Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 ounces softened cream cheese
• ½ cup sour cream
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• 2 Tbsp real mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (juice of one large lemon)
• 2 Tbsp lemon zest (zest of same large lemon)
• 14-ounce can of artichoke hearts, drained, roughly chopped and squeezed dry
• 1 ¼ cups freshly shredded parmesan cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ¼ cup Peroni
• Salt and pepper
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• ½ tsp Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper (optional)
• ½ cup roughly chopped basil leaves
• 8-10 slices of ciabatta
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, add cream cheese, sour cream, mayo, lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir together with a wooden spoon until smooth.

Add drained artichoke hearts, 1 cup of parmesan (save the additional ¼ cup for later), mozzarella, Peroni, salt and pepper, Aleppo pepper, and stir until well combined. Fold in basil.

Transfer mixture into a shallow quart sized oven safe crock or pan of your choice. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup of parmesan over the top of dip and place in the oven. Cook for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned and bubbly.

While dip is cooking, cut ciabatta into thin slices and again in half.

Using either a pastry brush or your fingertips, lightly coat both sides of bread with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake in 350°F oven for 8-10 minutes until lightly toasted. (Tip: you may want to place in the oven during the last 10 minutes of the dip’s cook time to make sure both come out warm and fresh.)

Ingredientes

• 2 Tbsp dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper (optional)
• 3 lb boneless pork shoulder roast
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 ½ cups diced yellow onion
• 1 cup roughly chopped dried figs
• 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1 Peroni (330ml bottle) plus ¹/³ cup Peroni
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 pinch cinnamon (optional)
• 16-18 ounce log of polenta cut into ¼ inch slices
• (*Baguette can be substituted if preferred, see recipe note below)

Directions

Pork Shoulder

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Whisk together mustard, olive oil, salt, pepper, brown sugar, rosemary and crushed red pepper.

Rub this mixture all over pork roast and place it fat side up in an 8-10 qt dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with an oven-proof lid. Place pork roast, uncovered, into the oven for 20 minutes to begin to render the fat.

While pork is starting, place garlic, onion, figs and Peroni into a medium sized bowl and mix together, hydrating the figs.

At 20 minutes, remove pork from the oven and pour the Peroni fig mixture over the pork roast. Top with rosemary sprigs, cover and return to the oven. Reduce heat to 350°F and continue to cook for 2 ½ hours until fork tender.

When pork has finished cooking, remove from the oven, take off the lid, discard rosemary sprigs and let rest for 15 minutes.

Take pork out of dutch oven and set it to the side. Remove 1 Tbsp of drippings from the pan to use later.

Place dutch oven on the stove at medium high heat and add ¹/3 cup Peroni, 2 Tbsp of balsamic vinegar and pinch of cinnamon. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Remove from heat.

Remove large visible pieces of fat from pork roast and set to the side. Shred pork either with your hands or forks and return to the fig sauce. Cook for 2 minutes on medium high until pork is coated with sauce.

Remove from heat and cover while polenta discs are being prepared (see directions below).

Polenta Canapés

Heat a nonstick skillet to medium high. Add 1 Tbsp drippings from removed pork fat to the pan. When sizzling, add sliced polenta and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until crispy and lightly browned.

To assemble, place 2 Tbsp pulled pork and fig atop polenta disc. Finish with your favorite salt. (Note: leftover pork can be used in a second batch of canapés, as an entrée, or even on a delicious sandwich the next day.)

*Note: If preferred, the pulled pork and fig can be served atop crostini. To prepare, thinly slice a baguette. Lightly brush the slices with olive oil and place them in a toaster oven or broiler until crisp and golden, turning as needed. Top with pulled pork and fig and finish with your favorite salt.

Ingredients

• 2 bottles (330ml per bottle) of Peroni
• 2 ½ cups rice flour (and an additional ½ cup, saved for later)
• ¹/³ cup cornstarch
• ¹/³ cup cornmeal
• Salt (sea salt preferred, if available)
• 1 tsp white pepper
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 6 cups vegetable oil
• 1 lb calamari, tubes and tentacles, rinsed and tubes cut into ½ inch rings. Pat dry.
• 12 pitted green castelvetrano, Cerignola olives or your favorite canned/jarred olives (optional)
• 1 large lemon cut into thin slices, seeds removed
• 1 medium zucchini quartered and cut into ¼ inch batons
• 16 sage leaves (optional)

Chili Dipping sauce ingredients

• 1 cup real mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp Calabrian chilis or your favorite chili sauce
• 1 Tbsp dijon mustard
• Juice of 1 large lemon
• ½ cup finely minced fresh parsley

Directions

Fritto Misto Directions

Whisk together Peroni, 2 1/2 cups rice flour, cornstarch, corn meal, sea salt, white pepper and baking powder until smooth. Consistency should be like a slightly thin pancake batter. Batter will be very light and may not completely stick to all calamari and vegetables. This is to be expected and adds to the visual appeal and lightness of the dish.

Pat dry and lay out the rest of the ingredients to be fried. Line a cookie sheet with a tea towel or paper towels to drain after frying.

In a large deep skillet, add vegetable oil until it is roughly 2 inches deep. Heat oil on medium high heat until it reaches 375°F.

Start with calamari. Add all calamari to batter and stir to lightly coat. Remove coated calamari with a fork and gently drop into oil. Fry in batches for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and set on cookie sheet to drain. (If batter seems too thin after frying the first batch add a few tbsp of rice flour to batter to thicken to your desired consistency.)

Next, move on to olives (if using. If not, move onto the next step). Add to batter and stir to gently coat. Lift out of the batter with a teaspoon and gently drop into oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and set on cookie sheet to drain.

Next move to lemon slices. Dredge individual slices in batter and gently place in oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Turn over and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until lightly golden brown. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and set on cookie sheet to drain.

Next move to zucchini. Dredge and fry, using the same method as the lemon slices.

End with sage leaves (if using. If not, move onto the next step). Fry for 1-2 minutes until crispy.

Finish with flaky sea salt.

Fritto Misto may be kept in a 200°F oven until ready to serve.

Chili Dipping Sauce Directions

Mix all ingredients together until fully combined and place in a serving bowl to accompany fritto misto.

Add a few lemon wedges to serve.

Ingredients

• 1 orange
• ¼ cup of sugar
• ½ tsp ground clove
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3 dash bitters
• 1.5 oz bourbon
• 1 bottle (330ml) of Peroni

Directions

Muddle ½ spiced orange round (see below) in a 16 oz glass.

Fill halfway with ice.

Add 1.5 oz bourbon and 3 dash bitters and stir.

Fill to top with Peroni.

Garnish with another ½ spiced orange round.

For spiced orange slice

Slice orange into 1/4 inch thick round slices. Cut each round in half.

Mix sugar, ground clove and cinnamon in a small bowl or container wide enough to accommodate orange slice.

Dredge orange slices fully in mixture.