BIG NIGHT IN

More Than 100 Wonderful Recipes for Feeding Family and Friends Italian-Style

You don’t have to dine out to enjoy a memorable meal. These days, more and more of us are finding that our favorite meals, the ones we cherish the most, are those we prepare in our own home and share with family and friends around the dining room table or on the backyard patio.With appetizers and antipasti, soups and salads, pasta, rice and savory tortes, great main courses, side dishes and indulgent desserts, Big Night In gives you everything you need to casually entertain at home. There’s even a brunch menu for those wanting a ‘big morning in.’ Let Big Night In help you create the treasured experience of sharing a meal with those you love. Chronicle Books, 2008.

PRAISE AND Reviews

Food and Wine: Best Cookbooks of 2009. {see list here}

“While the phrase “big night” usually evokes an evening out on the town, for food writer Marchetti, it's all about keeping things close to home. A celebratory spirit permeates this well-designed title, divided primarily by course and featuring Italian-style dishes geared for entertaining. While there is a selection of easy-to-prepare yet guest-worthy dishes—farm stand sauté, rosemary-rubbed butterflied leg of lamb, double carbonara—this title isn't all about casual entertaining. Carefully planned multisectioned recipes such as the pasta timballo, stuffed veal involtini with a crumbled sausage sauce, and crepe cannelloni with zucchini and cheese stuffing are time-intensive yet sure to provide a wow factor on the table. A well-versed dessert chapter includes an assortment of crostatas and granitas.” Publishers Weekly {full article}

If you're entertaining for a crowd this holiday season - even on a smaller budget - "Big Night In" will provide the inspiration and recipes for creating a casual, home-style feast. Food writer and cooking teacher Domenica Marchetti's charming book provides serving suggestions, variations and do-ahead tips to accompany approachable recipes like grilled Caesar Flank Steaks with Lemon-Anchovy Butter, Baked Farro Pudding, and Pork Ragu. Marchetti's creations are inventive enough to entice readers while still bordering on the familiar - try the Beef and Chestnut Stew with Marsala (see recipe), which melds the homey flavors of winter into a warming dish. San Francisco Chronicle {article}

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