Read Giada at Home: Family Recipes From Italy and California Online
Authors: Giada de Laurentiis
Tags: #Non-Fiction, #Reference
Giada at Home: Family Recipes From Italy and California (2 page)
Cheese-Stuffed Dates with Prosciutto
Whole-Wheat Pita Chips with Mascarpone-Chive Dip
Roasted Eggplant and White Bean Crostini
Smoked Salmon and Apple Carpaccio
Fried Cheese-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
Beef Skewers with Cherry Tomatoes and Parsley Sauce
In this country appetizers are synonymous with restaurant food or party fare; but Italians take a much more relaxed approach to starters. Even a casual meal at home generally begins with an antipasto or two, something colorful and light that can be eaten in a couple of bites, perhaps on a small toast slice. While some antipasti may include fish or perhaps a bit of cured meat, most are vegetable based and reflect the seasons. Either way they are a beautiful and delicious way to start off a meal without filling you up.
I love to set out my own spread of antipasti for a cocktail gathering or a casual dinner, and classic bar snacks like
Italian Fried Olives
, which are easy to pop in your mouth, and
Fried Cheese-Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
are a big hit. I always include at least one kind of crostini or bruschetta, and I top them with something brightly flavored and fresh tasting, like green pea pesto; the vibrant green color is so appealing. For a more formal affair, though, I like to do a plated first course, giving one of my favorite Italian dishes an update. Carpaccio, for instance, is typically made with meat, but I prefer to use smoked salmon; it’s light and clean, and it’s readily available all year long.
Cheese-Stuffed Dates with Prosciutto
The sweetest, best kind of dates are Medjools. They’re large, so they are easy to fill, meaty, and chewy. Stuffed with goat cheese and wrapped in prosciutto, they provide a perfect sweet-salty mouthful in every bite. Serve these with a crisp white wine as the ideal before-dinner tidbit.
| ¼ | cup (2 ounces) goat cheese, at room temperature |
| ¼ | cup (2 ounces) mascarpone cheese, at room temperature |
| ¼ | cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| 16 | Medjool dates (12 ounces) |
| 8 | thin slices prosciutto, halved lengthwise |
| special equipment | |
| 16 | toothpicks or cocktail picks |
In a small bowl, mix together the cheeses and basil. Season with salt and pepper.
With a knife, make a lengthwise incision in each date. Gently open the dates slightly and remove the pits. Spoon about ½ teaspoon cheese mixture inside each one. Close the dates around the filling. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each date and secure with a toothpick.
Arrange the stuffed dates on a platter and serve.
Olives stuffed with cheese and fried are a classic bar snack commonly found in Naples and in Sicily. I like to mix the Gorgonzola with a bit of ricotta to tame its strong flavor. Unlike most fried foods, these can be made ahead of time and they will still be delicious a good while later. Pile them on a platter for a party and watch them disappear.
| ¼ | cup (1 ounce) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, at room temperature |
| ¼ | cup whole-milk ricotta cheese, at room temperature |
| 1½ | teaspoons dried thyme |
| 1½ | teaspoons grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon) |
| 20 | pitted medium to large green olives, rinsed and thoroughly dried |
| ¼ | cup all-purpose flour |
| 1 | large egg |
| ½ | cup plain dried bread crumbs |
| Vegetable oil, for frying | |
| special equipment | |
| A pastry bag fitted with a ¼-inch round plain tip |
