Themed dinner menus

Summer menu

This summer menu is dedicated to vegetarian people that is everyone who wants to eat light without meat and fish.
It's a vegetarian menu in other words.
It's made with the typical summer ingredients chosen among fruit and vegetables: sweet pointed peppers, trumphet courgettes, aubergines, fresh beans, tomatoes, watermelon. Pasta shape is very particular: calamarata or calamaretti made near Naples.
This summer menu is very tasty and beautiful to see. Look at the photo for more details.
The starter is a typical recipe of Calabria and it's made with aubergines and goat cheese.
The pasta salad (first course) is a recipe of ours. Be sure it's fantastic!
Certainly you know the dish we chose as second course: bean burgers. We show you our original recipe. You can serve them accomapnied by a seasonal green salad or tomato slices garnished with Russiam salad, even light version of Russian salad.
The dessert belongs to Sicilian tradition in cuisine: watermelon ice. In Sicily locals call anguria (watermelon) melone or mellone and so the real name of this soft cake is: gelo di melone

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 filled aubergines
  • 8 medium-size aubergines
  • 50 g (1 3/4oz) seasoned goat cheese

For pasta salad

  • 300 g (10 1/2oz) pasta (calamarata shape or other short pasta)
  • 300 g (10 1/2oz) sweet pointed peppers
  • 300 g (10 1/2oz) trumpet courgettes (zucchini)
  • 85 g (3oz) stoned black olives
  • 100 g (3 1/2oz) fresh young onion, finely chopped

For bean burgers

  • 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 l (1 pint and 15 1/4fl oz) watermelon juice
  • 80 g (2 3/4oz) wheat starch
  • 50 g (1 3/4oz) candied peel
  • 50 g (1 3/4oz) chocolate drops
  • 50 g ( 1 3/4oz) pistachios to be shelled
  • Essence of jasmin flowers

besides you will need


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  • 6 eggs
  • Vanilla powder
  • Cinnamon sticks
  • Sugar
  • Stale bread
  • Plain dried breadcrumbs
  • White dry wine
  • Capers in vinegar
  • Young fresh onions
  • Dry or fresh chives
  • Dry or fresh parsley
  • Garlic
  • Hot chilli pepper
  • 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 watermelon ice and chill.
Shell the beans, boil and purée them. Prepare the burgers but don't cook them. Put the burgers on a large plate and chill until the day after.

The party day: early in the morning.

Prepare the pasta salad and chill until serving.
Prepare the aubergines.
Wash the green salad and chill until serving.

Just before serving.

Remember to bring back to room temperature the pasta salad.
Slice the bread and open the bottle of wine.
Grate the goat cheese and put in a little bowl: everyone will be able to sprinkle it over its aubergine according to his taste.
Cook the bean burgers just before sitting at table. Heat again if necessary just before serving.
Dress the green salad.