January 2020 Class
I hope this New Year, and new decade, finds you well. I've been doing a lot of reflecting and looking back over my life, trying to see what I want to focus on in the new decade. I realize that I have always been a consummate party planner, organizer, and entertainer. I love gathering people together around good food and wine. That is what I want to focus on this decade, sharing with you my tips & tricks for easy, and elegant entertaining. This is what my classes are all about, helping you by providing a menu that is delicious and has recipes that have a great make-ahead component so that you are out of the kitchen and enjoying your family and friends and, hopefully, doing lots of entertaining.
This menu is just the perfect thing to start off your new year! All these dishes can be made ahead, so that the day of your party you just reheating things. Perfect for Super Bowl, or a soccer match or just a Sunday afternoon. Inspired by my travels to Italy, these recipes are not only good, they are life changing….well at least they changed my life! The first time I tasted them, I knew I had to learn how to make them.
So what are we cooking:
Bagna Calda, with Vegetables
Bagna calda, translates into “hot bath” And that is what we are going to make: a hot bath of good olive oil that has been infused with garlic and anchovies. It is sublime, not fishy, and has a fantastic umami flavor to it. The first time I had it was when I did my externship at Rex Il Ristorante in Los Angeles, a million years ago… .we served a beautiful roasted pepper with the bagna calda drizzled over the top. I had never tasted anything like it. The sweetness of the pepper, the salt-and-garlic combination of the sauce….it was unforgettable! I have been crazy about this appetizer for years. You can serve it like this a first course or use it as a dip on a platter surrounded by raw and cooked vegetables….or even drizzle on a salad!.
Lasagna Bolognese:
You have never had lasagna until you've had this lasagna! Made with layers of spinach pasta coated in a meaty ragú, creamy beschimella/béchamel sauce and just a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. There are no copious amounts of ricotta, mozzarella or tomato sauce. This lasagna has a dense mouth feel, but light, yet so satisfying in the stomach. It is in my opinion a culinary master piece.!! I took classes in Bologna and learned from ladies that shared with me their secrets and, if I do say so, I think I did a good job in replicating it here at home. I’m sure this will soon be a family favorite. In fact, it is now a “required” stock item in our family refrigerator!
Salame di Cioccolato, Chocolate Salami:
This incredibly delicious cookie has no pork or salami in it, but get it’s name for its shape, which looks jut like a salami. When I first spotted it in a Bolognese bakery, I knew we had to try it. I asked the ladies for a piece, and she questioned me “just one?” Well, I went outside with the cookie and my family just devoured it. I went back into the bakery and had to order more!! The ladies just laughed and said “We told you!” Here is my version: chocolate studded with tea biscuits, almonds, and pistachios. It’s not too sweet and the nuts and cookies give it an irresistible crunch that will have you asking for a second slice to!
Here is to a delicious 2020!! Happy Cooking.
