I love meeting new people. I love to cook. I love to entertain. It is both a blessing and a curse. I meet someone new. I like them. Instantly I realize I would like to get to know them better. So without much forethought, I open my mouth and out fall the words, “You and your husband must come to dinner.” And there I am, with a schedule full to the brim, trying to squeeze in a dinner party in the middle of the week. I need something good. And easy. And do-ahead. And quick. All of those things! I think about my Easy Italian Dinner – great for company or family.
My Easy Italian Dinner is the one menu that is my go-to because it is sure to please and so easy that most of the prep can be done one or two days ahead, leaving the day of the dinner party pretty much free to relax, or arrange flowers, or set a pretty table. Or — read a book! Or do all of the to-dos on my to-do list. And if I don’t want to do anything ahead, the recipes are so simple that I really don’t have to.
Some items and recipes have been changed over the years, tweaked here and there when I discover something new or a better way to do things. But the essence has remained intact. Few ingredients. Simple preparation. Delicious taste. Wonderful enough for company. Easy enough for a family.
Asparagus Wrapped in Prosciutto
Caesar Salad with Torn Croutons
Penne in Tomato Cream Sauce with Sweet Italian Sausage
Ciabatta Garlic and Parsley Bread
Creamy Creations Vanilla Ice Cream with Amarena Cherries
Asparagus Wrapped in Crisp Prosciutto
The beauty of asparagus wrapped in prosciutto is that it is almost healthy and tastes great. You can also easily increase the portions if you have more guests. Always plan on at least four spears of asparagus per person, and when cutting the prosciutto slices in half be sure to leave the paper backing on each slice, removing it when you are ready to wrap the spears. Ice cold prosecco is the perfect foil for the salty appetizer.
Serves 4
- 16 spears fresh asparagus, trimmed
- 8 slices prosciutto
- Extra virgin olive oil
Cut prosciutto slices in half lengthwise. Wrap a slice of prosciutto around each asparagus spear in a spiral. Place the wrapped spears on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle wrapped asparagus with olive oil and toss to coat. Arrange asparagus leaving space between each spear.
Note: Can be prepared to this point up to 24 hours in advance. Cover and refrigerate.
Preheat the oven to 450˚F.
Bake for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove, and shake the pan back and forth to roll the spears over. Return to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until asparagus is tender, and prosciutto is crisp. Serve immediately.
Torn Caesar Salad
Not really Italian, but the name makes it so as far as I’m concerned. I discovered this easy way to make a delicious Caesar dressing decades ago and have been serving it to rave reviews ever since. The lettuce can be prepped early in the morning, tearing it into bite-sized pieces, placing it in the middle of a clean tea towel after rinsing, and spinning it dry. Wrap the towel tightly and place it in the refrigerator till you are ready to assemble the salad.
This is a recipe where brand names count and can make a difference in taste. My preferred brand of mayonnaise is Hellman’s.
Serves 4
Dressing
- 3 large garlic cloves
- ¾ cup mayonnaise (not salad dressing)
- 4 canned rolled anchovy fillets with capers/or flat, drained
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- Torn Croutons
- 2 hearts of romaine, torn into bite-sized pieces
- Parmesan cheese for serving
For dressing:
Turn on food processor and drop peeled garlic cloves through the feed tube one at a time. Turn off the food processor, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining dressing ingredients. Pulse till combined. Place dressing in a container, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
Note: May be made several days in advance
For torn croutons:
Until a few years ago I fixed croutons the old-fashioned way, slicing the bread into cubes and then frying the cubes in oil or butter. The following rendition of torn croutons is infinitely better and tastier and they can be made days in advance if placed in an airtight container. I eat them like popcorn. I can’t help myself!
- Day old loaf or ciabatta or French bread
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Tear loaf of bread in half. Then tear each half in half. DO NOT squeeze bread. (If the interior is too soft let it sit out for a few hours before proceeding.)
Using a fork, gently remove the interior of the loaf of bread, and then gently—with two forks or your fingers—tear the interior into small jagged crumbs. DO NOT press too firmly on the bread when doing this. You want the crumbs to be light, airy, and crisp.
Place the croutons in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, toss to combine. Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Toast in a 350° oven until light golden brown and crisp. Approximately 10 – 20 minutes. Check every 4-5 minutes after the first 10 minutes of browning.
Note: May be made several days in advance and stored in an airtight container. You will have more croutons than you need, but if seasoned appropriately, they are as good as popcorn for a snack with drinks!
In an effort to not be wasteful, I have tried toasting the leftover crust to be used as very rustic crostini. It didn’t work. Maybe you will have better luck.
To assemble salad:
Toss lettuce with ¼ – ½ cup of dressing. Do not overdress! Divide dressed lettuce between 4 plates. Scatter a handful of Torn Croutons on top of each salad. Sprinkle generously with fresh Parmesan cheese. Serve.
Penne in Tomato Cream Sauce with Sausage
I have been making this pasta recipe for decades, discovering the original version when we had a sailboat docked in Port Aransas–an easy dinner to prepare in our minuscule galley. And it is so delicious everyone who I have ever served it to loves it! I believe that it has been made better over the years with all my revisions and I have also discovered that when I veer from the tried and true brands I have used forever I am disappointed with the results. Sometimes spending more isn’t an improvement.
Serves 4 – 6
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 20 oz package mild Italian sausage, casings removed
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 14½-ounce cans diced peeled tomatoes with juices
- 1 cup whipping cream
Pasta
- 1-pound penne pasta
- 6 quarts water
- 4 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Roughly chopped Italian parsley
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Melt butter with oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and sprinkle with salt and Italian seasoning. Sauté until onion is golden and tender, about 7 minutes. Add sausage and sauté until golden brown and cooked through, breaking up with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Cook for another 7 – 10 minutes.
Drain any excess drippings from skillet. Add wine to skillet and boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with juices and simmer 5 minutes.
Note: May be made 2 days in advance up to this point. When reheating for the dinner it is OK to keep the sausage mixture covered, at a very low simmer for 2 – 3 hours before proceeding.
Add cream and cook until sauce thickens slightly, about 5-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Turn down heat to a very low simmer while you cook pasta.
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Dip out 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and add to the sauce. Toss to combine. If mixture is too dry add a little pasta water till you reach the desired consistency.
Divide between individual pasta bowls, grate a generous amount of Parmesan cheese on top and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately.
Ciabatta Garlic and Parsley Bread
Serves 4
- 1 loaf ciabatta bread, halved
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large cloves of garlic finely minced
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped parsley
Generously brush one half of the ciabatta bread with olive oil. (Freeze the other half for later use.) Season the olive oil bread with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the garlic and the chopped parsley evenly over the bread. Bake in a 350°F oven for 5-8 minutes, till crusty and golden. Cut crosswise into 8 rectangles. Serve with pasta.
Creamy Creations Vanilla Ice Cream with Amarena Cherries
I discovered wild Italian Amarena cherries for the first time last year, and they are wonderful. Decadently rich and sweet you only need a few spooned over soft creamy vanilla ice cream. Tuck in your favorite crisp chocolate cookie and you have one of the easiest most delicious, most appreciated desserts your guests will ever put in their mouths! I am not exaggerating.
Serve in small bowls with a small scoop of ice cream and a small spoon. It is that rich.
Amarena cherries are available on Amazon.com There are quite a few brands to choose from, and out of the two I have tried, my favorite is Fabbri. A word of caution–as jarred cherries go, they are not cheap, but you don’t need many. A small 8-ounce jar will serve 6.
2 Comments
Leave your reply.