food & dining
Italian Night
Linda Morel
B ack in October, when the fi rst chill
hit the air, my family was excited by
brisket, short ribs and roasted chicken.

But by the time March rolled around,
everyone was sick of the same old winter
food. Because the weather remains raw and
cold, hearty dinners are still desirable.

But longer, lighter days call for inspiration.

I break up winter monotony by serving
international menu themes. I’ve prepared
Persian, Thai, Austrian and Chinese food.

But Italian night is my family’s favorite.

A nice-sized chunk of Parmesan
cheese is a prerequisite for Italian dining.

For an appetizer, I break it into bite-sized
pieces, which I serve with assorted olives
and sliced tomatoes, drizzled with olive
oil and coarse salt.

A true Italian meal isn’t complete
without a salad, pasta and plenty of garlic.

Dessert is easy. I fi nish off the meal
with a fruit platter and biscotti. If I don’t
have time to bake biscotti, I buy it in a
bakery. Espresso or any dark coff ee adds
a nice touch.

“When are we having Italian night
again?” my granddaughter asked.

“Soon,” I said. “What do you like best
about it?”
“The ziti,” she said. “And the chocolate
chips in biscotti.”
Italian Salad Dressing | Pareve
Yield: ¾ cup of salad dressing
denio109 / AdobeStock
½ ¼
2 ½
½ ½
½ ¼
cup extra-virgin olive oil
cup balsamic vinegar
cloves of garlic, minced fi nely
teaspoon dried basil, crushed
teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
teaspoon dried parsley
teaspoon kosher salt
teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Place all of the ingredients in a jar.

Screw on the top, and shake the contents
until the ingredients are well combined.

This can be served immediately or
refrigerated until ready to serve. Bring it
to room temperature, and shake again
before serving.

Garlic Bread | Dairy
Approximately 15 slices of bread
1 loaf of Italian bread (the type
that resembles a baguette)
¼ pound sweet (unsalted) butter at
room temperature
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt to taste
2 teaspoons fl at-leaf parsley,
tightly packed, chopped
Aluminum foil for wrapping
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the bread on a board. With
a sharp knife, partially cut the bread
into ½-inch slices. Cut each slice about
three-quarters of the way through,
leaving the bottom crust intact. Reserve.

In a small bowl, mix the remain-
ing ingredients with a fork until well
combined. Using a dinner knife, spread
the butter mixture on both sides of
each slice of bread. Tear off a length
of aluminum foil a little longer than the
loaf of bread. Wrap the bread in the
foil, cinching the ends but keeping the
top of the bread exposed.

Place the bread in the oven, and
bake it for 15-20 minutes or until the
butter is melted, the bread is warmed
through and the top crust is a bit
crunchy. Remove the foil, and place
the bread on a narrow platter. Serve
immediately. Tuna and Tomatoes | Pareve
Serves 4-6
1 pound pasta, such as penne or
ziti 2 medium-sized onions
3 tablespoons olive oil, or more,
if needed
4 thick tuna steaks
(about ½ pound each)
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
8 ounces of mushrooms, sliced
2 teaspoons capers
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Nicoise black olives
2 teaspoons parsley, chopped fi nely
Pasta Start the water for the pasta boiling,
and follow the directions on the pack-
age for making it. While preparing the
pasta, make the tuna.

Tuna Peel and slice the onions. In a large pot
or wok, heat the oil on a medium-low
fl ame. Place the onion slices in the pot.

Sauté, stirring gently, until the onion
slices break into rings and caramelize
to golden in color.

Sprinkle the tops and bottoms of the
tuna steaks with salt and pepper. Move
them to the skillet, raise the fl ame to
medium and sear the bottom of each
steak. Then fl ip them over and sear the
tops, too.

Add the tomatoes and mushrooms
to the pot. Spoon in the capers. Sauté
until the vegetables wilt and the
tomatoes give off some sauce. Add
the garlic and olives. Stir until the garlic
is fragrant. If the pasta isn’t ready, then
remove the tuna pot from the fl ame.

When the pasta is ready, drain it in
a colander. Move it to a large pasta
bowl. Arrange the tuna around the
bowl on top of the pasta. Spoon the
tomato sauce from the pot over the
tuna and pasta. Sprinkle the parsley
over the top, and serve immediately.

Sautéed Escarole | Pareve
Serves 4
1 4
head of escarole
tablespoons olive oil, or more if
needed Kosher salt to taste
5 cloves garlic, minced
Cut off the remains of the escarole
stem, and discard it. Break off the
escarole leaves. Rinse them under cold
water. Drain the escarole in a salad
spinner or on paper towels. Cut each
leave in half horizontally.

In a large pot, heat the oil on a
medium fl ame. In batches, add the
escarole leaves to the pot. Sprinkle
each batch with a little salt.

Once the escarole starts to wilt, sprin-
kle in the garlic. Stir until the garlic
is well distributed. When the escarole
is wilted but not overcooked, serve
immediately. ■
Linda Morel is a freelance food writer.

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