Читать книгу Italian Recipes For Dummies - Amy Riolo - Страница 56

According to a recent Italian news report, 70 percent of modern Italians still observe the traditional pranzo domenicale or Sunday lunch tradition. Customarily, Italians both in the United States and abroad congregate with their families on Sundays. Traditionally, this included not only the nuclear family, but also grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Being invited to a pranzo domenicale of a family other than your own denotes a deep level of friendship and a familial closeness.

Sunday lunches are usually held a bit later than the typical 1 p.m. and last for hours. Common times for the pranzo della domenica are 2-6 p.m. or 3-7 p.m. For that reason, the foods served on this occasion overlap lunch and dinner. Many of the customs surrounding this meal were based on Roman Catholicism. Families did not eat meat from Friday until after having taken communion on Sunday at mass. Slowly simmered ragú was the perfect after-church treat and has become ubiquitous on Sundays in Italy, as have meatballs (served as a second course), roasts, and stews.

Homemade pasta dishes, elaborate sauces, and homey, regional cuisine is often commonplace on Sundays in Italy. Even though the religious significance is no longer the main reason that many people eat this way on Sunday, it is still the culturally preferred way of eating, and many families continue to cook these types of meals on a weekly basis. Modern families also enjoy the pranzo domenicale in restaurants on occasion. Even though they are eaten outside the home, the spirit, conviviality, and family nature of the meals, as well as their length, are still the same.

People who cook Sunday and holiday meals, mind you, don’t do it all in one day. They plan ahead. Preparing sauces and doughs in advance and having a game plan along with a menu can make the task much more fun and less complicated. Plus, thinking about the Sunday meal can be a fun diversion in the early parts of the week. To make your own Sunday meal, look at the suggested seasonal menus above and do some of these:

 Add another appetizer or two.

 Add a proper (sweet) dessert after the fruit course or purchase pastries from a local pastry shop.

 Serve homemade or artisan bread with the meal.

 In place of all first and second courses (with the exception of the heat of summer), serve Tagliatelle Bolognese/Tagliatelle with Meat Ragú with a seasonal appetizer, salad, and dessert.

Tables 4-5 through 4-8 provide example menus by season.

TABLE 4-5: Spring Sunday Menu

Course	Recipe	Location
Antipasto	Crostini con purea di cannellini/ Crostini with Cannellini Bean Purée	Chapter 6
Primo	Tagliatelle con salsa di ricotta e basilico/Tagliatelle with Basil Ricotta Cream Sauce	Chapter 8
Secondo	Pollo al forno con patate e carrote/Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Carrots	Chapter 12
Contorno	Verdure in aglio, olio, e pepperoncino/Greens Sautéed in Garlic, Olive Oil, and Pepperoncino	Chapter 14
Insalata	Insalata di cetrioli, fagiolini, ed olive/Cucumber, Green Bean, and Olive Salad	Chapter 15
Frutta	Fragole in aceto balsamico/Strawberries in Balsamic Vinegar	Chapter 17
Dolce	Torta Caprese/Capri-Style Chocolate and Almond Cake	Chapter 18
Caffé	Caffé/Classic Espresso	Chapter 16

TABLE 4-6: Summer Sunday Menu

Course	Recipe	Location
Antipasto	Caponata/Sicilian Sweet and Sour Eggplant Medley	Chapter 6
Primo	Sugu alla norma/Tomato Eggplant Sauce OR Fresh Tomato Sauce with FRESH pasta of your choice from Chapter 9	Chapter 7
Secondo	Spiedini di pesce/Grilled Fish Skewers OR Pesce spada alla griglia/ Calabrian-Style Grilled Swordfish	Chapter 11
Contorno	Peperonata/Roasted Mixed Pepper Medley	Chapter 14
Insalata	Insalata di cetrioli, fagiolini, ed olive/Cucumber, Green Bean, and Olive Salad	Chapter 15
Frutta	Macedonia/Fruit Salad	Chapter 17
Dolce	Torta di ciliege, mandorle, ed olio d’oliva/Cherry, Almond, and Olive Oil Cake	Chapter 18
Caffé	Caffé/Classic Espresso	Chapter 16

TABLE 4-7: Fall Sunday Menu

Course	Recipe	Location
Antipasto	Funghi ripieni/Stuffed Mushrooms	Chapter 6
Primo	Gnocchi di patate/Potato Gnocchi OR Farrotto/Farro “Risotto”	Chapter 10
Secondo	Filetto di manzo marinato/Rosemary and Balsamic Marinated Filet of Beef	Chapter 13
Contorno	Finocchio in padella con scalogni e castagne/Pan-fried Fennel, Shallots, and Chestnuts	Chapter 14
Insalata	Insalata di pomodori e peperoni/Tomato and Roasted Pepper Salad	Chapter 15
Frutta	Pere cotte al cioccolato/Poached Pears in Chocolate	Chapter 17
Dolce	Tiramisù	Chapter 18
Caffé	Caffé/Classic Espresso	Chapter 16

TABLE 4-8: Winter Sunday Menu

Course	Recipe	Location
Antipasto	Polenta grigliata/Grilled Polenta	Chapter 10
Primo	Orzotto/Pearl Barley Risotto with Radicchio and Taleggio Cheese Fondue OR Ravioli Capresi/Capri-Style Ravioli OR Cavatelli con sugo/Calabrian Cavatelli with Spicy Tomato Sauce	Chapter 10 Chapter 9 Chapter 9
Secondo	Vrasciole/Calabrian Meatballs	Chapter 13
Contorno	Patate raganate/Calabrian Potato Gratin	Chapter 14
Insalata	Insalata di ceci/Chickpea Salad	Chapter 15
Frutta	Mele al forno con crema ed amaretti/Roasted Apples with Cream and Amaretti	Chapter 17
Dolce	Torta di nocciola/Piemontese Hazelnut Cake	Chapter 18
Caffé	Caffé/Classic Espresso	Chapter 16