Italian Meal Planning

French Meal Planning

Plan the perfect meal- impressing friends and family- with the help of Pie-Supply.com.

For Italian Meal Planning, I have included several options for appetizers, salads and desserts. All of these options go great with a simple Italian pastry.

To follow up for dessert, instead of having another heavy pie, try some of the light cookies and truffles instead. The recipes are listed below.

Sicilian Escarole Salad:

*1 large head escarole (broad leaf type)
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
* 3 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced and crushed
* a few drops balsamic vinegar
* 1/3 teaspoon sea salt (adjust if using anchovies)
* pinch black pepper
* 1/3 teaspoon basil leaves
* 1/3 teaspoon oregano leaves
* 1/3 teaspoon (or to taste) hot red pepper flakes
* 1 can medium sized black ripe olives or oil cured, chopped
* 1 large Vidalia or red onion, sliced thinly
* 1 large english cucumber, quartered lengthwise, sliced into 1 inch chunks
* 1 can anchovies (optional)


1. Add wine vinegar to bottom of bowl.
2. Peel garlic, and using a garlic press, add garlic to vinegar and allow to sit at least 10 minutes. (Alternatively, if you don't have a garlic press, mince garlic finely and then sprinkle with salt and rub the side of your knife across it to crush garlic to a fine paste, then add to vinegar as above.) Stir pepper, oregano, basil, and red pepper flakes into vinegar. Add chopped onion, stir to mix together.
3. Wash and thoroughly dry the escarole and separate the leaves, tearing them into 1-2 inch pieces. Add to vinegar and garlic, chop the cucumber into one inch pieces and season with black pepper.
4. If using the optional anchovies, drain, break them into sections and add to the olive oil. Otherwise, pour olive oil over salad, sprinkle with salt and mix gently but thoroughly. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. Escarole salad can be easily varied to suit the ingredients that you have available, or what's seasonal at the market. But remember, it's best kept rather simple, with not too many ingredients, in the Italian tradition.
6. This can be topped with Parmesan croutons or served with bruschetta.
Source: Cooks.com

Italian White Bean Salad:

* 2 cans cannellini or white beans
* 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
* 3 cloves garlic
* 1 tablespoon fresh basil, minced
* 1/4 teaspoon dry oregano (or use fresh if available)
* pinch of hot red pepper flakes
* 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
* 1/4 cup green or red wine vinegar peppers, chopped (optional)


1. Combine all ingredients (except beans and vinegar peppers) in a blender and process for 60 seconds.


2. Drain beans, leaving 2-3 tablespoons of liquid from can; stir in chopped vinegar peppers. Transfer to a non-metallic bowl and cover. Marinate, refrigerated for several hours until serving.


3. Serve at room temperature.


Source: Cooks.com

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