Italian food is delicious and simple to prepare. Furthermore, the informal everyday Italian style of eating lends itself perfectly to dinner parties. In Italy, meals reflect a kind of joy in life. People gather together around a table to socialize, relax, and to share good food, wine and other drinks. You can capture all of this and more when you throw the best Italian dinner party ever.
Party Atmosphere and Decorations
The colors of Italy are green, white and red, so this is the place to start. If possible, use a tablecloth and place mats in any of these colors. A red and white checked tablecloth will also be perfect if you have green, red and white accents. Small Italian flags and candles burning in empty Chianti bottles are inexpensive and effective as decorations and vases of sunflowers look wonderful. If you play songs by singers like Andrea Bocelli or Luciano Pavarotti in the background, you will have a great setting with a lot of atmosphere for your Italian dinner party.
Elements of an Italian Dinner
Traditionally, an Italian dinner is comprised of definite sections. These are antipasto, then the first and second courses, followed by dessert, which is often served in two parts. Dinners are not rushed; everyone has time to complete one course before the next is served.
Antipasto
In Italy, a meal begins with an antipasto, or appetizer, platter. Typically, this consists of between 4 and 8 items that are arranged on a large tray, placed in the center of the table. Guests are given small plates. There will be meats, cheeses and both marinated as well as raw vegetables. These are drizzled with a little olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and freshly ground black pepper. One tray is usually enough for 4 people. Often, a basket of Italian bread, crackers, fresh fruits, dried fruit and nuts are served along with the antipasto tray.
Primo: The First Course
After antipasto, the first course in an Italian meal is soup, pasta, or risotto. These are served alone, although there will be crusty Italian bread or rolls on the table. For an Italian dinner party, minestrone soup, linguine primavera or a risotto with shrimp would be good choices. Another idea is prawns in spicy marinara sauce, mixed with pasta.
Secondo Piatto: The Main, or Second Course
The main course usually consists of meat, poultry or fish. It does not include potatoes, corn or other starchy foods, as everyone has just consumed a serving of pasta. However, a side dish (contorno) of other cooked vegetables or a salad can be served with this second course.
Formaggio, Frutta and Dolce: Dessert
Dessert is often served in 2 separate courses, and your Italian dinner party should be no exception. The first course, formaggio and frutta, is a simple plate of cheese and fruit. Then, for the finishing touch to your Italian dinner party, serve a special Italian dessert such as tiramisu. Made with mascarpone cheese, this delightful uncooked dessert is easy to prepare in advance. If you do not wish tiramisu, however, other good choices are gelato or zabaglione.
Drinks
At the Italian dinner table, mineral water is usually served throughout the meal. For a dinner party, San Pellegrino would be a good choice. With the antipasto course, an aperitif wine is usually served. This can be just a small glass, but drinking it is viewed, even at the family table, as an important moment of conviviality at the start of a meal. During the pasta and main courses, wine is the preferred drink, and for a party, guests would probably appreciate a choice of either red or white. After the main course, espresso and an after dinner drink, or digestivo, is often served. Appropriate drinks would be amaretto, limoncello or Frangelico.
Sources
Life in Italy: The Most Famous Italian Liquors
AllRecipes.com: Italian Desserts
Italian Food Info: The Italian Cuisine
