Eating out is a wonderful treat, and you can create the same experience at home. Imagine making a simple meal and feeling like you are dining at a Trattoria in Italy!
My son and I had a wonder meal at Trattoria del Pennello in Florence yesterday evening. We ate outside and the setting was beautiful. The staff was gracious and friendly, and the food was fabulous.
We enjoyed Beef Carpaccio with arugula salad, Eggplant Parmesan, and a fabulous Pasta Carbonara. Afterward, we couldn’t resist a little Panna Cotta with fruit coulis.
And you can easily make all of this at home. Today's Dinner Story helps you do just that.
I didn't get a picture of the Panna Cotta, we were too excited and I forgot! But it looked very similar to this-
You can create easy versions of meals you enjoy when you dine out. For example, I don’t know how they made the Carbonara, but it was divine and had more layers of flavor than the version I make—and of course the pasta was handmade, and cooked to perfection. Although my version of Carbonara with dried pasta from Italy is good, too! Kids love it, it takes minutes to make, and has been a staple on our Menu at home for years.
So, let’s suppose you've never made Pasta Carbonara, and you order it at a restaurant and you love it! Would your first thought be, I can’t wait to go back and have this again, or I can’t wait to figure out how to make an easy version at home?
You can still go back to a restaurant and enjoy your favorite Carbonara, but now you can make an version at home too - one that is almost as easy as opening a jar of pasta sauce and warming it up. And your simple Pasta Carbonara will be fresher, healthier, and likely taste better than what's in the jar.
You can also make Beef Carpaccio- it’s just sliced tenderloin beef with olive oil, Parmesan, salt, and pepper. Add a squeze of fresh lemon juice and capers too, if you like!
You can also make a simple eggplant parmesan by baking eggplant, then topping it with tomato sauce and mozzarella and then bake until the mozzarella is melted and crisp.
I cut a lot of corners here compared to a traditional recipe, but it's still delicious- and much faster to make!
In my book, I will tell you more about how to create restaurant-style meals at home based on the inspiration you find when you dine out. For now, when you go out, snap a pic of your meals and menus, including dishes you liked and would like to try. I will show you how to use these ideas to make your own recipes in my new App, which will be out next week. Also, in my upcoming book, I will show you how you find more inspiration when dining out. Until then, save your ideas and stay tuned for the details on the App. Ciao for now!
