Antipasti ~ Appetizers
Oven-Roasted Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 500g ripe Cherry Tomatoes, halved
- 1 tsp Sugar to taste
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- Few sprigs fresh Herbs (thyme, oregano, basil)
- 1 clove Garlic, slivered if you like
- Olive Oil
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/ 350°F.
- Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking tray cut side up, sprinkle with the salt and sugar, tuck the herbs and garlic among the tomatoes then drizzle with a little olive oil.
- Roast for about 45 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to caramelize around the edges.
- You can either, eat them immediately, or let them cool, stack into a glass Bell jar, add garlic, thyme and fill with olive oil.
Roasted Stuffed Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 6 large sun ripe Tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cup of 93% lean chopped Sirloin
- 1 hearty handful of Parsley
- Olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Ground Black Pepper, to taste
- 1 handful of Black Olives pitted
- ¼ cup of Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Take 3 large sun ripe tomatoes. Cut in half and core out the insides putting the pulp aside in a bowl.
- Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
- Lay out the tomatoes on the cookie sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 15 minutes.
- Take the bowl of tomato pulp and add the chopped sirloin, chopped parsley, sprinkle a couple of light swirls of olive oil, a couple pinches of sea salt and cracked black pepper, black chopped olives, Parmesan cheese, sea salt and pepper.
- Mix well.
- Remove the tomato halves and spoon in the mix. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
Primi~ First Courses
Italian Summer Cous Cous
Ingredients
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Green squash
- 1 Onion
- 1 Red pepper
- 1 Clove of Garlic
- 1 tsp of Capers (set in water prior to remove the salt)
- Parsley
- Sea salt
- Extra Virgin first cold pressed olive oil
Instructions
- Wash all the vegetables and chop into small pieces. Chop a healthy handful of parsley and put it aside. Boil 2 cups of water, when it reaches boiling, add one cup of cous cous, stir well and turn off heat and cover.
- Meanwhile, warm up a bit of olive oil, just coating the pan, with a clove of garlic.
- Add the chopped vegetables, a ¼ cup of water if veggies seem dry, and let simmer.
- You can eventually remove the garlic.
- Salt and pepper to taste.
- As soon as the cous cous is ready add it to the pan of the vegetables and stir, mixing it well and so the vegetables are gently tossed.
- Add the parsley, toss it around and serve.
Secondi ~ Second Courses
Grilled Shrimp On Lemon Leaves
Ingredients
- 10 big pink Shrimp you can peel, but if you want better flavor keep the tails and skin on.
- Sea Salt
- Extra virgin first cold pressed Olive Oil
Instructions
- Wash the shrimp well, and devein.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then lay the lemon leaves down and put the shrimp on top.
- Drizzle with olive oil and little sea salt.
- Lay a piece of aluminum foil over the shrimp lightly without tightening it to the pan.
- Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or on a grill.
Dolci ~ Desserts
Rose Prosecco & Pink Rose Petal Pops
Ingredients
- 1 cup White Grape Juice, preferably organic
- 1 cup cold Pink Berlucchi Prosecco
- 1/3 cup Rose Water
- 1 1/2 tsp freshly squeeze Lemon Juice
- about 30 pink Rosebud Petals, organic and rinsed
Instructions
- Mix the white grape juice, rose Prosecco, rose water and lemon juice, and either serve in a flute glass or fill ice pop molds about a third full.
- Drop 2 or 3 rose petals in each and freeze until set, about 30 minutes.
- Fill the molds another third of the way full and drop 2 or 3 more petals in.
- Insert sticks, and let freeze until set.
- Salute!