Entertaining Special - # 1 Italian Inspired

I can't imagine anything better than making some amazing food and having friends over during the cooler winter months! After all it's much easier to rug up at home and get cosy than it is to brave the weather outside.  So in these upcoming weeks I am going to show you some great ideas for entertaining. This first week I have made a spread with an Italian influence. Think rich, decadent flavours of olives, sun dried tomatoes and beautiful cheeses. The below menu serves four. So let's get started!

Entree- Bruschetta with olives and capers

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of lack and green olives, chopped
• 1 cup semi sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons baby capers
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, shredded
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Fresh ciabatta, cut into slices and toasted

Method:

1. Mix all the ingredients together and top on top of the hot ciabatta bread. 

Main- Prosciutto wrapped chicken with sun dried tomato, baby spinach and ricotta 

Ingredients:

• 100g baby spinach
• 200g fresh ricotta
• 80g semi sun dried tomatoes, chopped
• 4 medium sized chicken breast
• 8 slices prosciutto
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Olive oil 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line with baking powder

2. Place spinach into a bowl.  Pour boiling water over the spinach for 30 seconds. Drain the hot water and rinse under cold water. 

3. Squeeze excess moisture from the spinach.

4. Add the fresh rictotta, sun dried tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste. 

5. Now we need to butterfly the chicken breast.  To do this cut the breast through the side, ensuring not to cut through the entire breast.

6. Spoon the ricotta mixture into the middle of the chicken breast.

7. Roll the chicken breast.
8. Using two slices of prosciutto wrap the chicken breast firmly.
 

9. Place the four breasts on the prepared tin. Spray lightly with olive oil and season with pepper.

 10. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through.


Side 1- Kent pumpkin with prosciutto and bocconcini


Ingredients:

• 1/4 Kent pumpkin, cut into wedges
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 slices prosciutto, torn
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 50g baby spinach
• 120g bocconcini

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees and line a baking tray.

2. Place the kent pumpkin on the baking tray. Drizzle the oil, salt, pepper and brown sugar on the pumpkin.

3. Cook for 30- 35 minutes until or until the pumpkin is soft.

4. Once the pumpkin comes out, dress with the prosciutto,  bocconcini and baby spinach.

5. Drizzle the red wine vinegar.

Side 2- Mashed potato with black truffle oil

Ingredients:

• 1 kilo potatoes, the dirty variety
•  1 1/2 cups light cream
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons black truffle oil

Method:

1. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan covered with water. Cook until the potatoes are tender. Mash.

2. In another saucepan, place the butter and garlic and saute. Add the light cream and warm until the butter has melted into the cream.

3. Add the garlic mixture to the potatoes and mix thoroughly.

4. I find the masher still does not lead to a smooth fine texture. So I like to press the mash through a fine sieve.

5. Stir through the black truffle oil.

Dessert- Chocolate and cherry trifle

Ingredients:

• Chocolate cake (you can make this a day early)
• Cherry flavoured jelly (make this a day early)
• 900g tinned pitted cherries
• 300ml thickened cream 
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornflour
• 250ml milk
• 1 vanilla pod
• 30g slivered almonds, toasted
• edible flours to serve (optional) 

Method:

1. Scrape the vanilla pods and whip the thickened cream until light and fluffy. Separate 185ml of the cream for the custard. The remaining amount will be used to serve.

2. Now we are going to make the custard. Whisk the egg yolks, sugar and cornflour until thick and pale.

3. Heat the milk in a saucepan with the exterior of the vanilla bean, until almost boiling.  This will help to further infuse the vanilla flavour through the custard.

4. Remove the vanilla bean from the milk.  Then gradually beat the milk into the egg yolk mixture.

5. Return to a clean saucepan and heat until the custard boils and thickens.

6. Remove from the heat and cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool.

7. Fold through the 185ml whipped cream into the custard mixture.

8. Toast the almonds until brown.

9. Now comes the fun part- putting it altogether! Cut your cake into two and put the first slice on the bottom of the dish you will serve. Using a pastry brush, generously brush the juice in the tinned cherries over the cake. Place just under half of the cherries on the cake.  Pour half of the custard mixture. Repeat with the second slice of the cake and custard mixture. Place the jelly on top of the custard.  Put the whipped cream on top. Scatter the almonds, cherries and edible flours to serve.