Interactive Italian Dinner Party

[Craig Camp]

The best arancini are made with left over risotto. You can fill them with that wild boar ragu.

I don't like to go from a heavy meat sauce to a seafood secondo. Slkinsey's recommendation for Pasta con le Sarde followed by lamb sounds very tasty. It is easier to handle the wine this way as it is always a pain to go back to a white after a red.

For a recipe resource check out the excellent cookbook, La Cucina Siciliana di Gangivecchio

[mjc]

I'm not finding wild boar readily available down here.  do you know of any source?

Check with the butcher at Fowler's. They always told me they could get me whatever I wanted.

you can order it online somwhere like this.

Edited May 21, 2003 by mjc (log)

[Bill Klapp]

Some pretty fanciful posts up there, Varmint. The key to me is to do whatever you can do with the best ingredients available here in NC. Cinghiale (wild boar) is a stretch, I'm afraid. Especially since there is a fair amount of bad wild boar, even in Italy. If you have anybody that can roll fresh pasta dough, I would suggest a Bolognese lasagne for the primo. Much easier to serve the masses. I can shoot you a recipe. This is not your tomato-ricotta-mozzarella-meat number, but rather besciamella (white sauce) and Bolognese ragu. Lighter than air, as Craig can no doubt attest, but filling enough! I also think that you might also consider seafood-stuffed stuffed zucchini blossoms (although fried probably won't work for a big group). I had enormous success lately with an interesting classic Piemontese secondo, pork braised in milk. Since we get great pork here, it would be a natural. You marinate pork loin or tenderloin ifor two or three days in dry white wine and red wine vinegar, then cook it in milk, rosemary and sage. The milk and pork drippings reduce to a subtle but exquisite sauce. And panna cotta for the dolce, certamente! Again, you can buy the Maple View Farms heavy cream, which is darn near up to Italian standards. Maybe with a little fresh berry puree, as local strawberries should be in. To take the strain off, you might also consider strawberries marinated in a little balsamico. And don't forget a small cheese course. Go to Capri tastes in Morrisville, too. The signora there may offer you inspiration, not to mention quality ingredients from the old country. She has whole frozen cakes and pastries from Turin, so I would not be shocked to find frozen cinghiale there. And I'm going to be in Italy while this feast is going on! (Not that you have invited me yet, but I'm sure that I must be high on your guest list!)

[docsconz]

Arancini may be a good start for hors d'ouevres before the meal.  Suggestions for what to stuff them with would be appreciated.  I've never made arancini.  What type of rice would you use?  What's a good recipe resource?

I learned to make arrancini last fall from Anna Tasca Lanza at Regaleali. Her cookbooks are a good recipe source for arrancini, which means "little oranges", because that is what they look like. They are not all that hard to make and a lot of fun for a group. It is easy to do either solo or as a team. As Craig said, you can use left-over risotto or cooked fresh works fine too. My favorite stuffing is a chopped-meat (pork and beef) ragu' with peas and cheese. Mozzarella is a good option. The possibilities are endless. They would go well with a crisp Sicilian white such as Planeta La Segreta Bianca or Regaleali Bianco or leone d"Almerita, all of which incorporate indiginous Sicilian Grapes.

The main courses can certainly include a crown roast of pork or pork roast with rosemary and garlic. Major fish in the Sicilian arsenal include tuna, swordfish, sardines and anchovies. Fresh sardines and anchovies may be a problem, but if you can get them fresh grilled sardines are simple and awesome. Other preparations with sardines include beccafico, which is a cooked, rolled sardine stuffed with raisins, bread crumbs, pine nuts, herbs and perhaps cheese. These are subsequently grilled. Tuna and swordfish are served fully cooked. Tuna loin cooked in a tomato sauce with onions, garlic, capers and basil served over pasta (perciatelli or buccatini) is a great dish, although the gravy needs to simmer for a while and as such may not be as "interactive" as you would like.

I would second Katie's recommendation of nero d'avola. The grape makes a wonderful wine, reminiscent of zinfandel cum shiraz.

Edited May 21, 2003 by docsconz (log)

[nervousnelli]

Not sure how Sicilian it is but I vote for Pasta con Sarde.

[slkinsey]

Not sure how Sicilian it is but I vote for Pasta con Sarde.

Pasta con le Sarde is 100% a Sicilian classic.

