Dinner Party Series: Episode 1
The Italian Edition
I try to be chill about it, I really do, but there is something about hosting my own dinner party that brings out the maximalist in me. I want more, more, more. So that’s exactly what happened on Tuesday night when I planned an Italian dinner party for three people (and a dog, who was the goodest boi and ate plenty of snacks off our plates).
I had such a good time doing it, that I’m considering making this a regular addition to Sommthing Different – or maybe making it a separate newsletter altogether… Yes, no, maybe so? Tell me if you think that’s a good idea in the comments so I can noodle on it some more→
If I’m being entirely honest, I drew inspiration for a lot of these recipes off of what I saw on Instagram (they were probably on TikTok first, but TikTok makes me an anxious bean). As much as social media feels like a drain at times, it sometimes does spark a little bit of inspiration and creativity on the food-front.
The Menu:
- Fried N’duja Stuffed Olives with Mascarpone Cream Sauce
- Deconstructed Eggplant Parm with Tomato-Basil Pan Sauce, Burrata and Pesto
- Crispy Pan-Fried Chicken Breasts with Lemon-Garlic-Parsley Butter
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower Smothered in Mascarpone Herb Cream and Parsley Pesto
- Zucchini Spaghetti
- Tiramisu Brownies
Fried n’duja stuffed olives
Starting off strong, I whipped up some deep-fried n’duja stuffed olives, doused them in fresh squeezed lemon juice, and served them with a creamy, lemony, herby mascarpone based sauce (which did double duty this night, as I also used it as a marinade later on). If you haven’t heard of it before, n’duja is a spicy, spreadable Italian sausage that will pack a punch to any meal. I had a little bit of it left over and put it on homemade pizza last night (but you could also spread it on grilled cheese, eat it with fried eggs, or mix it into your weeknight pasta sauce). Seriously recommend serving this with an ice cold beer, from the back of the fridge – there’s something about the crisp, fermented taste that pairs really well with the salty, fatty, spicy flavors of the olives.
Deconstructed eggplant parmesan
For the next course, I made a deconstructed eggplant parmesan with a tomato-basil pan sauce, burrata and pesto. Plus a little balsamic drizzle, but of course. You don’t have to fan out your eggplant like I did, but it looked very pretty (like I said, I’m a bit extra) and adds to the crunch factor because every little eggplant finger gets crisped up. Give everybody a little “ooh, ahh” element to the meal. Full disclosure, I did not make the pesto myself, but Costco makes a surprisingly good one.
Pan-fried crispy chicken breast + whole roasted cauliflower
The third round featured a pan-fried crispy chicken breast cooked in a parsley-caper-garlic butter (my friend told me she would pay me $30 to eat this at a restaurant which I took as the highest compliment). It was accompanied by a whole roasted cauliflower that I cooked in the air fryer - I coated it in the same mascarpone-based sauce that we dipped our olives into, but I topped it with a zesty parsley pesto to give it a little flavor lift. It was caramelized and tender and made my other friend realize that he had never actually enjoyed cauliflower before this moment because, in his words, “it’s only ever tasted like ass.” Lesson: force feed your friends weird vegetables coated in cheese, fat and seasoning and they just might like it. Tell me what other bizarre vegetables you want to eat more of in the comments.
Zucchini spaghetti
For the fourth plate, I dished out some zucchini spaghetti (or Spaghetti alla Nerano) made famous by Stanley Tucci. Yes, that spaghetti, and yes, it is absurdly delicious. It’s simple, it’s flavorful, and it screams summer. One note - you do have to deep-fry the zucchini (texturally, things feel different if you don’t), but you’ll be eating so many green things that I feel like it balances out the fat from the oil anyway.
Before I get to dessert, let’s talk about the drinks. My friend offered to bring some wine for dinner and she understood the assignment. Elena Walch Pinot Grigio. Elena Walch is a sustainable, family-owned winery up in the Alto Adige region of Italy, which is an area that tends to produce crisper, higher acid wines (knowing a geographic location can help you figure out the profile of a wine). This pinot grigio is light-bodied, refreshing and high-acid – making it a perfect backdrop against the deep-fried and zesty flavors of tonight’s dinner.
