SPRING into Amici before May 11 and be sure to check out our new “price fix” menu. For a limited time only, we have a delicious spring inspired menu featuring some light seasonal items. Menu ends May 11th.

Anti-Pasti

Your Choice of:

Nova Scotia Lobster cake : Pan seared and served with lemon caper aioli and grapefruit citrus slaw

Duck Marsala Confit : Marsala braised Duck Thigh served over micro greens with caramelized shallots, roasted eggplant

Grilled Vegetable Crostini : Marinated mushrooms & Artichoke, roasted red peppers and goat cheese served with honey balsamic

Cambanzola Souffle : Classic soufflé fused with cambanzola cheese served over arugula with marinated strawberries

Piatto (Main Dish)

Lemon Grilled Chicken : Locally produced chicken grilled and glazed with lemon served over creamy Ontario Asparagus risotto

Oven Roasted Atlantic salmon : Served with pine nut pesto butter and roasted tomato risotto

Veal Piccata : Pan seared veal scallopini with lemon, caper and fresh chopped parsley served with roasted sweet potatoes

Baked Manicotti : Stuffed with house sausage, cremini mushroom and goat cheese baked with buffalo mozzarella and tomato basil sauce

Dolci

Choice of one of our fresh baked dessert

Only 34.99/person

Call us today to schedule your reservations.

“Accept what life offers you and try to drink from every cup. All wines should be tasted; some should only be sipped, but with others, drink the whole bottle.” ― Paulo Coelho, Brida

And it’s easy to drink the whole bottle made from this grape! In fact, sangiovese is probably Italy’s most consumed grape. Recently it was scientifically proven that the montepulciano grape is actually the same grape, making it the most widely grown grape in Italy

Known in Latin as Sanguis Jovis meaning “the blood of Jove”, sangiovese grape is used to bulk up other grapes, blended or alone.

One of the most popular versions is Chianti, which is grown in Tuscany.  During the wine making it is required to have at least 80% sangiovese and 20% whatever else.  Chianti however is allowed to be 100% sangiovese.

Some other great sangiovese versions are:

• Sangiovese di Romanga,
• Vino Nobile di Montalpulciano,
• Morellino di scansano,
• and my personal favourite Brunello di Montelcino.

Brunello di Montelcino is 100% sangiovese aged 2 years in barrel and 2 years in bottle.  In the last three decades it has also become a staple of the “super Tuscan”.  What makes it so special is when young it produces a lightly fruity but slightly spicy flavour.  The wine however can also aged into a dark full-bodied powerhouse with great aging potential.  You can even find vin santo the Tuscan dessert wine with sangiovese.

Sangioves grapes can be grown in colder climate but prefers warmer temps.  The grape has started making a surge in California, Argentina and now Ontario.

This grape pairs well with a wide range of foods such as tomato based dishes, braised or grilled meats, medium to firm aged cheeses.

So in conclusion when shopping for a nice bottle of wine try to include sangiovese into your plans, you won’t be disappointed.

Cheers!

Coffee makes it possible to get out of bed.  Sweets makes it worthwhile!  This is a great little pastry from La Marches region of Italy  that is totally worth the time to make. It is wonderful with coffee in morning or perfect for a late afternoon “sugar rush“.

Yield:1 dozen

For the pastry

• 2 cup A.P. flour
• 2 ½ egg yolk beaten
• ½  cup butter
• 2/3 cup sugar
• lemon zest

In a mixer add in flour, butter, sugar, lemon and egg yolks.  Mix together for about 5-10 minutes and form into a ball and refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the filling

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 ¼ cup sugar
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
• 1/3 cup dark rum
• 3 oz semisweet chocolate grated
• 3 oz ground almond
• 1 lb ricotta

Mix all the ingredients together and set aside.  Roll the dough out thinly and cut into 3” circles place filling in middle and close into ½ moons.  Place on baking sheet with parchment and bake for about 20 minutes at 300 degrees.

Enjoy!

This is a simple recipe that can be used in many styles of sauces or ingredients.  It is also a fun way to spend time with the family on a rainy spring day.

Yield: 3-4 portions

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cups A.P Flour
• 3 large eggs
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 pasta roller with linguini dye

This recipe can be made by hand on a flat, clean surface.

