Drinks and Dessert for an Italian Dinner

Dimple's Mom

I'm looking for what could be considered an Italian cocktail. Not limoncello, though. I'm making manicotti as well as a mushroom spaghetti on Thursday and want to have some sort of cocktail in addition to wine. Any suggestions?

I'm also looking for a non-tiramisu dessert to go with. Not necessarily on the Egg.

I don't have to have a cocktail; just thought it would be fun. But I do need to have a dessert. I might make tiramisu but thought I would see what else was out there. It's for 16 people and it needs to be something I can make ahead (preferably the day before) and also needs to be easy!

Thanks!

Village Idiot

How about cannolis? That's the only other Italian dessert I know, but they are delicious.

I googled for some recipes.

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,canole,FF.html

fishlessman

never made it but a place near me makes some intense gelato, very berry and chocolate cayenne are killer there. if you have an icecream maker maybe you can find a recipe. do you make the manicotti with the spagetti tubes or with crepes

Richard Fl

Hope I am not late to dinner.
These martinis came to us from an Italian restaurant by the name of Carrabbas here in Melbooring Fl.
A friend has the franchise. We usually take 2-1.75 premixed to BGE Fest after party.

Beverage, Vodka, Martini, Pomegranate, Carrabba's


INGREDIENTS:
2 Ozs. Vodka, Peach, Absolute
2 Ozs. Orange Juice, Fresh
3/4 Oz. Pomegranate Mix, Monin
Splash Sprite
***************************
1.75 Liters equals 60 ozs equals 30 drinks.
1.75 Liters Vodka Peach, Vodka
60 Ozs. Orange Juice
22.5 Ozs Monin




Directions:
1 Mix and shake over cubes of ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass.


Recipe Type
Beverage

Cooking Tips
MONIN, Clearwater, FL
http://www.moninstore.com/prod_Detail.html?prodID=43&flavor=Pomegranate

Recipe Source
Source: Carrabbas, Melbourne, Florida, 2006/12/22
**********************************

How about limoncello in your dessert?

Dessert, Pudding, Bread, Caravella Limoncello Bread Pudding, Carrabba's Italian Grill

Imagine a warm, moist piece of delicate brioche pudding topped with Madagascar vanilla bean Blue Bell ice cream that is then drizzled with a Caravella Limoncello syrup. Sound too good to be true? Not so - this new sensational dessert is now available at all Carrabba's Italian Grill locations. **********"When we first began experimenting with a new dessert feature for the Fall, we decided to put a new twist on traditional comfort food. The serving of hot bread pudding with ice cream evokes nostalgia of the warmth and comfort that we all felt in our childhood," explains Steve Shlemon, president of Carrabba's. "For anyone who enjoys traditional Italian cuisine, the Limoncello is a bonus!" *****************The history of Limoncello dates back to the 1800s when this traditional liqueur was simply made by adding lemon peels, from Italy's beautiful Amalfi coast, and sugar to alcohol to create a refreshing summer drink. Today, it has become an integral component within a traditional Italian meal. *************At Carrabba's, it is the Caravella Limoncello that perfects the bread pudding. This brand was founded by the Sperone family who ultimately began bottling and sharing their century old recipe for Caravella Limoncello with people everywhere in the 1980s.****************"As we do with all of our recipes at Carrabba's, we build every order of bread pudding with great care," says Shlemon. "From the brioche pudding that is baked daily to the syrup made in-house, every step is important to each serving. Topped with ice cream and Limoncello syrup. bellissimo!"


INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup Heavy Cream
3/4 cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 cup Limoncello
7 large Eggs
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
2 1/2 quarts Stale bread (Cut into cubes)
1/4 Tsp Cinammon (Optional)
Limoncello Simple Syrup
3/4 cup Limoncello (Lemon Juice can be used as a substitute)
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar




PROCEDURE:
1 In a mixing bowl add the cream, milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla extract and the Limoncello. Whisk together and add the bread cubes, mix and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Pour into 2 8x8x1 1/2" aluminum pans or a 2 quart pan. Sprinkled some Dizzy Pig Pineapple Head on top just before baking for a sweet cinnamon flavor.
2 Bake pudding in a conventional oven for 40 - 50 minutes or until pudding is set at 350°F. Careful not to burn the top of the pudding. When the pudding is cooked remove and serve with vanilla ice cream and hot syrup. Can be served hot or cold.
3 BGE set-up. Indirect 350°-375°F for 50-60 minutes. No smoke.
Limoncello Simple Syrup:
1 Place Limoncello and sugar in a small sauce pan.
2 Bring to a soft boil stirring well to dissolve all the sugar. Will make 3/4 cup sauce.


Servings: 12
Preparation time: 50 minutes

Recipe Type
Dessert

Cooking Tips
The bread pudding can be served warm or cold. Scoop vanilla ice cream on top of the bread pudding. Drizzle Limoncello syrup over ice cream and bread pudding. Place mint sprig on top of the ice cream.
INGREDIENTS:
Modified original recipe.
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup Milk
1 Tbs Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup Limoncello
7 large Eggs
3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
3 Quarts Stale bread (Cut into cubes)
1/4 Tsp Cinammon (Optional)
Limoncello Simple Syrup
3/4 cup Limoncello (Lemon Juice can be used as a substitute)
3/4 cup Granulated Sugar Sprinkle
some colored sprinkles on top.

Recipe Source
Source: BGE Forum, Richard Fl, 2011/01/11

Dimple's Mom

Thanks! I'll definitely make that cocktail. It's perfect, just what I was looking for. Not sure about making the dessert for this one but will keep it on hand for future use. It does sound good. I'm low on time this week so need something a bit simpler. Anything I've never made before doesn't seem simple to me, unless it has only 2 or 3 ingredients. :unsure:

I'm going to make all the pastas today and see how far I get with everything else that needs to get done.

Dimple's Mom

That's a good idea. I do have an ice cream maker and consider it super easy to do.

I make crepes and they're sort of like a pancake because they're not thin like a regular crepe. But they're easy and taste good so that's what I use!

Dimple's Mom

Village Idiot, I forgot about cannolis. I'll have to google some recipes and check that out. If not for this dinner, then definitely another. I would like to try them sometime.

I was searching through my recipes and came across a sort of trifle with pound cake (I would resort to store bought since I'm in such a hurry) layered with whipped cream, and toasted coconut and almonds. I think it came from a website somewhere; not sure. But it's labeled as an Italian dessert. I might try that since all I have to do is toast the coconut/almonds (without burning them, not as easy as it sounds) and whip up some cream. And I could use my trifle bowl which only gets used once every 5 years or so. :P

Dimple's Mom

So here's what I'm ending up with for the Italian dinner tonight for my garden club meeting:

Bellinis
Chianti
antipasto platter with store bought stuff
breadsticks
rosemary walnuts
manicotti with meat sauce
spaghetti with mushroom bolognese
cesar salad with homemade croutons
garlic bread

Then we'll start the meeting and halfway through take a break for dessert;

cheese platter
frangelico torta
some flaky cookie things I bought
coffee

I was not able to make my second drink because I couldn't find one of the ingredients. I have everything else I need to make it but not the pomegranite mix, so I'll have to look for that elsewhere and make it another time. I also wanted a second homemade dessert and it was going to be panna cotta with balsamic reduction but I just don't have the time to figure that one out since I don't have individual ramekins. And I was able to do the above without too much effort on my part and I didn't feel like killing myself by adding in more.

Just have to vacuum and make the garlic bread and I'm done!

If you're in the neighborhood, drop on by. I'm sure there will be lots left over. Those gardening ladies don't eat much.
Gwen

Little Steven

Gwen,

If you mix some marscapone cheese in with your whipping cream it is magnificent.


Steve

Dimple's Mom

Good to know! I'll try that next time. No time to run out to the store now. Thanks! How much do you put in?

Little Steven

About equal parts

Steve