A Dreamy Italian Menu for Summer Dinner Parties
Katherine Lewin is the founder and CEO of Big Night, a New York party store stocked with essentials for any gathering. Below, in an adapted excerpt from her new cookbook, Big Night: Dinners, Parties & Dinner Parties, Lewin shares the ultimate summer menu.
There comes a time in every summer when you simply can’t escape it: Everyone you know is on vacation. Maybe they’re on a Greek island. Maybe they’re on some sandy beach in Florida. Maybe they’re sipping rosé in Provence. You, on the other hand, are…not.
Stop scrolling. Put your phone down. Turn on a fan and let it blow through your hair. Or just stick your face in front of the AC. Then start planning your very own trip. Call up your friends or neighbors or maybe even a total stranger you just met in the grocery store and tell them you’re going to Italy. Together.
Some people may have their vacations, but you have pasta. And burrata. And the freshest farmers’ market tomatoes. And you have it all at home, surrounded by friends, old and/or new.
THE MENUTomato Salad
When the tomatoes are as good as they are in peak-tomato summer, you really could just slice them thickly; season them with flaky salt, pepper, and good olive oil; and call it a dish. In my cookbook, I share one way to make them even more divine: with a drizzle of tonnato, aka “tuna sauce” in Italian. This recipe from goop calls for a similar pairing of garden-fresh tomatoes and a creamy sauce, albeit with an American twist.
Burrata, Peach, and Basil
Good burrata cheese is one of those ingredients that ask so little of us—it’s perfect on its own. A couple of balls of burrata, plus a couple simple toppings, makes for a never-fail starter. In my book, I offer some inspiration for serving it in every season; for right now, try this simple combination from the goop archives: With fresh peach and basil, it’s an instant summer classic.
Clam and Corn Pasta
Clam pasta, or linguine alle vongole, isn’t a difficult dish to make—and yet it always feels like a special occasion. I love the combination of in-season corn and clams so much that I had to bring them together in this dish: a true celebration of summer in one big bowl. It’ll make you feel like you’re staring out at the Mediterranean Sea, even if you’re just sitting inside your apartment.
Lemon Granita and Cream
The first time I tasted lemon granita was at an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn called Lilia, where it comes in a tall, ice-cold glass, stacked between layers of vanilla soft serve. The second time was in Sicily, at the iconic Caffè Sicilia, where it’s served with brioche and cream—for breakfast. Caffè Sicilia may be a bit farther from home, but both are transcendent experiences worth traveling for. In the meantime, make this lemon granita and bring that transcendence to your own table.
Tomato Salad
When the tomatoes are as good as they are in peak-tomato summer, you really could just slice them thickly; season them with flaky salt, pepper, and good olive oil; and call it a dish. In my cookbook, I share one way to make them even more divine: with a drizzle of tonnato, aka “tuna sauce” in Italian. This recipe from goop calls for a similar pairing of garden-fresh tomatoes and a creamy sauce, albeit with an American twist.
Burrata, Peach, and Basil
Good burrata cheese is one of those ingredients that ask so little of us—it’s perfect on its own. A couple of balls of burrata, plus a couple simple toppings, makes for a never-fail starter. In my book, I offer some inspiration for serving it in every season; for right now, try this simple combination from the goop archives: With fresh peach and basil, it’s an instant summer classic.
Clam and Corn Pasta
Clam pasta, or linguine alle vongole, isn’t a difficult dish to make—and yet it always feels like a special occasion. I love the combination of in-season corn and clams so much that I had to bring them together in this dish: a true celebration of summer in one big bowl. It’ll make you feel like you’re staring out at the Mediterranean Sea, even if you’re just sitting inside your apartment.
Lemon Granita and Cream
The first time I tasted lemon granita was at an Italian restaurant in Brooklyn called Lilia, where it comes in a tall, ice-cold glass, stacked between layers of vanilla soft serve. The second time was in Sicily, at the iconic Caffè Sicilia, where it’s served with brioche and cream—for breakfast. Caffè Sicilia may be a bit farther from home, but both are transcendent experiences worth traveling for. In the meantime, make this lemon granita and bring that transcendence to your own table.
Excerpted with permission from Big Night: Dinners, Parties & Dinner Parties by Katherine Lewin © 2024. Published by Union Square and Co.