Themed dinner menus

Summer Menu

pasta salad with truffle and rabbit for special occasion menu, the photo shows a detailwith pasta combined with truffle slices and rabbit meat
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Pasta salad with rabbit and black truffle

This summer menu is thought for people that like to eat meat all year.
It is a typical Italian menu composed by its 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. Grilled 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 can be 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 my 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

marinated lamb, the photo shows two lamb steaks garnished with aromatic herbs
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Shopping list is for 6 to 8 people

  • For crostini
  • 250g (8 3/4 ounces) mozzarella cheese
  • At least 300g (10 1/2 ounces) loaf or a baguette
  • 4 ripe but firm tomatoes
  • For pasta
  • 300g (10 1/2 ounces) short pasta (penne or rotini)
  • 500g (1.1 pound) rabbit thighs
  • 1 90g (3 1/4 ounces) can black truffle slices in oil
  • 1 80g (2.8 ounces) can tuna in oil
  • For lamb
  • 1.2 to 1.5kg (2 2/3 pouns to 3.3 pouns) leg of lamb cut into steaks
  • For dessert
  • 1.3kg (2.9 pounds) watermelon to have 800g (1 3/4 pound) flesh
  • 125g (4.4 ounces) low fat yoghurt
  • 1 bottle sweet sparkling wine
  • 25g (1 ounce) leaf gelatine
  • Hal a melon
  • 2 Kiwi fruits

besides you will need

Neapolitan little bruschetta, the photo shows bread slices garnished with tomato pieces, anchovy fillets and mozzarella
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  • Anchovies in oil
  • 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.

Watermelon jelly, the photo shows the whole pudding garnished with melon balls and kiwi slices
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Prepare dessert and begin pasta salad recipe. Boil rabbit, bone and put it in olive oil together with tuna.

The party day.

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

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

Just before serving.

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