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Course #1

Bring the Bread: Tuscan Summer Garden Bruschetta

"I always start an Italian dinner with a simple, flavorful bruschetta," Tyler says. "You want it to say something, but you never want it to overwhelm what's still to come." Which brings us to Florence's Tuscan Summer Garden Bruschetta, which was inspired by a walk through the Mercato Ambrogio, a sprawling green market on the northern edge of Florence, where he hunted down that most important of Italian ingredients: "whatever's fresh." A local chef led Tyler to some just-picked peas, which resulted in a dish that Tyler calls a "melt-in-your-mouth puree." The puree is the key to this dish, since Florentine bread is almost unpalatable to American tastebuds. This lack of flavor results from a salt tax that was levied during Roman times and remained in existence until 1975. Rather than pay the tax, the obstinate Tuscans decided to stop using the pricey spice. This tradition still holds, leading to some of the blandest bread you'll ever taste. To compensate for what the dough lacks, Tuscans amp up the purees, bruschettas, and other toppings.

INGREDIENTS

1⁄4 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed

1⁄2 pound English peas, shelled, or 1⁄2 cup frozen petite peas

1⁄4 pound asparagus, tips only (about 21⁄2 inches)

1⁄4 pound haricots verts or tender green beans, trimmed

1⁄2 cup fresh ricotta cheese

2 green onions, green parts only, roughly chopped

Squeeze of lemon juice

Extra-virgin olive oil

Healthy pinch sea salt or kosher salt

4 turns of black-pepper mill

2 loaves crusty Italian bread

2 cloves garlic (optional)

1⁄2 bunch green onions, trimmed

Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings

Fresh mint leaves

HOW

Add the peas, asparagus, and green beans to boiling water and cook for about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of salted ice water to stop the cooking process, then drain again. Place in a food processor and add the ricotta cheese, chopped green onions, lemon juice, and a generous drizzle of oil. Puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a bowl, cover, and set aside. Slice bread and brush oil on both sides. Toast on both sides and gently rub a garlic clove on one side. Spoon the reserved puree over the bread. Garnish with the trimmed green onions and Parmigiano-Reggiano shavings. Finish with an additional drizzle of oil, sea salt, and a sprig of mint.

DRINK

Prosecco Mionetto, Cartizze, $35. A full-bodied example of the Italian answer to sparkling wines, which is a bit sweeter than classic Champagnes. This particular aperitivo is full of juicy peach flavor and a subtle acidity that's perfect with a bruschetta and great for kicking off a meal.

Course #2

Light the Fire: Prosciutto-Wrapped Boconccini

You've got things rolling and your guest of honor is starting to think you might actually have some kitchen cred. The trick is to press ahead and turn up the heat. In fact, it's time to bring the fire. Tuscany is famed for its age-cured prosciutto and fresh mozzarella. Some might call that "ham and cheese." They would be wrong. Mix these two and witness a classic pairing: The texture and mellow taste of the cheese perfectly contrasts with the salty, meaty flavor of the ham. But let's face it, any Tom, Dick, or Mario can go to the deli and buy some cheese and meat. You're here to impress, Tuscan style. Just as the local bread is flavorless, Florentine mozzarella is less creamy and more richly textured than the mozzarella di bufala we're accustomed to. That's because their cheese comes from Tuscan cattle (as opposed to buffalos). As a result, the cheese is slightly chewier, saltier, and, as such, distinctly suited to grilling. "When you grill this cheese," Tyler says after about five or six consecutive mouthfuls, "you impart a smoky flavor that gives it a whole new layer of complexity—and it's so easy." In the following recipe, Tyler takes fired dairy one step further and drizzles his antipasto in homemade orange-chili oil, an easy-to-make infusion that's so good that it'll make people melt in your hands after it melts in their mouths.

