Delicious Italian Recipes for an Italian Dinner Party

Throwing an Italian dinner party requires elegance and of course, great food. The following dinner party menu is classy and satisfying. Your guests will be impressed with these delicious and beautiful recipes.

Appetizer: Crostini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Chickpeas
1 baguette, cut into 24 diagonal slices, ¼ inch thick
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large garlic clove
1 can (15 ½ oz.) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans) drained and rinsed
3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. dried basil leaves
2 Tbsp. dried Italian parsley
Lemon zest for garnish
To make the crostini: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the baguette slices in a single layer on a baking sheet, and lightly brush with oil. Toast in the oven until golden, about 8 minutes.
To make the dip: Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the chickpeas, lemon juice 2 Tbsp. water, salt, and pepper. Process until the mixture is almost smooth. With the machine still running, gradually blend in the oil. Process until the mixture is completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the sun-dried tomatoes and dried herbs. Blend until the tomatoes and herbs are finely chopped. To serve, spoon 1 tsp. of the dip on each crostini and garnish with lemon zest and fresh herbs.

Main Course: Chicken Piccata
4 skinless boneless chicken breast, halved crosswise
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
All purpose flour, for dredging
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
½ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup drained caper, rinsed
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Sprinkle the chicken with the salt and pepper. Dredge the chicken in the flour to coat lightly. In a large sauté pan, melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter with the 2 Tbsp. of oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook just until brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Add the broth, lemon juice, and capers to the same pan. Bring the broth mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor. Return the chicken to the pan and simmer until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter. Whisk the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the chicken, garnish with the parsley and serve.

Dessert: Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries
1 cup whole milk
1 Tbsp. unflavored powdered gelatin
3 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp. sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups assorted fresh berries
Place the milk in a heavy, small saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over and let stand for 5 minutes to soften the gelatin. Stir over medium heat just until the gelatin dissolves but the milk does not boil, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, honey, sugar, and salt and stir until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Pout the cream mixture into 6 wine glasses, dividing equally. Cover and refrigerate until set, as least 6 hour and up to 2 days. Spoon the berries atop the panna cotta and serve.