Christmas menu: family traditions

TO Christmas, mise en place and traditional menus with high-class bubbles. To end on a sweet note, panettone will be enough (you are already having lunch with those who love you)

Roast guinea fowl with dates, pomegranate and pears

INGREDIENTS juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of Grana Padano, 1 clove of garlic, 1 small white onion, marjoram, rosemary, 2 cinnamon sticks, star anise, 1/2 glass of white wine, 1 glass of vegetable broth, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

Clean the artichokes, cut them into wedges and soak them in water and lemon juice. Then pat them dry and brown them in a pan with oil, garlic and marjoram, salt and pepper.

In another pan, brown the veal stew with the sliced ​​onion, rosemary, oil, salt and pepper. Then, in a large bowl, combine the artichokes, meat, cherry tomatoes, Grana Padano and egg, and mix everything well.

Lay out the guinea fowl on a kitchen surface, cover it with the slices of raw ham and, in the center, place the mix of meat and artichokes. Roll up and seal with kitchen twine. Then, brown in a pan with extra virgin olive oil.

Prepare the pan for the oven, placing the orange and fennel slices and the spices on the bottom. Place the guinea fowl in the middle surrounded by apples and pears, then sprinkle with white wine and transfer in the oven at 180° C for approximately 50 minutes, wetting occasionally with the vegetable broth. Leave to cool before serving, accompanying with the pomegranate seeds.

Vegetables au gratin with herbs

INGREDIENTS 6/8: 3 medium potatoes, 2 medium sweet potatoes, 200 g pumpkin pulp (Hokkaido, if possible), 4 courgettes, 2 red onions, 1 tablespoon oregano, dried dill and marjoram, 2 tablespoons Grana Padano and pecorino romano mixed together, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper.

Clean all the vegetables, pat them dry and slice them not too thinly, preferably with the help of a mandolin. If possible they should have a uniform thickness.

Choose a large baking dish, grease it with extra virgin olive oil and arrange the slices of potatoes, courgettes, onions and pumpkin, mixing them together. Season them with herbs, extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkling of grated cheese, then Season with salt (very little) and pepper.

Decor touch: keep some vegetables aside to harmoniously decorate the surface, as for a French “tian”. Place in a preheated oven at 180° C for 30/40 minutes. Serve the side dish warm.

Wholemeal bread with walnuts and dates

INGREDIENTS 1 LOAF: 200 g plain flour, 50 g wholemeal flour, 180 ml warm water, 3 large pitted Medjool dates, 50 g chopped walnut kernels, 5 g dry brewer’s yeast, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar.

In the bowl of the stand mixer (or in any case in a large bowl) dissolve the yeast in the water and add the sugar. Gradually add the flours, finally the salt. Knead until you obtain a smooth and elastic dough. Then add the chopped dates and walnuts.

Let the dough rise for at least an hour, covered with a clean cloth, in a well-heated place in the house. Turn it over onto the floured kitchen surface, give it the shape of a loaf, dust it with flour and cut a cross on the surface.

Let it rise for another 45 minutes, then place the loaf in a freshly greased mold and pass it through in the oven already at 180°-190° C for half an hour or more, so that it becomes golden and crunchy on the surface. Let the bread rest for a quarter of an hour before bringing it to the table.

ON THE TABLE: Champagne DOM PÉRIGNON ROSÉ VINTAGE 2009. GEMINIANO COZZI 1765 plates, BOTTEGA STRINGA cutlery, SAINT LOUIS glasses, ORO CRUDO napkins, DABBENE SILVERWARE spoon and tray, DEDAR fabrics. FRUTTETO LENTINI MILANO collaborated.

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