Menu

Crostini, Neapolitan-style

Pasta salad with truffle and rabbit

Marinated lamb accompanied with green seasonal salad and potatoes

Watermelon jelly

Wines

Bardolino

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This summer menu is thought for all people that like to eat meat all year.
It is a typical Italian menu composed by the traditional courses: a starter (crostini), a first course (pasta salad), a second course (lamb with side-dishes) and dessert (watermelon jelly).
Lamb can be cooked in two ways according to your taste: grilled or baked. Baking lamb is the ideal solution when it's very hot. Besides it's a quick-to-do recipe and tastes fantastic!
Pasta salad is made in two different steps. In the evening rabbit is boiled, boned and put in olive oil. In the morning the recipe can be completed some hours ahead.
You have to prepare only crostini (called also canapés) just before the arrival of your guests.
The dessert is made the day before.
Accompany all meal with a red Italian wine known as Bardolino

If you want you can serve an aperitif too but our tip is: don't overdo! We are in summer, it's hot and digestion may be more difficult. If you can't but renounce an aperitif, serve non-alcoholic drinks.

Shopping list

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Shopping list is for 6 to 8 people

• For crostini
• 250 g (8 3/4oz) mozzarella cheese
• At least 300 g (10 1/2oz) loaf or a baguette
• 4 ripe but firm tomatoes
• For pasta
• 300 g (10 1/2oz) short pasta (penne or rotini)
• 500 g (1lb and 1 1/2oz) rabbit thighs
• 1 90 g (3 1/4oz) can black truffle slices in oil
• 1 80 g (2 3/4oz) can tuna in oil
• For lamb
• 1,2 to 1,5 kg (2 lb and 10 1/4oz to 3lb and 5oz) leg of lamb cut into steaks
• For dessert
• 1,3 kg (2lb and 13 3/4oz) watermelon to have 800 g (1lb and 12 1/4oz) flesh
• 125 g (4 1/2oz) low fat yoghurt
• 1 bottle sweet sparkling wine
• 25 g (1oz) leaf gelatine
• Hal a melon
• 2 Kiwi fruits

besides you will need

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• Acciughe sotto olio
• Unsalted butter
• 3 eggs
• Half an onion
• Fresh young onions
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• Lemon
• Bunch fresh chives
• 10 fresh mint leaves
• Some sprigs fresh thyme
• Oregano
• Cinnamon powder
• Icing sugar
• White dry wine
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt

Don't forget wine, bread, coffee and water!

Step-by step instructions

The day before.

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Prepare the dessert and begin the pasta salad recipe. Boil the rabbit, bone and put in olive oil together with the tuna.

The party day.

Complete the pasta salad recipe in the morning.
Marinate the lamb in the morning.
Wash the green salad and chill until serving.

Decide how to cook the marinated lamb and plan the following steps according to the choice.
The same thing for potatoes.

Just before serving.

Cut the bread, open the wine bottle.
Remember to remove the green salad from the fridge.
Prepare Neapolitan crostini
Dress the green salad
Transfer the watermelon jelly in the serving plate.