Italian Feast For 50

There is a LOT of catching up I need to do....For starters, I recently turned 26 and made a giant vegetarian feast for my close friends but it didn't seem right to publish that post without paying tribute to my 25th rotation around the sun when I had a big, fat, Italian-style birthday party.  I created a menu weeks in advance and started prepping over 7 days out. It was the largest cooking prodcution I've ever done and required extensive advance planning. I had about 45 RSVP's but I really struggle with knowing how much food to prepare for large groups and I never want people to leave hungry. So I probably cooked enough for 80-100 people. We had leftovers for a solid week following my birthday. I invited people over just to help eat the leftovers!

Mini asparagus and mushroom frittatas. 

My Grandma's beautiful Native American painting with a table full of 

homemade bread and local cheese.

Antipasta California style: Mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and avocado.

Faro salad with marinated peppers and zucchini.

The display.

Marinated & roasted eggplant salad with olives, bread chunks and pecorino cheese.

Marinated roasted mushrooms

Green bean salad with roasted walnuts

Josh Tal enjoying (I hope!)

Meat tray

Dessert buffet! Desserts provided by Erica, Bernardo, Nichole and my Mom :)

'Spaghetti' Squash & Bison Meatballs (Paleo)

Bison is by far my favorite meat. I debuted by love for bison on GLHC with my bison stuffed squash. I've never been a huge meatball fan - mostly because I never felt that great after eating meatballs however with bison, it's completely different. As with all meatballs, you can experiment and make them slightly different every time. For a recent paleo feast, I made these meatballs as the main course with a homemade tomato sauce. Instead of spaghetti, I used 'Spaghetti' Squash. It's the end of the season so I literally bought the only ones available! I'd never cooked this type of squash but was delighted on it's much healthier and equally tasty substitution for spaghetti. I was certain I would cut off my hand as I was trying to cut open this squash. I had to put all my weight on the knife to open the squash so be careful when doing this at home. Disclosure: I'm also accident prone - this may not be an issue for most folks :)
This meal can be made in advance and heated up. The meatballs are addicting and taste DELICIOUS the next day on sandwich bread or even cold. The longer and slower you cook the tomato sauce, the more enhanced the flavor will be and the thicker the texture. So, in true Italian style - cook this meal slowly with love, music and glass of wine.

                                  

'Spaghetti' Squash & Bison Meatballs 
Makes enough for 10-12
A meal planning tip: Start with baking the squash. While squash is in the oven start the sauce then the meatballs.

Ingredients:
2-3 large 'Spaghetti' Squash

For Meatballs:
4 lbs ground bison
2 small onions, finely chopped
4 eggs
1 cup almond meal
2 tablespoons fresh herbs
1 head of garlic
Olive oil
4 tablespoons ghee

For Sauce:
1/3 cup olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
8 cloves garlic, crushed
2 28 ounce cans plum tomatoes
1 16 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 small cans of tomato paste
2 bunches of Italian parsley, chopped
2 chili peppers, chopped

Directions:
For Spaghetti:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut the squash in half. Place cut size down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, until it is easily pierced with a knife.
2. Scrape the spaghetti out of the squash shell and set aside into a bowl.

For Meatballs:
1. Saute the onion, garlic with 3-4 tablespoons of ghee until the onions are translucent. Allow the onions to cool.
2. In a bowl, vigorously whisk the eggs. Whisk in the almond meal and herbs. Add in the bison and mix until everything is incorporated. The best tools for this are your hands.
3. Roll the bison meat into small balls. Saute on a pan (LOW & SLOW) with a bit of olive oil. The bison meatballs don't take much time and you want them to maintain their moisture so be sure the heat is set to low. They should be golden brown.  They will produce their own natural oils which make for a fantastic base for sauteing vegetables. Set aside on a platter while you finish the meatballs.


For the sauce:
1. Heat live oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the onions and garlic until soft.
2. Add in the pureed tomatoes with juices, crushed tomatoes, parsley, and peppers. Bring the mixture to a boil. Season with salt and pepper
3. Reduce the heat and cook until it is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and cook for 20 minutes.

                             

Enjoy with a nice big salad and a glass of wine :)

 

Lemon Walnut Parsley Pesto

I was recently given the book Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon and have loved learning all the health benefits to various foods. When I made the flax and almond paleo bread, I wanted a pesto like spread to go with it. Ordinary pesto is made with cheese however this pesto is effectively paleo and vegan. It contains no cheese. I love Italian flat leaf parsley and it comes in bushels in our Eat Well CSA so I decided to make this  a parsley pesto. Raw parsley is one of the best sources of Glutathione. Glutathione acts as a super antioxidant and can inactivate cancer-causing agents, that may otherwise damage cells. It also neutralizes fats that initiate artery clogging build up. Glutathione also protects our eye lens from the destruction caused by ultraviolet light, as such it is an antioxidant that helps protect us against cataracts. 

