Source: Family Features

Food and Wine Set the Stage for Simple Summer Entertaining From Bella Sera

Movie Night Bites Bring Family and Friends Together

MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - May 9, 2011) - (Family Features) Long summer evenings present a perfect opportunity to celebrate good wine, good food and the good company of family and friends. What better way to create a beautiful evening than to host a fun gathering with easy-to-share fare, delicious wine pairings and a great movie?

When it comes to movie night entertaining, Emmy award-winning chef and cookbook author Giada De Laurentiis recommends serving sharable nibbles and setting the scene with inspired wine pairings.

Planning a movie night get-together soon? Try one of these entertaining-ready recipes, complete with Bella Sera® wine pairings, for further inspiration. For more movie night recipe ideas from Giada, and wine pairing tips, visit www.bellaserawine.com.

Piadina with Fontina and Prosciutto
"Bella Sera Pinot Grigio is light-bodied, refreshing and has a hint of citrus -- it's the perfect complement to lighter recipes on a warm summer day." -- Celebrity Chef Giada De Laurentiis

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
3 1/2cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2teaspoon baking soda
Fine sea salt
1/2cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
2tablespoons olive oil
115-ounce container (2 cups) whole milk ricotta cheese
2teaspoons grated lemon zest (from 1 to 2 lemons)
Freshly ground black pepper
3cups (6 ounces) grated Fontina cheese
4ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
1cup chopped fresh basil leaves

Combine flour, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt in bowl of an upright mixer fitted with dough hook attachment. Add butter and mix on low speed until incorporated, about 2 minutes.

With machine running, slowly add up to 2/3 cup water, until mixture forms a dough around hook. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead 5 minutes, or until smooth. Cut dough into 4 equal pieces. Form into disk shapes and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat gas or charcoal grill.
On lightly floured work surface, roll out each piece of dough into an 8- to 10-inch circle, about 1/8 inch thick. Brush each circle with olive oil. Grill for 4 minutes on each side. Remove piadini from the grill and let cool slightly.

Combine ricotta cheese and lemon zest in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Spread each piadina with 1/2 cup of the ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with Fontina cheese evenly over ricotta cheese. Arrange prosciutto slices on top of cheeses. Cut each piadina into 8 wedges and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with chopped basil.

Reprinted from "Giada At Home" by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010. Published by Clarkson Potter/Random House, Inc.

Skewered Greek Salad
Pair with Bella Sera Pinot Grigio

Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Skewers:
24grape or small cherry tomatoes
3ounces firm feta cheese (see Cook's Note), cut into 12 (1/2-inch) cubes
12pitted kalamata olives
1/2small red onion, cut into 12 (1/2-inch) pieces
Vinaigrette:
2teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2teaspoons red wine vinegar
4teaspoons chopped fresh oregano leaves
2tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Special Equipment:
126-inch bamboo or wooden skewers

For skewers: Thread skewers starting with a tomato, then a cube of feta cheese, an olive, a piece of onion and finally, another tomato. Repeat with remaining ingredients and skewers.

For vinaigrette: In small bowl, mix together lemon juice, red wine vinegar and half of the oregano. Whisk in olive oil until mixture thickens. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange skewers on a serving platter. Spoon vinaigrette over skewers and sprinkle with remaining oregano.

Cook's Note: Buy feta packed in water; it is moist and easier to skewer and it won't crumble.

Reprinted from "Giada At Home" by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010. Published by Clarkson Potter/Random House, Inc.

Apple Zeppole with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
"I love Bella Sera's Moscato -- it's slightly sweet and has a hint of peach. It's great as is or with dessert." -- Celebrity Chef Giada De Laurentiis

Yield: 4 servings
1large apple, peeled and grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4cup sugar
1stick butter
1/4teaspoon salt
1/2cup water
1cup flour
4eggs
1cup whipping cream
2tablespoons confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1teaspoon cinnamon
Olive oil for frying

In medium saucepan, combine butter, salt, sugar and water over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Take pan off heat and stir in flour. Return pan to medium heat and stir continuously until mixture forms a ball, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer flour mixture to a medium bowl.

Using an electric hand mixer on low speed, add eggs, one at a time, incorporating each egg completely before adding the next. Beat until smooth. Add grated apple and stir to combine. If not frying immediately, cover with plastic wrap and reserve in refrigerator.

Combine whipping cream, 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar and cinnamon in medium bowl. Whip until medium soft peaks form. Transfer whipping cream to serving dish.

Meanwhile, pour enough oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325°F.

Using a small ice-cream scooper or 2 small spoons, carefully drop about a rounded tablespoon of dough into hot olive oil. Turn zeppole once or twice, and cook until golden and puffed up, about 4 minutes. Fry zeppole in batches so as not to overcrowd pan. Drain on paper towels.

Transfer zeppole to a serving dish and sprinkle with powdered sugar using a small sieve. Serve with cinnamon whipped cream alongside for dipping.

Recipe courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis
As seen on "Everyday Italian" in episode "Apres Ski."

Have a favorite movie night recipe? Enter to win!
Share your own movie night inspiration by entering the Beautiful Evenings with Bella Sera and Giada Recipe Content. Simply submit an original recipe, along with a creative movie recommendation and Bella Sera wine pairing for a chance to win. Visit www.bellaserawine.com to enter and view official rules and prize package details.

Contact Information:

Wendy MacDonald
wmacdonald@familyfeatures.com
1-888-824-3337 ext. 235
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