Other interesting and classical possibilities I enjoy include: Insalatata di arance (cross-sectional "wagon wheel" slices of peeled orange with red onion, parsley, evoo and salt), Spaghetti al nero di seppia, Maccu e finocchietto (broth with spaghettini, dried fava beans, wild fennel or fennel fronds, tomato and onion), Minestra di tenerumi (broth with zucchini leaves, taglierini, onion and basil), Pitaggio (veal sausages with fresh fava beans, fresh peas and artichokes), Farsu magru (a thin beef steak wrapped around a filling of prosciutto, sausage, pancetta, pecorino, hard cooked eggs and other good things), Pollo alla messiness (boiled chicken with a mayonnaise sauce of tuna, capers, anchovies, etc.), and Sanceli (Sicilian blood sausage).

[Varmint]

Some pretty fanciful posts up there, Varmint.  The key to me is to do whatever you can do with the best ingredients available here in NC.  Cinghiale (wild boar) is a stretch, I'm afraid.  Especially since there is a fair amount of bad wild boar, even in Italy.  If you have anybody that can roll fresh pasta dough, I would suggest a Bolognese lasagne for the primo.  Much easier to serve the masses.  I can shoot you a recipe.  This is not your tomato-ricotta-mozzarella-meat number, but rather besciamella (white sauce) and Bolognese ragu.  Lighter than air, as Craig can no doubt attest, but filling enough!  I also think that you might also consider seafood-stuffed stuffed zucchini blossoms (although fried probably won't work for a big group).  I had enormous success lately with an interesting classic Piemontese secondo, pork braised in milk.  Since we get great pork here, it would be a natural.  You marinate pork loin or tenderloin ifor two or three days in dry white wine and red wine vinegar, then cook it in milk, rosemary and sage.  The milk and pork drippings reduce to a subtle but exquisite sauce.  And panna cotta for the dolce, certamente!  Again, you can buy the Maple View Farms heavy cream, which is darn near up to Italian standards.  Maybe with a little fresh berry puree, as local strawberries should be in.  To take the strain off, you might also consider strawberries marinated in a little balsamico.  And don't forget a small cheese course.  Go to Capri tastes in Morrisville, too.  The signora there may offer you inspiration, not to mention quality ingredients from the old country.  She has whole frozen cakes and pastries from Turin, so I would not be shocked to find frozen cinghiale there.    And I'm going to be in Italy while this feast is going on!  (Not that you have invited me yet, but I'm sure that I must be high on your guest list!)

Thanks, Bill. And thanks for rubbing it in that you'll be in Italia at that time.

As far as the lasagna, I learned to make that dish in Bologna, and it is quite good. I have some great recipes. It's a bit much to get that assembled with all the folks participating somewhat.

Where the heck do you find zucchini blossoms? That would be fun.

I've made the milk braised pork before, and it is fantastic.

And of course, I would never forget Tatina at Capri Flavors. They always take care of me.

Thanks for the guidance. This type of dialogue will get me to where I need to go!

[Varmint]

Not sure how Sicilian it is but I vote for Pasta con Sarde.

Pasta con le Sarde is 100% a Sicilian classic.

Other interesting and classical possibilities I enjoy include: Insalatata di arance (cross-sectional "wagon wheel" slices of peeled orange with red onion, parsley, evoo and salt), Spaghetti al nero di seppia, Maccu e finocchietto (broth with spaghettini, dried fava beans, wild fennel or fennel fronds, tomato and onion), Minestra di tenerumi (broth with zucchini leaves, taglierini, onion and basil), Pitaggio (veal sausages with fresh fava beans, fresh peas and artichokes), Farsu magru (a thin beef steak wrapped around a filling of prosciutto, sausage, pancetta, pecorino, hard cooked eggs and other good things), Pollo alla messiness (boiled chicken with a mayonnaise sauce of tuna, capers, anchovies, etc.), and Sanceli (Sicilian blood sausage).

Thanks a ton. This is great. I may very well be able to put together a menu within a week.

One thing to remember: I want to do as much of the actual cooking as possible on the day of the event. People will arrive at 6, and we'll sit down to eat at 7:30 to 8:00. We don't have the time for slow-cooked dishes. The one common thread with the previous menus is that they were fairly simple to prepare and plate. I need to stick with that plan, as I don't have the luxury of doing a 6 hour meal.

[Varmint]

I'm working on formalizing the menu somewhat, but I think I need some assistance. I've followed Craig's advice and purchased La Cucina Siciliana di Gangivecchio, so my recipes are coming from there, with some minor modifications. The important thing to remember is that 18 people, many of whom have hardly cooked before, will be arriving at 6, and the first course should hit the table at 8. Thus, we need to do fairly simple dishes.

