Need a unique Italian Dish for a party. Any ideas?

Question

Need a unique Italian Dish for a party. Any ideas?

Answer 1

This is a good one and is not the usual pasta dish.

Beef Braciole

1 lb boneless beef round, cut into 4 thin slices approximately 1/3 inch thick

4 slices of prosciutto

1 tablespoon pignoli beans(pine nuts)

2 tablespoons grated pecorino romano cheese

2 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

2 28oz cans imported Italian tomatoes

1/4 cup tomato puree

2 bay leaves

3 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces

1 medium yellow onion, chopped fine

2 carrots, peeled and chopped fine

2 celery stalks, chopped chopped fine

1 cup dry red wine

flour spread on a plate for dredging

salt & pepper to taste

Serves 4

1. Place each slice of beef between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat pounder until 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Lay a slice of prosciutto on each one and sprinkle evenly with with the pignoli beans, pecorino romano cheese, garlic and parsley. Roll up the slices, tucking in the ends and tie with kitchen string.

2. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Dredge the braciole in flour shaking off any excess, then place in the pan. Cook until browned on all sides, about 15 minutes.

3. Heat the other 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring until tender but not browned, about 10 minutes. Add braciole, bay leaves, and salt & pepper.

4. Add red wine and cook until most of liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Pass the tomatoes, with their juices through a food mill or sieve into the saucepan. Fill one of the tomato cans 1/2 way with water and add to saucepan. Add tomatoe puree, turn heat to low and cook at a simmer until beef is tender 1.5 - 2 hours.

5. Sprinkle the basil over the rolls, and cook for 2 minutes longer. Transfer to serving plates, spoon the sauce over the top and serve at once.

Answer 2

Baked Gnocchi  e.g.

SPINACH GNOCCHI

1 bunch spinach, about 8 leaves

250 g. (8 oz) ricotta cheese

90 g (3 oz) parmesan cheese

1 egg

salt, pepper

one-quarter teaspoon nutmeg

flour

45 g ( 1 and a half oz) butter

1.   Wash and dry spinach.  Remove white stalks.  Cook spinach in a little boiling water for about 5 minutes.  Drain spinach and chop it finely.  Combine the spinach, ricotta cheese and half the grated permesan cheese, egg, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a bowl.  Mix well.

2.   Form mixture into balls or egg shapes, using a tablespoon and palm of hand to mold them.

3.   Roll gnocchi lightly in flour.  Bring large pan of salted water to a boil.  Drop in gnocchi three or four at a time.

4.   Simmer gently until the gnocchi rise to surface, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Remove from pan with slotted spoon.  Arrange in well-greased ovenproof dish.

5.   Melt butter and pour over gnocchi, and then sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.  Place under a moderately hot grill for a few minutes until cheese turns golden brown.

Serves four to six as an entrée

For dessert, your could try a variation of Liegeose, or blueberry tarts.

For the tart shells, make a sweet, flan style pastry using butter and powdered sugar.

Add alternating layers of rum flavoured custard and blueberries mixed with currant jelly and lemon rind, until you end up with four layers, starting with the custard cream and ending with the blueberries.  Top with whipped cream and shaved pistachio nuts.

Answer 3

Pizza Rustica

Answer 4

Plated or buffet style?  Chicken Marsala is one of my favorites!

Answer 5

(appetizer)

OLIVE PUREE

1   1/2 cups imported Kalamata olives, drained and pitted

2 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Put olives through food processor. Moisten enough with olive oil oil to spreadable consistency.  

Stir beore serving  Serve with warm sourdough.

Answer 6

how about bruschetta bread appetizers

french bagquette bread halved and cut into 4" sliced loaves. butter generously and sprinkle with garlic salt, broil til golden brown

3 chopped tomatoes

1 bunch green onions chopped

1 green pepper chopped

1 red pepper chopped

1 cucumber peeled and chopped

fresh chopped basil, orgeno, and parsley

salt and pepper set all in a large bowl

add olive oil and balsamic vinegar mix and let set in fridge for a few hours mixing occasionally.

to serve:  laddle mix onto garlic bread and top with shaved parmmsean cheese

Answer 7

if you want to wow them..

make your own pasta.

even plain with olive oil, fresh parsley, and Parmesan cheese, this dish will blow away most any elaborate dish because of the fresh flavor.

1 C semolina

1 egg

Little water

mix, and roll out (you probably need a pasta maker.

Good Luck