Something many Land of Marvels readers might not realize is that I love to cook. It’s always been a big passion of mine and baking, cooking, and hosting dinner parties is something that I love to do and try to do as much as my schedule permits. Food is also such a huge part of travel and as Nick and I have ventured around the world, we’ve fallen in love with so many cultures through their food. So in this new Land of Marvels series, as I learn to cook different cultural food from around the world, I’ll share the process and recipes here so you can have an exotic culinary adventure yourself as well! Welcome to Global Food: A Night in Italy!
A few weeks ago we had a gap in our travel schedule and after trying to get a group of our friends together for a while, we landed on a weekend where everyone was free. I make homemade pasta every once in a while and was craving a good old fashioned Italian dinner. Cooking for eight, Nick and I started our Saturday morning bright and early at the local Farmer’s Market. We wandered through the stalls, editing our menu as we went. Loosely, I knew the first course would be burrata (but I was open to was would accompany it), the main course would be pasta (one ravioli and one fettuccine dish), and our dessert was homemade tiramisu (which I had made the night before). We looked at all the fresh produce and decided on our final items, plus picked up a bundle of fresh lavender for the table.
After unloading our Farmer’s Market haul at home, it was time to get to work. I started on the bread: a Rosemary and Sea Salt Focaccia (see recipe below). As that was rising, I prepped everything I would need for my pasta and started my slow-cooked red sauce for the fettuccine. Then I moved on to the filling for my ravioli (a ricotta and shallot filling). Throughout the day we prepped our Night in Italy, moving from one item to the next.
Finally I got to setting my table complete with our fresh bundle of lavender, a canister of olive oil and setting menus at each place so our guests would know what was to be served. The dinner ended up being a success and we had such a lovely time, gathered around friends, eating fresh, homemade food and enjoying “la dolce vita!”
If you want to cook your own Night in Italy, take a look below at one of the recipes for the items I made for our Italian dinner at home!
Christine Everyday says
Oh yum this looks like an amazing night!
Casey says
Thanks! It was a fun evening! 🙂
Vera says
Oh my god! Those photos are gorgeous and the dinner looks absolutely delicious. I hope you enjoyed a wonderful time with your friends. Kisses,
Vera
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https://www.bloglovin.com/blogs/-flash-window–12782683 (Bloglovin)
Casey says
Thank you! It was lovely!
theladylawyer says
This looks amazing! Italian is my favorite food!
Casey says
One of my faves too!
Angasa @ Capricious Leo says
that looks so delicious! I wish I could try it myself but I wouldn’t know where to get half of those ingredients where I live. I’ll just have to bastardise your recipe 🙂
Casey says
Ahh yes! You could probably substitute as needed!
Melanie Fontaine says
I love this new series, Casey!! I really love to cook as well and love so many different cuisines, so I’m curious to see what you’re going to share next! 🙂 The focaccia looks so, so good – I wouldn’t mind if you fixed me an Italian dinner some time! 😉
Casey says
So glad to hear that Melanie! And I love to hear that you love to cook as well! 🙂
Jordan Beck Wagner says
Love these recipes! This all looks so delicious!!!
Casey says
That focaccia recipe is one of my faves… so good!
Jennifer @This Off Script Life says
Oh wow, Casey, your homemade pasta and focaccia looks amazing! I just took a pasta-making class in Rome and can’t wait to try it home.
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Casey says
Thank you!!! I love making pasta and the taste of homemade pasta is night and day from dried!
Kristin says
Oh WOW!! That all looks phenomenal! I’m definitely trying the focaccia bread, but I need that pasta in my life – any chance of you sharing your pasta secrets?
Casey says
I love making homemade pasta! So I have the kitchen aid attachments which help roll it out and cut it and such. But for recipe, here’s what I do: 4 eggs, 1 tbs water, 3.5 cups flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Just mix it all together, then let it sit for about 20 minutes to rest before you roll it out and cut it!
Kristin says
I’ll give it a try! I haven’t tried the attachments for my mixer yet – I still have my grandma’s old pasta press – but I might try that just so I have an extra free hand to feed the pasta through.
Casey says
Yea, I really like the attachments… they just help everything go faster!
Jessie Frederick says
I’ve always wanted to be the type to have dinner parties, but I really hate entertaining and socializing. I’m such a hermit lol… But perhaps when I live in an actual house with a dining table, I’ll buck up and throw one. These kinds of posts always bring out the wannabe hostess in me.
Casey says
Haha! I love being home too but that’s what I love about hosting, is that you’re still at home. You don’t have to get dressed up and go out!