Escape to Italy with six spring recipes

My birthday falls in late January at the height of winter, when post-holiday blues are at their peak. I use it as an excuse to plan an annual warm-weather getaway and take advantage of off-season prices. This year — in the wake of California wildfires and a tense presidential inauguration — the need to escape felt even more pronounced.

In early February I frolicked solo through Rome, Florence and Naples, with day trips to explore Tuscany and Pompeii ruins. I decided early on in my trip that I wouldn’t bother with souvenirs — save an herb-salt seasoning blend I picked up from Dario Cecchini’s Chianti-based butchery at the behest of Food general manager Laurie Ochoa. My suitcase was heavy enough as it was.

But exuberance got the best of me during a seven-hour Tuscany wine tour. From Champagne-method sparkling wine to crisp rosé and bold Sangiovese, every option seemed better than the last. And the wineries were kind enough to offer to ship my selections directly to my home so I wouldn’t have to deal with overweight luggage. Heady with Chianti Classico, I generously scrawled my credit card information and address across a handful of order forms. Six bottles come in a case, so it’d be wasteful to order anything less, right?

Weeks later I was back at home and my trip to Italy was a fast-fading memory. That is, until my shipment arrived in the mail. Opening my international bounty was like unwrapping a Christmas present. I had scant memory of my purchases — six wines and two olive oils in total — but was nonetheless impressed by the variety I’d chosen.

I thought about what our sommelier tour guide had said about the drawbacks of saving wine for a special occasion. Even the best wine can unexpectedly turn when it’s left for too long. As in life, nothing is guaranteed.

I decided to host an Italian-themed potluck that could double as a wine and olive oil tasting. I stipulated a springtime-in-Italy dress code, and that every guest should bring an Italian export to share. I promised a lineup of Italian cinematic masterpieces as entertainment, from “The Lizzie McGuire Movie” to “Roman Holiday” and “House of Gucci.”

The party is coming up this weekend, and the menu is almost finalized. I plan to greet each guest with an Aperol spritz when they arrive, with fresh focaccia for ripping and dipping in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and pitted Castelvetrano olives for snacking.

To cut down on food prep, since I’m also playing host, I’ll be making a classic Caprese salad pulled from Laura Vitale’s “At My Italian Table” cookbook, with tomatoes on the vine, buffalo mozzarella, olives and fresh basil, all drizzled with olive oil.

My friends, who happen to love a theme as much as I do, are bringing more involved plates, including chicken cacciatore, mushroom risotto, a seafood salad, Margherita pizza and pistachio tiramisu.

In case you’re also feeling the need to escape, here are six recipes to create your own transportive Italian spread.

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Focaccia

As mentioned, I personally do not possess the skills to both host a successful party and cook or bake anything that requires prolonged attention, so the focaccia at my soiree will be fresh-baked courtesy of Eataly, but if you’re keen on doing it yourself, this recipe from Duff Goldman’s “Duff Bakes: Think and Bake Like a Pro at Home” cookbook is fairly straightforward. Goldman begins with starter dough, or biga, to give the focaccia more flavor, and recommends allowing for three days of fermentation. You can top the bread with the ingredients of your choice, though the basil oil, sliced onion and Parmesan that Goldman uses are great for an Italian flavor profile.
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Cook time: 2 hours. Makes 2 12-inch rounds.

(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Bruschetta Alla Matalotta

With sunny weather on the horizon, this simple bruschetta with albacore tuna steak from Evan Kleiman is the perfect way to celebrate the shift in season. It’s based on the Sicilian dish tonno alla Matalotta, and though it involves grilling, any simple setup will do as long as you have olive oil on hand.
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Cook time: 35 minutes. Serves 4 to 8.

(Glenn Koenig / Los Angeles Times)

‘Oven-Fried’ Artichokes

Artichokes are currently in season and this straightforward recipe from former cooking columnist Ben Mims by way of his friend Helen Rosner is a simple take on Italian fritti with oil-marinated artichoke hearts that are cooked in the oven on foil-lined baking sheets.
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Cook time: 35 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

(Ben Mims / Los Angeles Times)

Pezzetti Fritti (Mixed Fried Vegetables)

Is it really an Italian party without fried vegetables or seafood? This pezzetti fritti recipe from Leah Koenig traces back to Roman Jewish kitchens and features a thick batter that completely coats the vegetables. Serve the dish hot with a generous squeeze of lemon.
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Cook time: 1 hour. Serves 4 to 6.

(Rebecca Peloquin / For The Times)

Dunsmoor’s Lowcountry Risotto

This risotto from Dunsmoor chefs Brian Dunsmoor and Manuel Mendoza uses Carolina gold rice for a lowcountry take on the classic Italian dish, but a generous helping of Parmesan, white wine and dry sherry, plus shrimp paste and butter, bring it back to its roots.
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Cook time: 2 hours 30 minutes. Serves 6 to 8.

(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)

Valerie Gordon’s Pistachio Lemon Olive Oil Cake

To cap off your Italian spread, try this pistachio lemon olive oil cake from Valerie Gordon of Valerie Confections. Gordon uses pistachio flour to further boost the creamy, nutty profile, and a blend of sumac, coriander and fleur de sel in the lemon glaze lends a warmth to the finished cake.
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Cook time: 1 hour plus cooling time. Makes one 9-inch cake.

(Silvia Razgova/For The Times)