Nigellissima episode 7 – Nigella loves Christmas and for her a party is the perfect way to celebrate. She kicks off festivities with a glittering buffet party. For her Italian inspiration Nigella travels to Venice, a city that has been close to her heart ever since her first visit 20 years ago. Armed with recipe and party ideas for her festive feast, Nigella returns to create a tasty Christmas buffet menu for her guests.
Nigella gets the party started with her own ruby red Venetian cocktail, served with quick and easy canapes like parmesan shortbreads and panettone stuffing squares. To follow is Nigella’s new approach for the big bird – a turkey breast stuffed with Italian sausage and marsala steeped cranberries, served alongside a dazzling renaissance salad and a hearty brussel sprout pasta.
Guests are treated to irresistible desserts, including a marshmallow cappuccino pavlova and a stunning Italian Christmas pudding cake – adorned with chocolate chips and pomegranate seeds – thought to bring good luck to the table.
Nigella’s Italian-inspired party is spectacular, sumptuous and will definitely get everyone in the Christmas spirit.
Nigellissima episode 7 recieps:
Italian Christmas pudding cake
There seem to be many steps here. This conceals the fact that it is ludicrously, dazzlingly easy to make: it doesn’t require cooking or technical brilliance: it is merely an assembly job. Not that you need to be advertising this fact to appreciative eaters.
Chocolate salame
I’ve encountered quite a few versions of chocolate salame in Italy – coming to the conclusion that it’s really an Italian version of our chocolate refrigerator cake. I am grateful here to Jacob Kenedy for his instructions on how to string up a finocchiona in the Bocca Cookbook.
Renaissance salad
It wouldn’t be Christmas without my renaissance salad. All the lettuces here come from around Venice. The beautiful radicchio leaves are amplified by the Treviso. The Tardivo add real bitterness, which I adore. A sprinkling of salt and a drizzle of olive oil and sweet balsamic vinegar is all the leaves need, followed by a scattering of pomegranate seeds to finish off. Just beautiful!
Stuffed turkey breast
You need to go to a butcher to get a whole breast joint and you need to ask for it to be butterflied and boned and make sure the skin is left on. I know it might sound a bit of a faff, but take it from me that stuffing a whole double-breast joint is very much easier than stuffing and rolling a single breast joint, and it is more commonly found in supermarkets.
Gorgonzola and Cannellini dip with a Tricolore flourish
This creamy, smoky dip is the work of moments. Just whizz together some cannellini beans, Gorgonzola, plain yoghurt, mascarpone and Parmesan. Add a splosh of Marsala and a green drizzle of olive oil and it’s done. Sprinkle with some chopped chillies and chives and serve with a platter of tricolore crudités – red peppers, white cauliflower and green sugar snaps.
Hearty wholewheat pasta with Brussels sprouts
Don’t be modishly alarmed by the double-carb combo: it can be an alcohol-sopping salve, much appreciated at this time of year. Besides, it is important to remember that the original predates central heating.
Cappucino pavlova
I have long been a Pavaholic but this is my first venture into a fruit-free version. The instant espresso powder (do not use regular instant coffee granules) gives bitter oomph to the sweet, marshmallowy meringue.