Lemon Walnut Parsley Pesto

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped scallions
2 cups parsley
2 garlic cloves, smashed
4 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
1 heaping cup walnuts
salt to taste

Directions:
1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until you have your desired consistency and taste. Sprinkle in the salt depending on your preference.

Burrata Stuffed Fried Zucchini Flowers with Pesto Dip

You never ask someone what his or her favorite food is and receive the response "zucchinis." Maybe it's their similarity to their somewhat boring cousin, the cucumber, or it could be their slight lack of original flavor...Zucchinis, however, are pros at taking on the flavors of whatever spices and feelings their cooked with. If a zucchini was a person, it would be that chap at the party who is a little bit quiet, wearing a gray t-shirt - but has a super cool secret skill, like a great artist with a sketchbook that shows experience and experimentation. You can experiment with zucchinis, and from experience you know they can actually add a wonderful texture and taste to pizzas, pastas, breads, soups, antipastos.  I was introduced to the beautiful zucchini blossoms while working at Cefalicchio - a central appetizer was fried zucchini flowers. Then, for my friend, Maxine's birthday, I made these seasonal fried zucchini flowers. I was making dinner for my mom and sister and wanted to have them experience this wild and crazy half sister dish of the zucchinis. Because my mom grows her own basil, I make pesto over there with just about everything. Turns out pesto is a lovely dip for the fried zucchini flowers, but a little bit goes a long way.

 When handling the zucchini blossoms, you have to be very gentle. They are delicate, sensitive, and very shy....with time, it gets easier to handle them. 

 Fried Zucchini Flowers with Pesto Dip


Ingredients:
Zucchini flowers
Burrata (Since it is very difficult impossible to find the real burrata out here - you can find a pretty good kind at Trader Joe's or the Cow Girl Creamery.)
Whole wheat flour
Tonic Water
Kosher salt
Vegetable Oil

Directions:
1. Gently wash the zucchini blossoms and let them dry
2. Very carefully, spread the petals to remove their seeds and stem, making them hollow on the inside
3. Fill the inside of the zucchini blossom with burrata, just enough to plump it up but not too much so that you can still close the blossom and wrap the petals around one another to seal it shut.
4. In a bowl mix together whole wheat flour, a pinch of salt and just enough Tonic water to make the mixture a thick batter consistency.
5. Heat vegetable oil over high heat in a skillet. To test if oil is hot enough you can drop a pink nail of batter. The batter should sizzle up and rise to the top.
6. Dredge the stuffed blossoms in the batter and gently lay them into the hot oil.
7. When you see edges turn golden brown, flip over.
8. After about 1-2 minutes on the second side, remove and set on a paper towel.
9. Sprinkle with kosher salt and serve warm.

 Now, what to do with the actual zucchinis? Slice and saute with garlic, salt and pepper, and sliced mushrooms and add to a pizza!

Fried Zucchini Blossoms...A la Cefalicchio

One the my favorite things to eat while working at Cefalicchio was their fried zucchini flowers. A traditional Puglian dish - I was thrilled to find the bright, delicate zucchini blossoms at the Embarcadero Farmer's Market. These are delicious, simple, and...well...addictive. If you don't eat cheese, you can stuff these with soft tofu.

Fried Zucchini Blossoms

Ingredients:
1 bunch of zucchini blossoms
Cheese curds
Goat Cheese
Feta cheese
Whole wheat flour
Soda water
Sea salt
Vegetable oil

Directions:
1. Gently wash the zucchini blossoms and lay out on a dish cloth to dry. Carefully open the leaves and remove the stamen.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over high heat.
3. Put the flour in a bowl. Slowly pour in the seltzer water until you have a thick but smooth consistency.
4. Gently stuff the zucchini blossoms with the variety of cheeses. I prefer to not mix the cheeses, but use one cheese type per blossoms. Holding the stuffed blossom by the top of the petals, lather them them in the flour-soda batter.
5. Place the battered and stuffed zucchini blossom in the piping hot oil. It should fry on each side for about 30 - 45 seconds. When lightly golden on each side, remove and place on a paper towel or dish cloth. Sprinkle with salt. Enjoy!

