If you have cookbook collection from the last 20 years, there’s a good chance that you have one of the many tomes by Joyce Goldstein. She is, in a word, prolific.
This work, Enoteca: Simple Delicious Recipes in the Italian Wine Bar Tradition, was published in 2001 and is as lovely today as back then. And, this week as Super Bowl approaches, it’s a wonderful source for those “little but wonderful” snacks we all crave on Sunday.
We watch the game, of course, but also the commercials. It’s difficult to arrange a bio break. So all food and beverages really have to be staged in advance. Rather than do the standard wings or nachos, let’s look at the chapters in this book and some of ideas you can sample this Sunday:
Fritters and Frittatas: Saffron Rice Croquettes, Meat-Stuffed Deep-Fried Olives
Savory Pastries and Breads: Rustic Meat and Cheese Pie, Chicken Liver Crostini
Pastas and Grains: Stuffed Pasta Rolls with Spinach, Ricotta and Prosciutto; Pasta Gratin with Leeks, Sausages, and Mushrooms
Fish and Shellfish: Sicilian Swordfish Rolls, Shrimp Wrapped in Pancetta
Meat and Poultry: Duck Beast with Balsamic Vinegar and Orange, Little Pork Meatballs from Bari
Vegetables: Potato Pie from Apulia, Sweet Pepper Ragout
Cheese: Cheese Crisp from Friuli, Stuffed Figs with Bay and Fennel
There are some old friends here, like the Pork Meatballs from Bari, but these are made with a combo of veal and pork with pecorino and then deep fried. Speaking of frying, how about those Meat-Stuffed Deep-Fried Olives?
These are all tapas style dishes, smallish nibbles designed to let you nosh for hours. In a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon, you can knock off a few of these treats and be well-prepared for all four quarters.
You might want to make a couple of extra dishes, just in case we go to overtime.
Beyond this Sunday, Enoteca is a resource for you to turn to every time a dinner party is on your agenda. Authentic regional Italian recipes are always welcome.