Molten tiramisu brownies
Last, but certainly not least, I made tiramisu brownies. These were next level. Like, really, even though I sort of fucked them up. The recipe I used (Kitchen by the Sea) called for a bigger pan than I had, but rather than adjusting the recipe, I poured brownie batter meant for a 9x13 pan into an 8x8 pan and baked it at the same temperature, for the same amount of time. The result – molten tiramisu brownies. A perfectly fudgy, melty, oozing chocolate brownie topped with an espresso-mascarpone whipped cream and dusted with cocoa powder. With the leftovers, we popped them into the fridge which has resulted in a straight-up fudge situation. 15/10 *
Getting hungry? Recipes below →
The Starter - Fried N’duja Stuffed Olives
Served with Mascarpone Cream Sauce (Recipe to follow)
The Ingredients
Corn oil - or whatever oil you like to deep-fry things in (corn oil, sunflower seed oil, avocado oil) do not use olive oil because it will not get hot enough
Green olives, pitted
N’duja - 2-4 oz (depends on how many olives we’re making)
Flour - enough to coat the green olives
Egg - 2 whisked in a separate bowl
Bread Crumb Coating (I use this for everything, see eggplant parm and pan-fried chicken recipe)
Grated parmesan - about 1/3 of a cup
Panko bread crumbs - enough to coat the olives
Salt and Pepper - a generous grinding of both
Dried oregano, rosemary, thyme, red chili flakes - whatever feels right, measure them with your heart
Lemon, sliced into wedges - for serving
Instructions
Heat oil in pot to at least 350-375’F. For this feast, I heated up a lot of oil because I was frying zucchini and eggplant as well, but you do what feels right. Just make sure that the olives will be fully covered.
Meanwhile, stuff pitted olives with n’duja. To achieve this, I smooshed the n’duja in a plastic bag and cut off the tip to form a faux piping bag.
Toss the n’duja stuffed olives into the bowl of flour to coat, transfer to the whisked eggs for an egg wash, and then, finally, toss it into the bowl of bread crumb coating for the final, crispy exterior.
Fry olives until golden brown on all sides, before transferring to a paper-towel coated plate to drain excess oil. Then dust with more parmesan, sprinkle with fresh lemon juice and dunk into mascarpone-cream sauce (recipe below).
Deconstructed Eggplant Parm
Served with Burrata, Pesto and Balsamic
The Ingredients
Corn Oil
Eggplant - sliced in half like a hotdog, then cut into long wedges (keeping the top of the eggplant intact)
2 eggs - whisked
Bread crumb coating (see above)
Olive oil (high quality - since the tomato sauce recipe requires so few ingredients, it’s important to make sure the olive oil has depth and flavor)
Bunch of cherry tomatoes (about 2 cups, whole)
Crushed garlic - minimum of 3 cloves (I like to use 6)
Salt and pepper
Dried oregano, about 1-2 tsp
Crushed red pepper flakes, about 2 tsp
Bunch of fresh basil, thinly sliced
Shredded parmesan, as much as you want
To Serve: Pesto, Balsamic and Burrata
Instructions
Get your hot oil up to temperature (350-375’F) and make sure that there is enough to cover the eggplant.
Take you sliced eggplant and carefully coat it in the egg wash. I ended up using a basting brush to make sure I got all of the eggplant fingers coated.
Generously toss in the bread crumb coating, making sure that it’s evenly covered and there are no bald spots.
Dunk your eggplant halves into the hot oil, turning halfway, until the whole eggplant is crispy and golden-brown. Drain on a paper towel.
While the eggplant is frying, take a large pan and douse with high-quality olive oil (the more the better). Add in your garlic and once it becomes aromatic, add it your cherry tomatoes and season with salt and pepper, oregano and chili flakes. Cook it on medium-low heat until jammy and burst. Add in finely sliced fresh basil and parmesan cheese (measure with your heart). Taste and adjust as needed. Serve alongside the fried eggplant, topping with burrata, a few dollops of pesto and a drizzle of balsamic for good measure. Enjoy!
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Zesty Parsley Pesto
Recipe inspired by Giadzy
The Ingredients - For Cauliflower (dip the fried olives in the leftover sauce)
Cauliflower, 1 head
Mascarpone cheese, 1/2 cup
Parmesan, finely grated, 1/3 cup
Lemon zest, 2-3 tsp
Olive oil, 1-2 TB
Chopped capers, 1 TB
Kosher salt, 1/2 tsp - a pinch and a half
Black pepper, 1/2 tsp - about 12 grinds
Red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp
Garlic, pressed or finely chopped, 2-3 TB
The Ingredients - For Zesty Parsley Pesto
Olive oil, 3/4 cup
Parsley, 1/8 cup, stems removed
Lemon zest, 2 tsp
Kosher salt, 1/4 tsp
Parmesan, 1/3 cup finely grated
Instructions
Preheat your oven or air fryer (that’s what I did) to 450’F.
De-stem and de-leaf your cauliflower.
In a medium bowl, mix mascarpone, parmesan, lemon zest, olive oil, capers, salt, black pepper, pepper flakes and garlic in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Season to taste. Reserve a bit for fried olive dipping and smother your whole cauliflower with the remainder of the sauce.
Place your cauliflower over aluminum foil (to avoid a messy pan or air fryer) and cook for 20-30 minutes until cauliflower is tender and the cheese is turning golden brown.
Meanwhile, prep the sauce.
Combine all ingredients in a food process and blend until smooth. It should be a little thick still, almost like a pesto. Season to taste.
Serve roasted cauliflower with parsley salsa slathered on top.