Antipasto Platter for the Masses

I made this for our holiday party as a salute to Italy. This dish is a sure crowd pleaser, very easy to make, and it tastes even better when prepared ahead of time. This dish was the first to be polished off and it probably took me the least amount of time to prepare. This recipe is adapted from this Mixed Antipasto recipe from epicurious.com.

Antipasto Platter for the Masses

(12-16 servings)

Ingredients:

For the marinade:

3 large garlic cloves, minced

4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon crumbled dried rosemary

2 teaspoons crumbled dried basil

2 teaspoons crumbled dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes

1 cup olive oil

6 large carrots, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

4 fennel bulbs, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

6 bell peppers, assorted colors, roasted and cut into strips

1 1/2 lbs stuffed green brine-cured olives

1/2 lb sun-drain tomatoes packed in oil, drained cut into strips

1 1/2 lbs marinated bocconcini (small mozzarella balls)

1 lb soppressata (hard Italian sausage), cut into 1/4 inch thick slices and quartered

2 15 ounce jars marinated artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained well

2/3 cup fresh parsley, minced, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1. To prepare the marinade, whisk together the garlic, balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, rosemary, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Have a friend pour the olive oil in a stream into the bowl as you whisk it until the marinade is emulsified.

2. In a large pot of boiling water black the carrots and fennel or 3 to 4 minutes, or until they are crisp tender, drain them and plunge them into a bowl of ice water. Let the vegetables cool and drain them well.

3. In a large bowl toss the carrots, fennel, roasted peppers, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, bocconcini, soppressata, artichoke hearts, marinade and the parsley until the antipasto is combined well. Cover and chill overnight.

4. Transfer the antipasto to a platter, garnish with parsley sprigs and serve at room temperature. Bon Appetito!

Nicola's Home and Food in the Italian Alps

After Sarah and I parted ways I didn't have much of a plan. Actually, I didn't have any plan. I knew I wanted to make my way over to Ferrara for a music festival but that wasn't for another couple of days and like all backpackers, I was on a budget. Nicola was so kind to offer me the chance to come and stay with him at his father's home in the Alps of Lunigiana. Nicola's dad had purchased and reonvated a home in a very small village in the Alps. The village had 7 permanent residents. The home was so tranquil and had a sprawling view of the lush green Alps. The photo above is Nicola on the roof - we spent a lot of time reading and just hanging out on the roof. We arrived around lunch time and it was a very nice surprise to have a beautiful home cooked lunch set out for us, especially since I had just been serving people for 7 days a week for 2 months. The home has a small courtyard in the middle with a little table and chairs set, it really feels like your own private villa:

For lunch, Nicola's father and his girlfriend prepared a delicious frittata with cheese and mushrooms picked fresh from the trails behind his home:

They also made us a simple and very delicious and hearty bean and noodle soup:

And of course there was an impressive cheese plate....this is definitely an every day Italian mean feature that I would like to bring home:

Finally, there was the wonderful tea and cookies to end the meal:

A Mathematician's Castle & Cuisine in Puglia

Castle del Monte, pictured above, is an unexpectedly striking castle perched on a hill in the Andria region of Puglia in Southeastern Italy. Used mainly as a hunting lodge, it was completed in 1240 by Emperor Frederick II. The fortress is an octagonal prism with an octagonal tower at each corner. Both floors have eight rooms and an eight-sided courtyard occupies the castle's centre. Here is a blueprint of the fortress blueprint:

And here is a picture of how the Castle del Monte looks from the outside.

Here is a delightful, fluffy, midday Italian frittata made with local zucchini and tomatoes. We made these at Cefalicchio restaurant and to get that slightly crispy, golden brown top, you can broil the frittata on the top rack of the oven for a few minutes once the eggs are cooked through in the skillet.

After the frittata we ordered a pasta that is specific to Puglia. The orcchiette pasta was fresh and it is shaped roughly like small ears. Orcchiette actually means little ear in Italian. This dish was cooked with the green part of scallions, a light olive oil and garlic sauce, seasoned homemade croutons, and thin strips of a soft mild cheese. All in all, it was delicious.

Driving further south of Andria, you can explore the small towns that line the Adriatic Sea in Southeastern Italy. I was with two lovely friends who I met at Cefalicchio and we decided to take a small day road trip down the coast and here are some pictures from the scenic beaches and rustic fishing ports:

Like any good meal, or day trip, we had to end with some dessert. We stopped at a restaurant for some Italian chocolate covered profiteroles which are like little cream-filled pastry balls that are covered with thin chocolate sauce. Heaven.