¡La cocina más grande del mundo!
Select Language
Español
Русский
English
日本語
Italiano
Preferencia de Lenguaje
Inscríbate
Iniciar sección para miembros
Inicio
Recetas
Chefs
Temas & Guías
Grupos
Mis Páginas
Recetario
Noticias
+ Receta
Easy entertaining – antipasti and perfect Italian meatballs
by
Claire Marshall
Calificación: 4.0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
click to rate
1 voto
| 353 views
0 evaluaciónes
|
1 comentario
Pin It
Add to Recipe Box
Print Recipe
Receta
Reviews/Comments
Close this frame
,%20the%20argument%20over%20the%20dinner%20table,%20snow%20on%20Christmas%20day.%20This%20year,%20for%20me,%20it%20will%20be%20the%20food%20that%20stays%20in%20my%20memory.%20Over%20six%20years%20of%20being%20together%20and%20me%20and%20the%20other%20half%20had%20never%20spent%20Christmas%20day%20alone%20together.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAntipasti%20platter%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EThis%20meant%20that%20despite%20my%20love%20of%20cooking%20I%E2%80%99d%20never%20cooked%20Christmas%20dinner,%20or%20even%20Christmas%20Eve%20supper%20or%20a%20Boxing%20Day%20buffet%20before.%20It%20had%20always%20been%20done%20for%20us%20by%20family%20members.%20So%20this%20year%20it%20was%20such%20a%20treat%20to%20do%20it%20our%20way%20(ie%20my%20way!).%20No%20dry%20turkey%20or%20over%20cooked%20veg,%20instead%20a%20delicious%20rare%20roast%20beef,%20which%20was%20divine%20eaten%20later%20thinly%20sliced%20in%20sandwiches%20with%20my%20honey%20and%20mustard%20mayonnaise%20and%20rocket.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBut%20even%20better%20was%20our%20Christmas%20Eve%20meal%20and%20I%20write%20about%20it%20here%20because%20it%20is%20in%20no%20way%20festive%20or%20specific%20to%20this%20time%20of%20year.%20It%20is%20the%20kind%20of%20delicious%20meal%20you%20could%20eat%20at%20any%20time%20and%20whilst%20it%20could%20be%20seen%20as%20a%20simple%20family%20meal%20by%20some,%20I%20think%20it%20can%20be%20a%20great%20dish%20to%20serve%20up%20when%20friends%20are%20coming%20around%20for%20dinner.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIt%20is%20homemade%20Italian%20meatballs%20with%20fresh%20pasta%20and%20tomato%20sauce,%20made%20into%20a%20feast%20by%20beginning%20with%20a%20big%20antipasti%20platter.%20The%20one%20in%20the%20photo%20may%20not%20look%20huge%20%E2%80%93%20indeed%20it%20wasn%E2%80%99t%20%E2%80%93%20but%20remember%20it%20was%20for%20only%20two%20people.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EItalian%20meatballs%20with%20fresh%20pasta%20and%20tomato%20sauce%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIt%E2%80%99s%20true%20to%20say%20there%20is%20very%20little%20work%20that%20goes%20into%20putting%20together%20an%20antipasti%20platter,%20in%20fact%20what%20it%20actually%20demands%20is%20just%20a%20bit%20of%20creative%20shopping%20and%20some%20careful%20design%20on%20a%20rustic%20wooden%20board,%20or%20nice%20serving%20plate.%20That%20is%20why%20it%20is%20so%20good%20for%20%20dinner%20party%20%E2%80%93%20little%20hassle%20and%20no%20stress%20but%20impressive%20to%20guests.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EStart%20with%20some%20good%20ciabatta%20or%20olive%20bread,%20warmed%20of%20course%20to%20give%20it%20a%20delicious%20fresh%20taste.%20That%20in%20turn%20leads%20you%20on%20to%20the%20classic%20olive%20oil%20and%20balsamic%20vinegar%20(the%20vinegar%20isn%E2%80%99t%20essential)%20but%20very%20good%20extra%20virgin%20olive%20oil%20is.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EA%20selection%20of%20cured%20meats%20and%20salami%20is%20next%20up%20on%20my%20list,%20you%20can%20get%20nice%20selections%20in%20some%20supermarkets,%20but%20it%20will%20never%20be%20as%20good%20as%20slices%20cut%20at%20a%20deli%20in%20front%20of%20you.