INGREDIENTS

3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic

4 sprigs rosemary

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 sprigs fresh oregano

Pinch sea salt or kosher salt

5 turns of black-pepper mill

12 boconccini (mozzarella balls)

Pinch dried chile-pepper flakes

1 orange

12 pieces (approximately 1⁄4 pound) thinly sliced prosciutto di San Daniele or another high-quality cured ham, such as prosciutto di Parma

10 toothpicks soaked in water for 30 minutes (to prevent burning)

HOW

To make the marinated boconccini: Place 1⁄4 cup of the oil in a wooden or nonreactive bowl. Using a sturdy wooden spoon, crush the garlic, rosemary, thyme, and oregano into the sides of a bowl. This helps to release the fragrant and essential oils. Season with salt and pepper and mix. Fold in the boconccini, being careful not to bruise them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to overnight. Turn the marinated cheese once in a while to ensure even flavoring.
To infuse the drizzling oil: In a small, dry pot, lightly toast the chile flakes on low heat. Keeping the heat on low, add the remaining olive oil. Then, using a potato peeler, peel about a 3-inch strip of zest or peel off the orange. Give the orange peel a squeeze to release the oils and submerge it in the oil. Leave on low heat (just enough to keep the oil warm) for 35 to 45 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld as opposed to scorching them. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
To grill the boconccini: Fire up your outdoor grill or grill pan. Make sure that the grill surface is clean. To create a nonstick surface, wipe the grill with a paper towel dampened with a little olive oil. Remove the boconccini from the refrigerator and blot the pieces on paper towels to remove the excess oil. Carefully pull the prosciutto from the butcher paper and wrap it around the cheese. Using the water-soaked toothpicks, secure the meat to the cheese. Place the Prosciutto-Wrapped Boconccini on the hot grill and allow them to heat through (no more than 2 minutes, or until you see grill marks on them). Carefully turn them over and cook for another minute to mark the other side. Place on serving plates and drizzle with the chile-and-orange-infused oil. Serve immediately—these things are best when they're hot and the cheese is melting a bit. (This recipe, as with all here, serves four.)

DRINK

2004 Michele Satta Giovin Re, $275 for six bottles (includes shipping from Italy to the United States). A big, buttery, straw-colored white wine that recalls white Burgundy in profile. Smooth enough not to overwhelm the milky mozzarella, but hefty enough to cut through the salty prosciutto and spicy peppers. A rarity among Italian whites in that it's complex and cellerable, as well.


Course #3

Boil the Water: Spaghetti With Oven-Baked Clams, Cherry Tomatoes, and Pesto

By this point, your guests can't dispute your talents. Now it's time to demand applause. The solution to this problem is pasta. Tyler's spicy version uses plump littleneck clams. Please don't confuse this dish with the bland spaghetti and white clam sauce found at the Olive Garden. In fact, even the boiled water here goes toward pushing the idea of flavor. Why? Because in Tuscany, they don't throw out the water the pasta cooks in. Here, it's used as the base for an amazing broth. One bite, and a cynical guest may demand you produce the Italian grandmother you're clearly hiding in a closet.

INGREDIENTS

40 littleneck clams, well scrubbed

3⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

10 cloves garlic, smashed with the flat of a knife

1⁄4 pound sliced pancetta, roughly chopped

2 whole dried red chile peppers

2 cups + 1 handful fresh basil

1⁄2 cup dry white wine

2 pints cherry tomatoes (stems removed or, for a more rustic style, with stems)

5 turns of black-pepper mill

1 pound spaghetti

1 cup fresh Italian parsley

1⁄2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano cheese

1⁄2 cup unsalted pine nuts, toasted

4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

Pinch sea salt or kosher salt

HOW

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Scrub the clams under cold water and discard any that are open; set aside. Position a medium roasting pan over two burners. Add 1⁄4 cup of the oil; the smashed garlic, pancetta, and chile peppers; and the handful of basil (stems removed) and cook until the pancetta renders, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the clams, wine, tomatoes, and black pepper and stir. Place in the oven and roast until the clams open, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, drop the spaghetti into a large pot of salted boiling water and cook for 7 minutes. Drain but reserve a bit of the water. For the pesto, combine the 2 cups basil, remaining oil, parsley, cheese, pine nuts, chopped garlic, and salt in a processor. Puree until it forms a thick paste. Remove clams from oven. Place the drained pasta and the pesto in the pan with the clams and toss. Add some of the reserved water to make a broth. Garnish with basil.

DRINK

1999 Antinori Tenute Marchese Chianti Classico Riserva, $30. Although this wine region fell into disrepute for a few years, the Classicos are back. Producing some of the best wine values at the moment, Classicos (and especially Riservas from Antinori, a famed Italian family) perfectly complement this dish. Their rich fruit stands up to both the seafood and the pesto.