Pan-Fried Crispy Chicken Breast with Caper-Garlic- Parsley Butter
The Ingredients - For Chicken
Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, 2 sliced lengthwise to get 4 thin cutlets
Bread crumb coating, enough to coat the chicken - see above (can you tell I like this combo)
Eggs, 2 whisked in a bowl
Plain Greek yogurt, about 1/2 cup
Dijon mustard, about 2 TB
Olive oil, 1-2 TB for the chicken, 2-3 TB for the pan
Salt and pepper
The Ingredients - For Caper-Garlic-Parsley Butter
Olive oil, 2 TB
Butter, melted - 2 TB
Parsley, finely chopped - 1 TB
Lemon juice, 2 TB
Garlic, crushed - 1-2 TB
Capers, crushed - 1 TB
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Mix together ingredients for caper garlic parsley butter in a small bowl. Season to taste.
Next, prepare your bread crumb mixture in a large bowl and set aside.
Make your egg mixture - combine eggs, yogurt, mustard, olive oil and salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
Dip your chicken cutlets into your egg mixture into fully coated. Transfer to the bowl full of your bread crumb mixture and ensure that your chicken cutlet is evenly and thickly coated. Let sit while you heat up a large pan on medium heat.
Melt 1 TB of olive oil and 1 TB of caper-garlic-parsley butter into the hot pan until sizzling. Evenly place drenched chicken cutlets into the pan. Cook on both sides, flipping half-way, until chicken is golden brown on both sides and the insides are white.
Once chicken is finished cooking, drizzle with remaining caper-garlic-parsley butter and serve.
Zucchini Spaghetti or Spaghetti alla Nerano
Inspired by Stanley Tucci
The Ingredients
Oil, about a quart of sunflower oil or corn oil - enough to fry zucchini
Green zucchini, about 6 medium – thinly sliced into rounds
Spaghetti, about 4 ounces
Olive oil, about 2 TB
Salt, 1 pinch
Basil, 3-5 leaves, torn into small pieces
Butter, about 2 TB
Pecorino Romano and Parmesan, 1/2-3/4 of a cup
Instructions
Heat up sunflower oil in a pot until it reaches 350’F. Slice zucchini into thin rounds and deep-fry in batches until lightly browned (be careful not to over-crowd the pot). Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and season with salt.
If you have time, transfer cooled zucchini to the fridge in a covered bowl and let it sit for 8 hours or overnight. Full transparency, this step is optional. I didn’t do this and it still turned out good.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti until it’s just nearly cooked (8-9 minutes).
While you’re cooking the pasta, heat olive oil in a skillet till hot before tossing in zucchini. Add in a few splashes of salted pasta water, until the zucchini gets jammy and caramelized, and then melt in the butter.
Using tongs, transfer the almost-cooked spaghetti to the pan and toss to combine. Add in parmesan, pecorino and another splash of pasta water - mix till creamy. Finally, toss in the basil and mix until wilted.
Serve with more basil and parmesan/pecorino.
Tiramisu Brownies
Inspired by Kitchen by the Sea
The Ingredients - The Brownies
Salted butter, 1 cup
Bittersweet chocolate, 14 ounces - finely chopped
All-purpose flour, 1 cup
Cocoa powder, 1/2 cup
Eggs, 5
Dark brown sugar, 1 cup
White sugar, 1 cup
Salt, 1 tsp
Vanilla, 1-2 TB
Espresso powder, 1 TB
The Ingredients - Espresso Cream
Mascarpone cheese, 8 oz
Heavy cream, 1 cup
White sugar, 1/4 cup
Salt, 1/4 tsp
Vanilla, 1 TB
Espresso Powder, 1 TB
For Dusting - Cocoa powder
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350’F. Butter and line a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with parchment paper (or, if you want molten, fudgy brownies, an 8x8 inch baking dish). Set aside.
Melt butter and chocolate in a small pan over medium-low heat. Stir until smooth. Set aside to cool. You can even stick this in the refrigerator to bump up the cooling process.
In a small mixing bowl, sift together the flour, espresso powder and cocoa powder.
In another medium-sized mixing bowl, beat togethers eggs, sugars, salt and vanilla. Beat until the mixture is thick and lightened in color. When the mixture falls off the arms of the beater, it should rest on top of the rest of the mixture in a thick ribbon.
Once the egg mixture is cooled (so the eggs don’t curdle), fold it into the chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula. Mix until well combined.
Now, add in the flour, cocoa powder and espresso powder. Fold together quickly and gently, but don’t over-mix.
Pour the batter into the prepared dish and cook in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top of the brownie is crackled, but still feels just a bit soft and jiggly (this is the molten factor). Let the brownies cool completely on a wire rack.
When the brownies are cooled, beat together the ingredients for the espresso cream until stiff peaks form. Spread evenly over the brownies and dust with cocoa powder using a sifter. Devour.
If you don’t eat all of the brownies in one sitting, throw them in the fridge. They’ll harden up just like fudge - pure decadence.
Let me know what you thought about these recipes in the comments! If you want more dinner inspo, subscribe <3