Sunday Dinner Diva Viva Italian! from sundaydinnerdiva.blogspot.com
Introduction
Sunday Italian dinner is a tradition that has been passed down through generations. Italians take their food seriously, and Sunday dinner is a time to come together with family and friends to enjoy a feast of delicious food. This meal usually consists of several courses, including antipasti, pasta, meat, and dessert. In this article, we will be sharing our favorite recipes for a classic Italian Sunday dinner.
Antipasti
The first course of an Italian Sunday dinner is usually antipasti, which means "before the meal." This course typically includes a variety of cured meats, cheeses, olives, and marinated vegetables.
Ingredients
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
1/2 pound thinly sliced salami
1/2 pound thinly sliced mortadella
1/2 pound thinly sliced provolone cheese
1/2 cup marinated olives
1/2 cup marinated artichokes
1/2 cup marinated roasted red peppers
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Arrange the prosciutto, salami, mortadella, and provolone cheese on a large platter. Add the marinated olives, artichokes, and roasted red peppers to the platter. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, and black pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the antipasti platter and serve.
Nutrition
This antipasti platter serves 8 and has approximately 340 calories per serving. It is a good source of protein, calcium, and iron.
Pasta
The second course of an Italian Sunday dinner is usually pasta. There are many types of pasta dishes to choose from, but one of our favorites is spaghetti with meatballs.
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
For the pasta:
1 pound spaghetti
1/4 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
To make the meatballs, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, onion, garlic, egg, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Mix well and form into meatballs about 1 inch in diameter. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook for 8-10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides and cooked through. To make the pasta, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the cooked spaghetti to the skillet and toss to coat with the garlic and oil. Add the chopped parsley and Parmesan cheese and toss again. Serve the spaghetti with the meatballs on top.
Nutrition
This spaghetti with meatballs serves 6 and has approximately 550 calories per serving. It is a good source of protein, fiber, and calcium.
Meat
The third course of an Italian Sunday dinner is usually meat. A classic Italian meat dish is Osso Buco, which is braised veal shanks with vegetables.
Ingredients
4 veal shanks
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups beef broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Season the veal shanks with salt and pepper, then coat with flour. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the veal shanks and cook for 5 minutes on each side, until browned. Remove the veal shanks from the Dutch oven and set aside. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the Dutch oven and cook for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the beef broth, white wine, tomato paste, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper to the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer. Return the veal shanks to the Dutch oven and spoon some of the vegetable mixture over them. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 2-3 hours, until the meat is tender and falling off the bone. Remove the bay leaf and serve the Osso Buco with the vegetables and cooking liquid.
Nutrition
This Osso Buco serves 4 and has approximately 600 calories per serving. It is a good source of protein and iron.
Dessert
The final course of an Italian Sunday dinner is usually dessert. A classic Italian dessert is Tiramisu, which is a creamy, coffee-flavored dessert.
Ingredients
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup milk
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pound mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup espresso or strong coffee
24 ladyfingers
Cocoa powder, for dusting
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick. In a separate saucepan, heat the milk until almost boiling. Gradually whisk the hot milk into the egg mixture, then return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let cool. In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream and vanilla extract until stiff peaks form. In another large bowl, beat the mascarpone cheese until smooth. Fold the cooled egg mixture into the mascarpone cheese, then fold in the whipped cream. Dip the ladyfingers into the espresso or coffee and arrange them in a single layer in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spoon half of the mascarpone mixture over the ladyfingers, then repeat with another layer of dipped ladyfingers and mascarpone mixture. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Before serving, dust the top of the Tiramisu with cocoa powder.
Nutrition
This Tiramisu serves 12 and has approximately 350 calories per serving. It is a good source of calcium and iron.
Conclusion
Sunday Italian dinner is a special tradition that brings family and friends together over delicious food. We hope you enjoy these recipes and use them to create your own special Sunday dinner. Buon appetito!