I'm going to try the arancini, but I'll probably make them small. This will be finger food to eat before the dinner, and I'm thinking of a very simple filling of mozzarella. If I do a hearty ragout, that will be a bit too messy and more complex than I'd want to start out. What about smoked mozzarella? Would that work? Can anyone think of something other than bruschetta to serve as a simple stand-up food? Would olives, cheese and mortadella suffice?

I'd like a simple antipasti to serve at the table. Nothing is leaping out at me.

The pasta will be spaghetti with swordfish (or tuna), eggplant and mint.

We'll then do fairly simple dish of veal cutlets with tomatoes and parsley. I'll have a chicken option available here. I'm planning on serving this with baked stuffed zucchini. Is there a way to make this dish a bit more elegant, or do I just rely on its overall simplicity?

I'll do a simple mixed green salad with pecorino. What the heck do you serve with the salad course???

For dessert, a simple berry tart. I'm thinking that the traditional Sicilian dessert options are too heavy or take too long. Please convince me I'm wrong.

Comments and suggestions, please. Thanks!

[Craig Camp]

I'm working on formalizing the menu somewhat, but I think I need some assistance.  I've followed Craig's advice and purchased La Cucina Siciliana di Gangivecchio, so my recipes are coming from there, with some minor modifications.  The important thing to remember is that 18 people, many of whom have hardly cooked before, will be arriving at 6, and the first course should hit the table at 8.  Thus, we need to do fairly simple dishes.

I'm going to try the arancini, but I'll probably make them small.  This will be finger food to eat before the dinner, and I'm thinking of a very simple filling of mozzarella.  If I do a hearty ragout, that will be a bit too messy and more complex than I'd want to start out.  What about smoked mozzarella?  Would that work?  Can anyone think of something other than bruschetta to serve as a simple stand-up food?  Would olives, cheese and mortadella suffice?

I'd like a simple antipasti to serve at the table.  Nothing is leaping out at me.

The pasta will be spaghetti with swordfish (or tuna), eggplant and mint.

We'll then do fairly simple dish of veal cutlets with tomatoes and parsley. I'll have a chicken option available here.  I'm planning on serving this with baked stuffed zucchini.  Is there a way to make this dish a bit more elegant, or do I just rely on its overall simplicity?

I'll do a simple mixed green salad with pecorino.  What the heck do you serve with the salad course???

For dessert, a simple berry tart. I'm thinking that the traditional Sicilian dessert options are too heavy or take too long.  Please convince me I'm wrong.

Comments and suggestions, please.  Thanks!

I think the smoked mozzarella could work fine. How are you preparing the rice?

For stand-up olives, and meats work find. An easy thing to do is to wrap grissini (bread sticks) with prosciutto. Pizzette are also good finger foods. Often instead of making individual pizzette we make a large rectangular pizza and cut it into small squares and served at room temp.

For the sit down antipasti look in La Cucina Siciliana and check out the Frittata della Mama and the La Pizza di Cipolla di Bruna. Both are very tasty.

If your question about the salad course is what wine I would say not to have a specific wine - just let people continue with the wine they had.

To say the least the famous desserts of Sicilia can be rich and time consuming. A pudding in the book, Dolce al Cucchiaio, is very good and can be made in advance.

[Varmint]

I think the smoked mozzarella could work fine. How are you preparing the rice?

I'll just do a simple risotto earlier that day and let it cool.

Often instead of making individual pizzette we make a large rectangular pizza and cut it into small squares and served at room temp.

That's a great idea, and something that folks can work with. I'll make a couple of sheets of dough, and leave it to others to top. What would you recommend for a Sicilian style pizza?

For the sit down antipasti look in La Cucina Siciliana and check out the Frittata della Mama and the La Pizza di Cipolla di Bruna. Both are very tasty.

Will do. I'll take a look at the desserts as well.

Thanks a ton!

[Craig Camp]

With a plain risotto I think the smoked cheese would work. They actually smoke quite a few cheeses in southern Italy.

Anchovies!

For those less courageous eaters: onions sliced VERY thin, roasted eggplant, sun dried tomatoes, fresh mozzerella with sliced ripe tomatoes -- In Italy they would not mix up the ingredients very much - but you are in a Free Cuisine Zone and can mix what you will.

[Varmint]

For the sit down antipasti look in La Cucina Siciliana and check out the Frittata della Mama and the La Pizza di Cipolla di Bruna. Both are very tasty.

The La Pizza di Cipolla di Bruna with its combination of sweet and savory seems like an interesting combination that might surprise folks.