%20While%20you%20are%20there%20you%20can%20also%20pick%20up%20antipasti%20vegetables,%20artichokes%20are%20particularly%20good%20but%20expensive%20and%20I%20love%20stuffed%20red%20peppers.%20If%20you%20want%20you%20can%20make%20a%20small%20effort%20you%20make%20these%20yourself%20by%20buying%20those%20delicious%20Pepperdew%20peppers%20you%20can%20get%20in%20jars%20that%20are%20slightly%20spicy%20and%20sweet.%20Mixed%20good%20cream%20cheese%20or%20ricotta%20with%20fresh%20herbs,%20such%20as%20basil,%20mint%20and%20chives%20and%20carefully%20stuff%20little%20blobs%20into%20the%20peppers.%20Olives%20of%20your%20choice%20are%20an%20obvious%20addition,%20but%20you%20could%20also%20add%20grissini%20(Italian%20bread%20sticks)%20for%20people%20to%20wrap%20Parma%20ham%20around%20and%20nibble%20or%20some%20parmesan%20chunks%20to%20make%20it%20even%20more%20filling.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBe%20careful%20not%20to%20over-do%20it,%20people%20will%20happily%20graze%20on%20antipasti%20until%20they%20are%20full%20as%20an%20egg%20and%20then%20have%20no%20room%20left%20for%20your%20meatballs,%20which%20you%20actually%20bothered%20to%20spend%20time%20making.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESo%20on%20to%20these%20delicious%20little%20balls%20of%20yumminess.%20I%20use%20a%20recipe%20by%20Gennaro%20Contaldo%20,%20having%20tried%20and%20adapted%20many,%20many%20recipes%20and%20this%20one%20is%20%E2%80%93%20I%20think%20%E2%80%93%20failsafe.%20It%20uses%20a%20mix%20of%20beef%20and%20pork%20mince%20%20(as%20many%20recipes%20to%20do)%20and%20a%20lot%20of%20bread%20crumbs,%20which%20makes%20the%20balls%20very%20light%20and%20moist,%20quite%20the%20opposite%20to%20what%20people%20think%20will%20happen%20if%20you%20add%20dried%20bread.%20Just%20a%20little%20grated%20parmesan,%20garlic%20and%20parsley%20is%20all%20the%20flavourings%20you%20need.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIn%20the%20photo%20I%20had%20used%20fresh%20tagliatelle,%20however%20my%20preference%20is%20linguine%20which%20is%20thinner.%20I%20make%20a%20classic%20plain%20tomato%20sauce%20by%20frying%20two%20or%20three%20cloves%20of%20garlic%20in%20some%20olive%20oil%20for%20a%20minute%20then%20adding%20a%20500g%20pack%20of%20passata,%20a%20swig%20of%20balsamic%20and%20salt%20of%20pepper,%20simmer%20for%2030%20minutes%20and%20it%E2%80%99s%20done.%20The%20recipe%20below%20is%20my%20slightly%20adapted%20version%20of%20Gennaro%E2%80%99s%20meatballs.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EItalian%20meatballs%20(makes%20enough%20to%20serve%20four%20if%20having%20a%20starter)%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EMethod%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPut%20the%20meat,%20parsley,%20garlic,%20parmesan%20and%20breadcrumbs%20in%20a%20deep%20bowl,%20get%20your%20hands%20in%20and%20really%20mush%20it%20up%20and%20squash%20it%20together%20so%20it%20is%20thoroughly%20mixed%20and%20the%20meat%20is%20broken%20down%20%E2%80%93%20this%20will%20make%20the%20meatball%20smoother.%20Add%20the%20whisked%20up%20egg%20and%20mix%20with%20your%20hands%20again.%20With%20wet%20hands%20roll%20into%20small%20balls%20a%20bit%20smaller%20than%20a%20golf%20ball.%20Put%20in%20an%20oiled%20baking%20tray%20or%20ceramic%20dish%20and%20bake%20in%20a%20hot%20oven%20(200/Gas%206)%20for%20about%2020%20minutes.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EServe%20however%20and%20with%20whatever%20you%20want,%20but%20I%20like%20it%20with%20the%20fresh%20pasta%20and%20tomato%20sauce%20with%20more%20fresh%20parmesan%20on%20top%20and%20lots%20of%20torn%20up%20fresh%20basil.%20If%20you%20are%20serving%20two,%20as%20I%20do,%20then%20cook%20them%20and%20freeze%20them%20once%20cool.%20Defrost%20and%20reheat%20them%20in%20the%20tomato%20sauce%20when%20you%20want%20them.%3C/p%3E){kind=link}