If you have been following this blog, you may recall another Tuscan dinner earlier last month, part one of a so called "gemellaggio" - a twinning of sorts based on the European concept of connecting two regions, sharing experiences, recipes and making new connections along the way.
We full heartedly embraced the concept with our friends Clelia and Andrea of Agriturismo Il Baciarino when we accepted the invitation to a dinner in Raffaella Cova's enchanted garden outside of Montalcino.
I hadn't met Raffaella personally until two days prior when Clelia and Andrea hosted the first gemellaggio dinner in Vetulonia, and in a way it felt like sitting down to a dinner with old friends by then - all thanks to the powers of Instagram :)
I had "met" Raffaella's friend Katja on Instagram last year, so when we started planning a visit to the Maremma region last month, it was Katja who pulled some magic strings for this "gemellaggio dinner with friends" - and a magical garden dinner hosted by Raffaella and her architect husband Marco. Get ready for an elaborate and mouth watering menu ...
the menu.
~ chilled cucumber soup
~ zucchini filled with ricotta, wild fennel, lemon zest and pine nuts
~ pecorino tartlettes flan with a pear and honey sauce
~ green beans wrapped in pancetta and parmesan
~ beet salad with feta cheese, fresh onion, ginger and mint
~ arugula with peaches and mozzarella
~ vitello tonnato
~ egg rolls with goat cheese and mint
~ roasted peppers with tomatoes and almonds
~ tomatoes confit
~ oven roasted tomatoes filled with rice
~ homemade flatbreads
~ cold pasta with pesto sauce, cherry tomatoes and pecorino cheese
~ charlotte cake with whipped cream and fresh strawberries
Our host Raffaella is not only an amazing cook, she also offers Tuscan cooking classes & picnic catering in/around Montalcino and Val d'Orcia
{ Lunch with Raffaella }