I'm also wondering about the watermelon tart. How common are watermelons in Sicily? Have you made this tart? I've never done anything with cooked watermelon, and this might be quite a surprising dish. I think I'll experiment tomorrow.

[Craig Camp]

I'm also wondering about the watermelon tart.  How common are watermelon in Sicily? 

Watermelons are EXTREMELY common and popular in Sicily. In the summer Sicilians drive trucks as far north as we are (almost in Switzerland) and sell them on the roadside. They are delicious, but no I have never made that tart. Sounds worth trying!

[KatieLoeb]

Can anyone think of something other than bruschetta to serve as a simple stand-up food? Would olives, cheese and mortadella suffice?

I'd like a simple antipasti to serve at the table. Nothing is leaping out at me.

Bruscetta doesn't always have to be the "usual" chopped tomatoes and basil thingie, does it? You could top the toasted bread with almost anything that twisted your knickers. How about other roasted vegetables? Zucchini, eggplant, roasted peppers (sweet bell and/or long hots in all colors) in various combinations with lots of EVOO and sea salt. Marinated mushrooms. Marinated artichoke hearts. Roasted garlic puree to spread on toasted bread. Anchovy bruscetta? Sliced pepperoni. Tons of different olives, stuffed "poppers" (that's what the Italians here in Philly call those pickled hot peppers stuffed with prosciutto and mozzarella), stuffed and bread crumb/grated cheese topped small zuchinni or baby eggplants. How about a white bean salad? How about a fennel salad?

I love Italian food! There's so much good stuff!

[Varmint]

Well, here's my menu for this Friday:

Antipasti

Pizze Siciliane

(Sicilian Style Pizza with Various Toppings)

Insalata

Insalata Verde con Gamberi e Pompelmo

(Green Salad with Shrimp and Grapefruit)

Primo

Arancine con Ragu di Funghi

(Rice Ball Croquettes Stuffed with Smoked Mozzarella and Served with a Porcini Mushroom Ragout)

Pasta

Pasta con Pesci Spada, Melanzana e Menta

(Spaghetti with Swordfish, Eggplant, and Mint)

Secondo

Filetto di Bue all Moda e Zucchine Ripiene

(Beef Tenderloin with White Wine and Marsala, Served with Baked Stuffed Zucchini)

Dolce

Torta di Frutte di Bosco con Gelato di Limone

(Mixed Berry Tart with Lemon Gelato)

Yes, I'm serving a salad early in the meal, but it's as much a seafood dish as it is a salad.

I haven't figured out the wines yet, but I'll take care of it tomorrow.

[Craig Camp]

I going to Orbitz to get my airline tickets now.

A salad like that is more like an antipasto so I think you have it in the right spot.

[Varmint]

I going to Orbitz to get my airline tickets now.

C'mon, Craig. I need another line cook!

[Varmint]

Dinner was outstanding. We ended up drinking both Sicilian and Sardinian wine. I'm too drunk to type.

Gotta go.

V.

[slkinsey]

Yay! We will, of course, expect a full report!

[Varmint]

(head banging, lights too bright, mouth horribly dry)

Will provide it later. Unfortunately, forgot to take pictures.

Too much limoncello. 20 guests, 22 bottles of wine. Plus that limoncello. Why did I have 4 children? They wake up way too early. Must deal with the pain.

[Varmint]

Well, it was some party! We had 20 people here for dinner, and I'm very glad that everyone came ready to cook. The guests arrived at 6:00 and the dinner ended at 10:40. When the grappa and limoncello came out, people did not want to leave. The last guest headed out shortly before 1:00. I think I was sound asleep on the back porch, as it was a beautiful night in North Carolina.

I spent all day finishing my shopping and prepping. I peeled 8 pounds of peaches. I made a raspberry sauce. I cubed, julienned, chopped, diced, and grated. I made risotto for the arancine. When I realized that I hadn't made enough, I made another 4 cups of arborio worth of risotto. That's a lot of rice. I had 4 or 5 people on an arancine-making assembly line, two making them, one doing the egg white wash, one with the bread crumbs. The smoked mozzarella may not have been the best option for a filling, only because it's fairly hard to melt. Anyhow, I'll give details on the dish later.

We started with the Sicilian pizzas. I made three large sheet pans worth of dough, and I let it rise on the back porch in the sun. It was warm and humid yesterday afternoon -- perfect for bread proofing! Toppings? One had Sicilian olives, onions, raisins, and pecorino plus EVOO. The next had tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, capers, and half anchovies. The final had sun dried tomatoes, some dried sausage, and cacciacavollo (sp?). They were pretty damn good, even though two of them got a little brown on the bottom when we forgot about them while making the arancine!

