A taste of Italy - Meal with friends!

Today we've had friends around for lunch and today's meal was Italian inspired, started at 1 p.m. and didn't finish until 6.30 p.m.!

Luckily, a couple of the dishes, I was able to prepare yesterday, which made it easier for me.  Didn't remember to take all the photos, but must say that the lunch turned out really well and everyone enjoyed it!

Menu:

Cured Italian (and French) cold meats
Caponata
Artichoke and Olive dip
Toasted baguette slices

Herb and Lemon Pork chops
Courgette and basil pasta with pesto crumbs - all from the garden, except the pasta of course!
Rocket, mint and broad bean salad - all from the garden
Roasted chocolate cherry tomatoes - from the garden

For me, Griddled garlic and mint studded swordfish!

Cheese course

Peach and Almond Tart with Guernsey cream


CAPONATA

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1 yellow pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves
5 tbsps olive oil, plus extra to serve
100g chargrilled aubergines - I just sliced one aubergine, laid in oil and then placed on a hot grill pan until cooked
400g tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tbsp capers
handful of green olives, chopped
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar

Gently cook the onion, celery, peppers and garlic in the oil for about 15 mins until soft.  Tip in the rest of the ingredients then simmer for 5 mins to heat through.  This can be made up to a day ahead. You can either eat this hot or at room temperature, on toasted bread rubbed with a cut garlic clove and drizzled or brushed with olive oil.

ARTICHOKE AND OLIVE DIP

280g artichokes - I used a tin of them

340g pitted green olives, drained

25g pine nuts

50g parmesan - grated

juice of 1/2 a lemon

Put the artichokes, olives, pine nuts, parmesan and lemon juice into a food processor and whizz to a rough paste.  Can be made up to a day ahead and chilled.  When ready to serve, put into a bowl, swirl the a bit of olive oil over the top and finish with an olive for decoration. 

COURGETTE AND BASIL PASTA WITH PESTO CRUMBS

500g penne

5 courgettes, grated

2 tbsp oil, plus a little extra

2 garlic cloves

1 onion, finely chopped

500g creme fraiche

25g parmesan

basil

85g bread

handful of toasted pine nuts

Slighty undercook the pasta, then drain, reserving a ladleful of cooking water.  Rinse the pasta with cold water to cool.  Drain again, toss in a little oil to stop it sticking together and set aside while you get the rest of the bake ready. 

Fry the courgettes in oil for about 10 mins to get rid of most of the liquid, they should reduce down a lot.  Add the garlic and onion to the pan, cook for 2 mins more, then season really well and add to the pasta.  Stir in most of the creme fraiche and half the parmesan with seasoning, then tip into an ovenproof dish. Dollop the rest of the creme fraiche over the top.  Heat the oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4.  Whizz nearly all the basil, remaining cheese, bread and pine nuts together to make pesto crumbs, then scatter all over the top.  Finish with a few more pine nuts.  Bake for 20 mins until the topping is crisp and bubbling at the edges.  Serve with a few more basil leaves scattered over. 

Sorry didn't remember to take a photo of the cooked version!

HERB AND LEMON PORK CHOPS

4 pork chops

2 garlic cloves, crushed

small bunch of flat leaf parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp fennel seeds, roughly crushed - I saved mine from last years plant

zest and juice from 1 lemmon, plus 1 lemon quartered

2 tbsps olive oil

4 bay leaves

Sit the chops in a dish.  Mix together the garlic, parsley, fennel seeds, lemon zest and juice, oil and bay, then rub all over the chops.  Leave the chops to marinate for at least an hour, or up to a day.  Heat the griddle pan (you can also do this on the bbq).  Season the chops, then cook for 5-8 mins on each side until cooked through.  Add the lemon quarters for the last min to char, then serve alongside the pork.

ROCKET, MINT AND BROAD BEAN SALAD

Cook 100g of podded broad beans in boiling water for 2-3 mins until tender.  Drain, cool under running water, then drain again.  Tip onto a large plate with some rocket, mix in some chopped fresh mint and a handful of shavings of parmesan, drizzle with a little olive oil, squeeze over some lemon juice and toss lightly.  Serve.

ROASTED CHOCOLATE CHERRY TOMATOES

This is a variety that we grew this year, they don't unfortunately taste like chocolate, but are very similar in colour!

Lay the tomatoes into an ovenproof dish, drizzle with olive oil, scatter over some seasoning and roast for 10 mins in the oven.

When cooked, they turned out red!

PEACH AND ALMOND TART

500g of puff pastry - yes I cheated and bought mine!

3 ripe peaches - but I had some nectarines so used them - cut into wedges

Filling:

175g ground almonds

50g toasted flaked almonds, plus a handful to decorate

250g mascarpone

25g butter

200g caster sugar, plus 1 tbsp to decorate

2 eggs

1/2 tsp almond extract

Heat the oven to 200c/180c fan/gas 6.  Roll out the pastry and line a 23cm tart tin with an overhang. Prick over the pastry with a fork.  Line with greaseproof paper and fill with baking beans, then bake blind for 20 mins until the sides are set.  Remove the beans and paper and cook for a further 10 mins.  Cool a little, then trim the overhang.  Lower the oven temperature to 180c/160c/gas 4. 

Beat together the filling ingredients, spoon this into the pastry case and top with the sliced peaches.  Scatter over the tbsp of caster sugar and flaked almonds that you have reserved and bake for 40 mins until puffed up and golden.  Cool to room temperatureand serve with creme fraiche or cream! 

Hope you had a good weekend

A bientot!