Italian Dinner Help! Update--dinner success!
Hey everyone!
I am making an Italian dinner for two tomorrow night and I need hep coming up with a side dish (or two) and a dessert!
I am making lasagna and garlic bread for the main entree--but have NO clue about the side--I don't want to serve just a veggie--especially since my lasagna is going to be stuffed with spinach, tomatoes, and mushrooms. A cold side might be nice...but I really don't know a lot about cold-Italian dishes...
For the desert--I was kind of leaning towards a cheesecake--maybe strawberry or chocolate with a raspberry drizzle...but something simple like a brownie ice cream cake served with caramel sauce might be nice too...cannoli's are out of the question because I do not have the forms to make them (although that would have been sweet...)
Anyways--any input (w/ recipes if possible) would be AWESOME!! Thanks!
http://i869.photobucket.com/albums/ab255/epicbookworm/Comfort_Foods_Site/Garfield_Lasagna.gif
If you have no recipes--another Garfield cartoon will not be turned down *lol*
Caponata http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=11105.0
Antipasto plate: grated marinaded carrot, artichoke hearts, roasted red pepper strips, white asparagus tips, small tomatoes if you will, marinaded tofu "feta" chunks, black olives, green olives. Arrange prettily.
Is there such a thing as vegan tiramisu?
I like cold baked apples topped with cinnamon and coconut cream.
Or Apple Creme http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=26293.msg280835#msg280835
(you can sub soy creamer or yogurt for the tofu)
There's a vegan tiramisu cupcake in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I'm sure you could do your own version of this by making a yellow cake, saturating it with Kahlua and coffee, and topping it off with a buttercream frosting. I know it's not traditional, but I'd certainly eat it!
I can't help but want a big salad when I'm having Italian. I think marinara sauce just begs to be paired with a nice cool, crisp salad with olives, cucumbers, maybe some bell peppers, and Italian dressing. Mmmmm.
I'd do roasted asparagus, but that is just a plain veggie. There are cold, italian rice salads. Basically, you boil arborio rice like pasta, then drain, and add whatever veggies(roasted bell pepper, peas, asparagus, pine nuts, raisins, garlic, etc), and dress and chill. I would say make a dressing, but Newman's Own is way good, so I'd just use the balsamic vinaigrette. Or you could do a cold salad w/ greens, pine nuts, orange slices, and olives.
Oh! Such great suggestions!! I really like the idea of an antipasto plate--maybe I'll do one of those and set out as an appetizer and then serve a cold salad with dinner--that does sound yummy--and I agree, salad and marinara just go together!
The desert is still in question though *sigh* I actually did consider doing a tiramisu--but I think it will just be too much work! But I don't know...maybe I'll give into the idea--it would be fantastic to have that as a desert...
still looking for options though...
Since you have my book, I'll suggest peeking at the menu suggestions in the back of my book (under "Italian"). Also, the Caramelized Banana Bliss Bombs and Apple Puffs w/ Vanilla Bean Caramel Sauce for dessert are always a hit.
Have fun! :)
Okay...I went for the tiramisu. My espresso soaked lady fingers came out great--but the "custard" is really runny. It is not thickening up :( I have added another 1/3 cup of starch to the mix and I thankfully did not attempt to pour the it on to the cake part yet. I am going to refrigerate it over night to see if that helps--but if it doesn't--I need some mad suggestions on how to get it to go from a liquid to a custard!!
what recipe did you use for the custard? theres a recipe i like in joy of vegan baking that would probably be good in it if yours is unusable. (you should save it though cus it could be good as a fruit dip)
and i agree with the salad side - i think rice might be too heavy with the pasta in the lasagna. or maybe a soup?
can cook the custard with some arrowroot powder?
i like the soup idea!
can cook the custard with some arrowroot powder?
i like the soup idea!
I don't have any arrowroot :( and i definitely have tiramisu soup not custard...what to do???? blerg...it doesn't taste bad--but it needs to be a least twice as thick as it is now. I thoguht about blending 1/2 of it with firm tofu--but I think that will make it toooooo tofuey tasting...blerg!!!!!!
might as well try the tofu - you could add some extra vanilla & sugar. if you want the recipe from jovb let me know!
(btw check your blog!)
A simple salad and Minestrone or lentil soup are wonderful side dishes for your Italian dinner.
For dessert, how about biscotti, with coffee or tea, and a colorful plate of berries?
The biscotti recipe in Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar is very easy, elegant looking if you drizzle it with lemon glaze, and very good. I've made it three times already after Cali sent me some. You can make it the day before and it will still taste good days later.
Okay! The bread is rising, the tiramisu is better and the lasagna is layered and ready to into the oven! All I need to do is set up the anti-pasto plate and dinner will be served...in a few hours anyways *lol*
I ended up going and getting some arrow root for the tiramisu--it helped a little. I ended up with two different layers--a white layer that is a little on the tofuey--but not bad. The other layer got more firm tofu, chocolate, and arrow root. They both have a more firm consistance--but not the dense custard I wanted. So I layered melted chocolate, espresso soaked lady fingers, both layers of filling, and chocolate chips in really pretty wine glasses--it looks really good and tastes great--I'll call it "Not Quite Tiramisu But Shut Up and Eat it Anyways Because it is still AWESOME" Yep...that's what it is called.
Thanks for all the help everyone!
PPC--blog checked and responded to!
that is a FAIL of a response if i've ever seen one.
that is a FAIL of a response if i've ever seen one.
*lol* just because it is not the response you want does not make it a fail.
For those in the know--dinner was wonderful! Despite the many set backs I had while preparing everything (including the tiramisu-custard catastrophe I also broke a bottle of gharm massala all over 1/2 of the lady fingers, broke a glass jar of olives on the floor, and my tesse cheese refused to melt...sigh) well, besides all of that--the meal turned out GREAT and was well received. As for who the meal was with and what the outcome of that was--well, you will just have to read my blog update (not up yet...sorry PPC) I'll post it in a day or two!
Thanks again for all the help everyone!!
If you and your guest(s) were happy with it, that's all that's required.
Throughout history some of the best desserts were born of "mistakes." In fact in France there's a special cake made with "pate manqué"--mistake pastry. Somebody mis-remembered the quantities in the recipe and came up with something else. Now it's a regional specialty!