The salad was OK, but it could have used more grapefruit. I had quickly cooked the shrimp earlier in the day and then marinated it in grapefruit juice. The juice really didn't affect the shrimp's flavor, which was unfortunate. It would have made an awesome combination. The dressing was excellent and complement the dish -- grapefruit and lemon juice, mint, EVOO, S&P. We tossed it with the greens, added a bit of dressing to the shrimp and grapefruit segments, and plopped them on the greens.

The arancine were a big hit. I made a ragout of porcini and shiitake mushrooms with red wine, onions, garlic, and tomatoes. I put that on the bottom of a shallow black bowl, put the baseball-sized arancine in the middle, and dusted the rims with grated pecorino. We served a 2001 Argiolas Perdera made with Monica grapes. It really went well with the dish, as it was a fruity but full bodied red. It was, however, a Sardinian, rather than Sicilian wine. No one cared at that time.

We then moved onto the pasta, and everyone was already starting to get stuffed. We all get so used to a combination of tomato and basil that we forget how different tomato-based sauces can be when using other herbs. For this, we used mint. Mint and tomato is just an excellent combination. Adding the swordfish and fried eggplant made it fantastic. I need to think of using mint in my dishes more often. We actually served a great white wine with this, simply because the pasta was lightly sauced (we did want to taste the pasta, the mint, and the swordfish! We served a 2002 Planeta La Segreta Bianco. This was a pretty bold white, having a strong flavor of pear to me. It was very well-received.

Now everyone was stuffed, but they had room for the beef. Beef tenderloin isn't my favorite cut, and I'm pretty confident there isn't a ton of tenderloin in Sicily, but I was looking for easy-cooking, tender meat here. Plus, if I asked every one of my guests what their favorite steak was, they'd all say filet mignon. Thus, that's what they got. I sauteed onions, red bell pepper strips, fennel, hot cherry peppers, celery and garlic in olive oil. I took that out of the pan (I was actually doing this in a large baking pan over two burners) and then added butter, got it good and hot (but before the butter browned), then seared the steaks (I got all 19 steaks in a single pan -- Mrs. Varmint passed on the red meat). I removed the steaks, added 2 cups of dry Marsala and 2 cups of white wine, and cooked that down until it evaporated. Add the veggies back, put in the steaks, and then added zucchini and halved grape tomatoes. We served each steak on a bed of the original vegetable saute, and topped with the zucchini and tomatoes. It was quite a good dish. I served another Argiolas -- the 2001 Costera, made with Cannonau grapes. This wine was probably a bit too young, but it had a ton of fruit, with just a touch of herbaciousness.

We finally went to dessert, where I changed my mind and went with a peach tart that I served with raspberry gelato, raspberry sauce (ah, the powers of a squeeze bottle) and fresh blackberries. We served this with a Moscato d'Asti, which was a nice way to finish the meal. Folks were truly overstuffed, as there was a ton of food and drink. However, about 8 of us had lots of room for grappa and my mother-in-law's homemade (and ice cold) limoncello. Damn good stuff.

One of the great things about this event (other than having everyone involved in cooking, plating, and serving the food), is its cost. I used top ingredients. We drank 22 bottles of wine. We served 20 people 8 different dishes (if you count the pizza as 3 dishes). The cost per person was $29. Yup, I spent a total of $580 on this meal.

I need a nap.

[Craig Camp]

Just think - when you visit friends in Sicilia you have to do that EVERY day you are there. Varmint you better start eating and drinking again right away to get in shape!

Congratulations - sounds like a huge success.

[johnjohn]

Pasta

Pasta con Pesci Spada, Melanzana e Menta

(Spaghetti with Swordfish, Eggplant, and Mint)

Sounds like a great evening. I am really interested in the pasta dish - I make a bruschetta with tomato, mint and red onion that is always a big hit at BBQs. If you don't mind, could you give a few more details about the pasta dish. Did you use fresh tomatoes - Was it a smooth tomato sauce or chunks of tomato? How was the eggplant prepared? Did you cut the fish in cubes or flake it once cooked.

Thanks

johnjohn

[Varmint]

Swordfish and eggplant were both cubed. The eggplant was quickly fried in hot olive oil and removed. So was the fish, but very, very quickly. I used fresh tomatoes, but good canned ones would work. I had seeded the tomatoes but left skins on. I didn't cook the sauce very long. I used most of the mint about halfway through the tomatoes being cooked, and then added a touch more just before serving. I stirred the fish back in and then the eggplant and then sprinkled more mint on top of each dish for presentation.