Italian Dinner Party Menu

Our summer Italian dinner party menu is all about that Italian feel, it is the perfect menu to sit outside and enjoy with friends.  The menu contains some of our best dinner party dishes. The appetiser is a traditional starter of fried mozzarella served with a sweet basil tomato sauce. The main course is Italian chicken, served on a bed of mushroom and spinach risotto. The menu finishes with a delicious strawberry mascarpone and chocolate tart.

The summer Italian dinner menu does require some experience as you will need to cook the starter and main course at the same time. If you have less experience I would recommend practising the starter and main course before you try the whole menu. If you can get your hands on some Italian ingredients I would recommend you do. The quality of the ingredients can make or break these dishes in particular the dessert.

Starter – Mozzarella Sticks with Tomato Sauce

The starter for this menu is crispy mozzarella sticks with a rich tomato sauce. Melted mozzarella encased in panko breadcrumbs, served with an oregano and basil flavoured tomato sauce.

This starter is easy to prepare and is always a favourite amongst adults and children alike. It is a great dinner party option because most of the prep can be done before your guests arrive.

• Make the tomato sauce in advance. Allow to cool and then store in the fridge. Reheat just before serving.
• Coat the mozzarella sticks in breadcrumbs and place in the freezer. Cook from frozen.

When your guests arrive deep fry the mozzarella stick and then keep warm in the oven. Serve with reheated tomato sauce.

Italian Marinated Chicken with Spinach and Mushroom Risotto

Our main course is Italian marinated chicken with spinach and mushroom risotto. The chicken is marinated in lemon, garlic and herbs overnight. The chicken is then freshly griddled and served on a bed of mushroom and spinach risotto.

To serve the perfect risotto it must be cooked fresh, so the prep for this recipe is raw ingredients only.

• Marinade the chicken preferably the day before
• Prepare the onions, mushrooms and spinach

Cook the risotto and the chicken while you are cooking the starter. Leave the chicken and the risotto to rest. Then plate just before serving

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart with Chocolate Pastry

The summer Italian menu's dessert is a strawberry mascarpone tart. Crispy chocolate shortcrust pastry, filled with a mixture of creamy mascarpone and honey. Topped with sliced strawberries and an apricot jam glaze.

This recipe can be fully prepare the day before. The dessert can be absolutely amazing if you use good quality ingredients. Excellent powdered chocolate, great tasting honey and sweet strawberries will take this to another level.

If you like the concept of our summer Italian Dinner Party menu then check out the menu recipes here  or view more of our dinner party menus