We thought it might be fun to have a small gathering of foodie friends over this weekend for crostini and Italian wines.
Crostini is definitely a standard at most of our dinner parties, so we thought why not make an entire evening of it – like those great little crostini bars in Florence? We’ve got candles, chintzy red-checkered napkins, impeccable ingredients (the key to great crostini), and a Jerry Vale cd...
I think the menu has enough of a variety of flavors and options – a little somethin’-somethin’ for our carnivorous friends & tree-huggers alike; several non-blue cheese options for my sister; a seriously fabulous red wine for Dagwood, and “cheap-but-good” ones for Gene to get hosed. Nearly all the prep (slicing cheeses & meats, roasting and grilling, and toasting the crostini) can be done a day before or the morning of the party – we’ll call that bonus item “mine.”
The pros of crostini: tasty little crowd-pleasers; specialty ingredients can dress them up for more formal occasions; they can be thrown together in a pinch with whatever is on hand in the fridge or pantry; the prep can be done ahead of time; and best of all, regardless of the topping, they are always wine-friendly. I can’t think of a con... well, except for Gene.
Late-Summer Crostini Menu:
•Tuscan white beans, rosemary & roasted tomato
•Wild mushrooms, Fontina & thyme
•Grilled fennel, fire-roasted peppers, Parmigiano & oregano
•Roasted potato, Montasio, caramelized onions & thyme
•Grilled eggplant, fresh mozzarella & basil
•Proscuitto, Fontina, Dijon & organic greens
•Finocchiona, fire-roasted peppers, smoked provolone & frisee
•Grilled flank steak, Gorgonzola, fresh tomato & basil
•Grilled gala apples, Pecorino-Romano & almonds
•Grilled pears, Taleggio, pecans & radicchio
•Roasted grapes, Gorgonzola, walnuts & rosemary
Wine List:
2003 Zardetto Conegliano Brut –
sparkling, dry yet refreshing, apricot & floral aromas - $10
2003 Teruzzi & Puthod Vernaccia di San Gimignano –
beautiful white; lovely fruit, almond & olive oil scent - $11
2003 Di Majo Norante Sangiovese –
medium-bodied red, tasty & very food friendly - $8
2002 Spadina Nero d’Avola –
wild, ripe plum flavors, velvety texture, spicy finish - $9
1999 Antinori Badia a Passignano Chianti Classico Riserva –
deep, powerful & earthy sangiovese - $47
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