A Puglia Christening

This weekend I had the chance to experience a real Puglia christening.

After the ceremony at one of the (many) local churches, myself and my boyfriend's family headed to a lovely little restaurant in my town for some lunch. I say some lunch. Actually it was probably one of the biggest lunches I have ever had. In my entire life.I almost had to be rolled out of the restaurant.

The food was great, as was the wine and the company. We spent a total of 4 hours eating, drinking and generally being quite merry. Here are a few pics for you!

Yes, the dessert photos are bigger..ahem...

The beautiful boy :)

 As you can see, the food was delicious. Excessive? Yes. But definitely delicious. I've yet to experience a one, but I've heard that this was nothing compared to a traditional southern Italian wedding...

All you need is...antipasto!

What finishes off a long, tiring week perfectly (apart from a spa weekend/massive lie in/bottle of wine)?

Yes, that's right, a fabulous Friday feast.

Myself and my man found a cosy, local restaurant and indulged in a host of tasty antipasto dishes.

I think it's best if I let the photos do the talking....

Fresh tomatoes and mozzarella

Who knew veggies could taste this good?

Prosciutto and salami

Bruschetta and Focaccia

Provola cheese from the forno

Pampanella: yummy, spicy pork

Are you hungry now? ;)

FOOD FRIDAY: awesome antipasto

Yes, it's Friday again!

Are you looking for an easy, light lunch/dinner option?

Do you fancy something that doesn't require much cooking?

Are you rather lazy like I am?

Well, here's a solution for all of the above:

Easy Antipasto!

Whether you are making something for yourself, your family, or have agreed to host a load of guests (eek!), antipasto is the way forward. I've been eating lots of it recently, because I'm golosa, and because these light dishes are perfect for when it's hot outside. Slaving away over a hot stove? Errm, no thanks. Have a look at these simple antipasto ideas:

Mini Bruschetta 

Chop up some tomatoes (into small pieces), add some salt, olive oil and oregano. Then add a garlic clove (whole, but remember to remove later!) and leave in the fridge for an hour or two. Serve on small slices of fresh, crusty bread.

Fried Mozzarella Balls

Take some small balls of mozzarella, dip into egg and then roll in breadcrumbs (don't forget to add a little salt). Heat up enough olive oil in a pan to almost fully immerse these mozzarella balls, and then fry them for a minute or so. Any more, and they will start melting and lose their shape. As you can see, mine are not perfect!! Definitely a learning process... and be careful of the hot oil!

Pear in Prosciutto

I'm not a fan of melon, which is usually the fruit of choice to go with prosciutto, so I decided I'd try pear. It's really good! You could serve these in more 'bite size' portions, with cocktail sticks.

Wrap bites

I made these using rocket, Galbanino cheese, prosciutto and pesto. You could also try them with cooked ham and mayonnaise/philadelphia instead of prosciutto and pesto. Make a normal wrap, leave in the fridge for half an hour (wrapped in clingfilm to keep the shape), and then cut into slices before you serve. 

Grilled aubergines

These you may have seen before. If not, have a look here. This is where the most cooking is involved. If you call grilling some aubergine slices cooking, that is ;)

Finally, have a look here for my tomato and mozzarella spears. These are ridiculously simple but look pretty impressive. Watch this space for more antipasto ideas in the future!

Buon appetito!!