you cut it in slices accompanied by the two sauces and sprinkle it with some hard chocolate torrone roughly chopped.

If one dessert is not enough every family in Italy has  Panettone, Pandoro or both. They can be eaten plain or together with different creams. My favorites are Pandoro with Marscarpone Cream and Panettone with Orange cream .

First dish
Risotto with asparagus

Second dish
Pasqualina

Vegetables
Fresh tossed salad

Dessert
Colomba Easter Cake

Preparation tips:
This menus is relatively easy to prepare. The Pasqualina should be made in advance so that it can cool off before eating. The salad can also be prepared in advance but you’ll have to add the dressing at the last minute.

The risotto is the only thing you’ll have to cook at the moment.

Finally the Colomba cake only needs to be cut.

Wine Ideas:
In keeping with the spirit of a simple menu I suggest using the same wine for both the Risotto and the Pasqualina. In this case I recommend a Pinot Grigio and a Moscato d’Asti with the dessert.

Serving notes:
The nice thing about this menu is that the cook doesn’t have to spend time in the kitchen when everyone else is at the table. Serve the Risotto as soon as it is ready and then the Pasqualina together with the salad after.

Appetizer
Spinach Pie

First dish
Baked Lasagna

Second dish
Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Vegetables
Italian Mashed Potatoes
Peas With Ham

Dessert
Pandoro Christmas Cake topped
with Mascarpone Cream

PREPARATION TIPS:

This menus is easy since so much of it can be prepared ahead of time
leaving you, the cook, with more time to enjoy your family and/or guests.

The Spinach pie can be prepared in the morning so that you only need to bake and serve it later.

The lasagna can be prepared the night before. Again then all you have to do is bake and serve.

The Stuffed tenderloin can be prepared in the morning as well. At meal time you’ll only need to fry them.

Wine Ideas:
With the appetizer serve Pinot Bianco. Then I’d suggest a Valpolicella
with the Lasagna. With the Stuffed Pork Tenderloin I recommend Valpolicella and with dessert a Moscato d’Asti.

Serving notes:
If you have a lot of guest arriving at different times you may want to make Pizzette so that there is some finger food around until all the guests show up.

Serve the Spinach pie in small portions. Just a taste for everyone so that no one gets too full to make it to the end of the meal.