There is nothing quite like a good old fashioned dinner party. Bringing family and friends together to share a meal is deeply rooted in Italian (and Australian) culture and is one of the greatest ways to show love, catch up and honour tradition.
Italian dishes are typical crowdpleasers and there are simple ways to make the most of top-quality ingredients and traditional methods. Check out our favourite menu items for the ultimate Italian style dinner party, complete with some of our Pasta Poetry favourites.
Aperitivo
Aperitivo consists of antipasti food dishes and aperitif drinks. Prepared in plentiful amounts and organised on big plates, antipasti are the perfect food for sharing. This tradition dates back to ancient Rome in aristocratic times where a meal would begin with a tasting or gustatio of pickled vegetables, nuts and olives. There are variations of antipasti recipes across Italy, but usually, antipasti consists of bread as either crostini or toasted bruschette with savoury toppings (chicken liver parfait or tomato), preserved meats, raw or pickled vegetables, seafood of sorts and cheese.
Although there are hundreds of different preserved meats curated across Italy, for the Bolognese, the pistachio-flecked mortadella sausage is a specialty.
When you next place your Pasta Poetry order, be sure to add our favourite aperitivo dishes, including vegetarian antipasto boards and salumi antipasto boards that serve 3-4 people, as well as house-made roasted garlic butter foccacia. Antipasti is usually enjoyed with aperitif such as Negroni and we think our pre-batched Monte’Negroni, fits the bill just nicely!
La Minestra (soup)
Minestrone soup is a simplistic yet delicious first course to get your guests excited about what is to come. This course will add an element of Italian authenticity to your dinner party that is often forgotten in a warm country like Australia. Originating from the Veneto region in Italy, minestrone relates to the realm of cucina povera, meaning “food of the poor.” It is so simple to make, you only need a light chicken stock broth and slow cooked vegetables. Delizioso!
Pasta
Pasta is meant to be enjoyed with abundant amounts of gusto. Since this is the main part of the show, guests will be excited and therefore it should be served quickly. When it comes to pasta, we believe it is all about the knack so for your convenience, we recommend using our pasta kits that range from traditional tagliatelle, gnocchi and lasagna to a more complex cappelletti, fusilli and tortelloni. Our fresh pasta takes less than 10 minutes to make, so you, the host, can enjoy the party and company of your guests. This course should be paired with a trusty bottle of Smokin' Barrels Cabernet which has the full-bodied fruition to accompany any delicate pasta.
Dolce (dessert)
No Italian meal is completed without dessert. By no surprise, the best way to honour this is with tiramisu. Our tiramisu is made the traditional way with mascarpone cheese instead of cream. It’s a sweet gift of love for all guests to enjoy.
Be sure to tag us in your next Pasta Poetry dinner party plans amici!