Italian Inspired

[momof4]

I'm having guests over for dinner tomorrow and will be serving vegetable lasagne( one is a vegetarian) I will be having a salad but need something for an appetizer and dessert. We'll be eating shortly after they get here so i am not planning on making alot of apps plus dont want to get filled up. Maybe something italian? Also, one is a huge chocolate fan so something for dessert involving chocolate, not too simple but impressive.

[Canice]

Not sure what you mean by not too simple but I'll throw this one out there anyhow since I don't bake: chocolate-ricotta icebox cake from Everyday Food.

[Anne]

I can't think of much in the way of appetizers that don't depend on having really good quality fresh tomatoes, basil, etc. and those are hard to find this time of year.


desert - tiramisu, gelato, or maybe this (I haven't tried it but it certainly looks good).

chocolate espresso cake with coffee glaze torta glassata al caffè La cucina Italiana clbb-kjunes

For the cake

* 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened plus more for pan (see Note)
* 3 large eggs
* ¾ cup sugar
* ½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
* 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
* 1 tablespoon finely ground espresso
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/8 teaspoon salt

For the filling:

* 1 cup (8 ounces) mascarpone cheese
* 1 tablespoon coffee-flavored liquor
* 1 tablespoon finely ground espresso

For the glaze:

* 5½ ounces semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
* ½ cup heavy cream
* 1 tablespoon coffee-flavored liquor
* 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
* Whole coffee beans for garnish

To make the cake: Put rack in center position and heat oven to 350°. Butter an 8-inch cake pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat sugar and butter together at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and beat 3 minutes more. In a bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, espresso, baking powder and salt. Whisk dry ingredients into egg mixture. Pour batter into cake pan. Bake until edges darken and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack, then remove from pan.

To make the filling: Place mascarpone, liquor and espresso in a bowl and stir well to combine. Using a serrated knife, cut cake in half widthwise. Transfer 1 layer, cut side up, to a cake plate. Spread mascarpone mixture over cake layer on plate. Place top half of cake over filling.

[Canice]

If you use baguette and slice it thinly you can make some easy apps that won't be too filling. If you have access to really good, really fresh ricotta, two I've had that I loved was a dollop of ricotta on thin crostini, one had thin slices of tiny roasted beets, a drizzle of EVOO and a pinch of microgreens and another was roughly chopped and toasted hazelnuts with a light drizzle of honey.
Or a white bean purée or roasted red pepper or sun dried tomato.
Endive with a piece of Gorgonzola and a toasted walnut is easy and nice. I'll keep thinking.......

[Anne]

I don't know if these are close enough to Italian to work but they are good. Canice's suggestionions reminded me of these recipes. Stuffed olives and marinated vegetables are also good.



Endive Stuffed with Goat Cheese and Walnuts CL 09/01

1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons honey, divided
Cooking spray
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons orange juice
16 Belgian endive leaves (about 2 heads)
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese or blue cheese 16 small orange sections (about 2 navel oranges)
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°.
Combine walnuts and 1 tablespoon honey; spread on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes, stirring after 5 minutes.

Combine 1 tablespoon honey, vinegar, and orange juice in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, and cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 5 minutes).

Fill each endive leaf with 1 orange section. Top each section with 1 teaspoon cheese and 1 teaspoon walnuts; arrange on a plate. Drizzle the vinegar mixture evenly over leaves, and sprinkle evenly with chives and pepper.

8 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed leaves)


Fig and Goat Cheese Bruschetta Cooking Light 09/08

* 1 1/4 cups chopped dried Mission figs (about 9 ounces)
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup coarsely chopped orange sections
* 1 teaspoon grated orange rind
* 1/3 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
* 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 40 (1/2-inch-thick) slices French bread baguette, toasted (about 8 ounces)
* 1 1/4 cups (10 ounces) crumbled goat cheese
* 5 teaspoons finely chopped walnuts

1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until figs are tender. Uncover and cook 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature.

2. Preheat broiler.

3. Top each bread slice with 1 1/2 teaspoons fig mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoons goat cheese. Arrange bruschetta on a baking sheet; sprinkle evenly with walnuts. Broil 2 minutes or until nuts begin to brown. Serve warm.

Yield 20 servings.

[PurplePotato]

What about a small antipasto platter? Serve with prosecco. People can nibble.

Tiramisu is easy if you assemble, PITA if you make all the components.

Chocolate truffles are easy and (relatively) light after a heavy meal.

[vbak]

The ice box cake looks delicious! Thanks for sharing. That's my kind of baking!

[foodie18]

For New Year's I made two apps from the Food and Wine Italian cookbook. One was marinated shrimp with tomatoes and the other was roasted peppers with caper dressing. Both light and very easy to throw together.

Roasted Peppers with Caper Dressing
Food and Wine Quick from Scratch Italian

2 red bell peppers
2 yellow bell peppers
½ t lemon juice
¾ t anchovy paste (i chopped up a few anchovies)
1 ½ t wine vinegar
¾ t salt
¼ t pepper
¼ C olive oil
2 T drained capers

Roast the peppers until charred all over. When the peppers are cool enough to handle, pull off the skin. Remove the stems, seeds and ribs. Cut lengthwise into ½ strips.

In large glass bowl, stir together the lemon juice, anchovy, vinegar, salt and pepper. Stir in the oil. Add the peppers and capers and toss.


Shrimp Marinated in Lemon and Olive Oil
Food and Wine Quick from Scratch Italian

1 lb large shrimp in their shells
3 ½ t lemon juice
2 T olive oil
1 tomato, seeded and cut into ¼ in dice
¼ t salt
⅛ t pepper
2 T chopped parsley

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp, cover and bring back to a boil. Continue boiling partially covered until the shrimp are just done, 1-2 minutes. Drain. When the shrimp are cool, peel. (I peeled first, but saved the shells to make a broth for a cioppino.)

In large glass bowl, combine lemon juice with the olive oil, tomato, salt, pepper and parsley. Add shrimp and toss.

[heavy hedonist]

olives? you can marinate them in red wine vinegar, oil and dried rosemary and serve them in a pretty bowl. you could always add breadsticks if you feel it's not enough, but at least it's all vegetarian.