The Perfect Family Sunday - Italian-Style.

Family is “the only Italian institution” – Father Lydio Tomasi (Founder of the Center for Migration Studies)

This month, at Pizzeria Oregano, we are focussing on what matters the most - family. Until the beginning of September, we want you to assemble your favourite people and head over to Oregano where we will feed you handsomely for just £10 each! 

But we also want to encourage you to embrace Italian family life at home, so this week we are giving you all that you need to plan the perfect Italian Sunday family meal.

At the heart of Italian culture is family, and at the heart of the Italian family is the “gioie della tavola” or “the joys of the table”. Apparently, only 5% of Italians choose to eat out on a Sunday, so we can’t think of a better day to set your traditional Roast aside in favour of a more Mediterranean Sabbath. The key to a perfect Italian Sunday is food prepared with love and care, lots of people and lively conversation.

First step: assemble the relatives! If you live too far away, or simply do not have an arsenal of aunts and grandparents and cousins at your disposal, invite your neighbours, and your friends, and their kids and Bob’s your uncle!

The typical meal structure for a special Italian festa is something like this: aperitivo, antipasto, primo, secondo and contorno, dolce, caffe, digestivo. The primo is usually pasta or risotto, or something similar, and the secondo tends to be the meat or fish course. In any case – there’s a lot of courses there so we suggest assigning a course to each of your favourite guests, and just taking care of the secondo yourself.

Now, let’s get started. While everyone arrives, share an aperitivo – we suggest a glass of Prosecco and some olives. Then – a tavola! – Get yourselves seated, as many people as you can fit in your house. If you need a special table for the bambini, you know you’re doing it right.

The menu should be simple but delicious, using as much locally-sourced produce as possible.

1) Antipasto – Bruschetta (Grilled sourdough bread, rubbed with garlic, then topped with roasted veg, cannellini beans, and fresh tomatoes)

2) Primo – Fettucine ai Funghi Porcini (A delicious pasta dish which is both rich and fresh, as well as incredibly simple – nothing but mushrooms, parsley, mint, and garlic is needed)

3) Secondo – Stinco di agnello (Lamb shank, we suggest giving it a good roasting with red wine and herbs)

4) Contorno – Insalata Caprese (The famous red, white, and green salad with fresh tomatoes, fragrant basil, and delicious Mozarella di bufala)

5) Dolce – Tiramisu (Can’t beat it really, the Italian trifle equivalent, make a trough of it so people can come back for more)

Send the kids out to run amok, while you crack out the coffee (espresso – hot, strong, and in very small cups!) Round things up with a limoncello digestivo as you sit back and loosen your belt.

If you’re serious about doing things the Italian way, you’ll be taking this SLOW, enjoying every morsel of conversation as well as every morsel of food. Things should eventually wrap up around 8pm. And there you have it – the perfect Sunday, Italian-style. Get in touch on Facebook or Twitter and let us know how you got on!

An Italian Twist on your Sunday Roast

Nothing beats a good Sunday Roast. Fact. And we in the UK are masters. My favorite is chicken - not too rich, not too heavy (so you can eat twice as much!)  and super-easy to cook. The lemon and garlic in this will also work wonders for your health, keeping your arteries clear as can be.  This week's recipe is an Italian twist on an English classic and I hope you enjoy.

Ingredients

2 Kg        whole chicken, with the excess fat removed

1              large lemon, juiced [keep the juice to add to the spinach, if wanted]

2              large lemons, not juiced 

1 tbsp       olive oil

6               garlic cloves, minced

     fresh herbes de Provence, finely chopped

     salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For a little extra iron...:

500 g       fresh baby spinach, rinsed

3             garlic cloves, thinly sliced or minced

    salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

    lemon juice, optional

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C  and prepare a large baking dish for the chicken, then set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, herbs, salt and black pepper. Mix it well and taste, adding a little of whatever you think is missing.
3. Rub the mixture onto the chicken, making sure to get it into every nook and cranny. The more thoroughly you do this, the better it will taste, so don't be squeamish!
4. Don't forget the cavity while you're rubbing in that herb mix! A great way of adding extra flavour to your roasted chicken is by gently separating the skin away from the meat, then using your hand or a spoon rub the spices and/or herbs directly under the skin.
5. Slice your two lemons in half and stuff them inside the chicken for added zing.
6. Next, place the chicken onto the baking dish, and roast in centre of oven for 2 hours or until the juices run clear and the meat is tender and falls easily off the bone.
7. During the roasting time, baste the chicken regularly (spoon the juices over the top of the chicken a few times) and never allow it to dry out. If it begins drying out, cover with aluminium foil and continue to cook.

For your iron-rich vegetable addition:

1. Heat olive oil in a large pan and, once warm, add the garlic and sauté until soft.
2. Add the rinsed baby spinach to the pan and cook until wilted.
3. Sprinkle in some salt and black pepper to taste. If you like,  you can also add a little bit of lemon juice to the spinach for an extra kick.

Once the chicken is cooked through allow it to sit for 10 minutes before carving. Serve with spinach and all the trimmings. Yum.

And the best thing about chicken is that you can do so many excellent things with the leftovers - bung the carcass in a slow cooker with some veg and turn it into stock, have it in sandwiches for the next week, make it into a delicious stew or spice it up and have it with guacamole and salsa in a fajita. Ole!

Sunday Dinner – Stefano Style

One thing the English do really well is Sunday dinner. 

Here I am not just talking about the meal itself, (although I have had some roast potatoes I would sell my grandmother for), but also the entire ritual – the gathering, the sharing of time, catching up with loved ones over a home prepared hearty meal.

So in deference to this English tradition, here is my take on an English Sunday dinner.