Course #4

Chop the Meat: Bistecca alla Fiorentina

You know how it goes over here. We choose between a meat and a pasta and that's our entrée. In Italy, it's standard operating procedure to follow pasta with a meat course. Often, the meat itself comes alone, without any sides at all—just a Fred Flintstone–size hunk of perfectly marbled porterhouse. Mano a meato. In Tuscany, this means the renowned Bistecca alla Fiorentina, carved from cattle raised on organic feed who lead better lives than some tourists, then perfectly grilled, extremely rare. Tyler picked up this receipe at the Trattoria Mario, just off the Mercato Centrale in Florence. This famed trattoria is run by chef Romeo Colzi, whose grandfather founded the place in the '50s and who hasn't tinkered with his grandfather's recipe since. Tyler's version features a touch of baby spinach for a Yankee twist.

INGREDIENTS

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

6 cloves garlic, smashed with the flat of a knife

1⁄8 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 2-pound Angus porterhouse steaks

6 turns of black-pepper mill

Generous pinch sea salt or kosher salt

2 pounds fresh baby spinach

1⁄8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

8 wedges of lemon

HOW

Crush the rosemary between your fingers to release the oils. Place the rosemary and garlic in a large, nonreactive dish, add the oil, and mix. Add the steaks to the dish. Crank the pepper mill, add salt, and place in the refrigerator to marinate for an hour or up to overnight. When you're ready to cook the steaks, fire up the charcoal grill. Grill the steaks for 6 to 7 minutes on each side for medium rare, the traditional serving temperature. The fillet of the porterhouse cut will cook a little faster than a strip loin. Have a pot of lightly salted water on simmer. When the steaks are just about done, blanch the baby spinach by dropping it in for no more than 2 minutes (or enough time to wilt the leaves and brighten the color). Drain the cooked spinach by laying it in a towel and twisting lightly. Toss the blanched spinach with the nutmeg and a drizzle of olive oil and blend in a food processor until it reaches spreadable consistency. When you take the steaks off the grill, evenly spread the spinach on top, give a squeeze of lemon, and serve.

DRINK

1998 Antinori Tignanello, $75. The perfect match for the classic Tuscan dish is the big, powerful flavor of this archetypal "super Tuscan" wine. With its big fruit-forward flavor and just the right acidity to cut through the heavy steak, the Tignanello is a rare, full-bodied treat that stands up to the giant meat dish of the region.

Course #5

Serve the Sweets: Lemon Ricotta With Summer Berries and Biscotti

It's a universal truth: Italians always have room for dessert. Waiflike women scarf down course after course and still beg for a dolce. Chef Tyler's Tuscan import—Lemon Ricotta With Summer Berries and Biscotti—is no exception. This diabetic's nightmare is inspired by the mouthwatering sweets served at Trattoria All'antico Ristoro di Cambi (translation: "death of the waistline"), a culinary mecca on the Arno. Sure, it may seem superfluous at this point in the evening, but things are often not what they seem. Everyone else who enjoys it will be glad they've finished strong with this morsel.

INGREDIENTS

1⁄2 pint strawberries (hulled)

1⁄2 pint red raspberries

1⁄2 pint blackberries

1⁄2 pint blueberries

1⁄4 cup powdered sugar

3 cups fresh homestyle ricotta cheese

Zest of one lemon

Sprig of mint

Store-bought almond or chocolate biscotti

HOW

In a medium saucepan, mix together half of each type of berry. "Macerate" the berries by sprinkling with half of the sugar and cooking over low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the berries meld together. Remove from heat and fold in the remaining berries. Now you have a compote made of whole and macerated berries. Next, in a mixing bowl, thoroughly combine the cheese, the remaining sugar, and all but a sprinkle of the lemon zest. Transfer the sweetened lemony ricotta to a serving dish and pour the four-berry compote over the top. Garnish with the reserved lemon zest and the mint. Serve with biscotti on the side.

CODA

By now, it's likely that you're unconscious, being showered with praise by your culinary supplicants. Bellissimo. We congratulate you. But note bene: You're not quite done. To complete your authentic Italian meal, grab one last bottle of wine, curl up on the couch, and talk into the night. And if you're really smart, let someone else wash the dishes.

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