1. Start by making a “mountain” of flour with crater looking hole in the middle, add the eggs and fork the flour thoroughly until blended.  I like to add the flour (and a touch of salt) to my kitchen aid, and add the eggs one at a time to the bowl with the dough hook attachment.
2. Once the dough has been sufficiently kneaded wrap the dough ball with saran and let chill for one hour.
3. Remove the ball from the saran wrap and begin working it out to a rectangle looking flat piece.
4. Begin rolling the dough on the largest setting, and work your way down to the smallest setting.
5. Now that you have pasta sheets ready you can cut whatever pasta shapes you would like. If you are lucky enough to own a kitchen aid, Amazon.ca sells a number of pasta attachments. You can find pasta makers pretty much anywhere. Home Hardware has a relatively inexpensive model for under $40.
6. Place the finished product on a plate with a little flour and cover with saran.  It can dry out quickly if you do not cover it.
7. When time to cook add to high boiling water.  Wait for the water to come back up to high boil(about 3 minutes).
8. Strain, cool and add to whatever sauce you desire.

Enjoy!

Got any pasta tips?  I would love to hear them. Leave your comments below.

This recipe is always nice this time a year whether it be a snack or a light breakfast meal.

• 3 ¼ cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp allspice
• 4 eggs
• 2½ cups sugar
• 3 cups mashed banana
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1¼ cup chopped pistachios

Preheat oven to 350F degrees

Grease a 9×5 bread pan

Mix together all the dry goods (flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice). In a mixing bowl beat together the eggs with the sugar, and then mix in the mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla. Fold together the dry mix with the wet mix and fold in the pistachios. Bake for about one hour or so until toothpick comes clean.

In mixing bowl mix together 1 cup of softened cream cheese with 2 oz Frangelico, 1 tsp vanilla and ½ cup icing sugar. Mix together until smooth and spread over banana loaf.

Since we are all about saving money after the holidays I thought I would give some great wine at a great price available at the LCBO vintage section. All of these wines are part of their essential collection, which means they are available all the time at most LCBO. With Italian red wine in mind of course:

Fontanafredda Briccotonda Barbera
Region -Piedmont
Vin#-72348
Price- 15.95

This is a great ready to drink wine. It has a blast of berry on the nose and has a nice full-bodied finish.

Tommasi Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso
Region -Veneto
Vin#-910430
Price- 19.95

Tommasi is usually never a miss. They keep a great consistent product.

And with there Ripasso is a great example. A nice full-bodied wine with plum on the nose and a jammy like finish. This wine can sit well for 5-10 years or drink now.

Antinori Peppoli Chianti Classico
Region- Tuscany
Vin#-606541
Price-19.95

Well to my surprise the LCBO has just recently add this one to the list. The Peppoli is a great product from Antinori (whose Tiganello has won many awards). Antinori has been producing wine from around Tuscany for centuries. The Peppoli Chianti classico is a light easy drinking Chianti with fresh berry aroma. It can sit for years or been consumed today.

Cheers

This is a nice dish this time of year. Using a lean cut like the tenderloin is always a crowd pleaser and pork is a very affordable cut so double the recipe and save for another night.

Yield:  4 portions

• 2-16oz pork tenderloins (cleaned)
• 1/3 cup Dijon
• 2 sheets puff pastry (available in freezer section at nicer grocery stores)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh oregano
• ¼ cup chopped fresh marjoram
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2oz white wine
• ½ cup butter
• 2 Macintosh apples (finely chopped)
• ¼ cup minced onion
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp brown sugar

First clean pork by removing the whitish silver skin along the one side, rub with salt and pepper and then flour. Pan-sear the pork evenly around the loin and set aside. On a flat board, roll out the puff pastry and spread Dijon evenly on the sheet. Sprinkle the fresh herbs evenly on the sheet and then place the seared pork loin at the base of the sheet. Roll the loin up with the pastry and remove excess pastry. Once rolled up make a couple small holes on top to allow steam to exit. Place in baking tray and roast at 350F for about ½ hour to 40 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 130F degrees. Remove and rest the roast. Meanwhile in a pan on low heat sweat the apple, onion and garlic with butter until soft. Add in brown sugar and wine. Add a little salt and pepper and set to the side.

For the plating take a serrated bread knife and make long slow cuts to the roast and place on plate. Top with apple butter and serve.

*Pork is acceptable to be served medium or higher. Cook it how you normally serve it but its completely safe at 130 degrees or higher*

Ends February 10th

2 courses $25
3 courses $30

Anti Pasti

Corn Flake Crab Cake
Pan seared Dungeness crab cakes fused with corn flakes
Served over arugula with sun dried tomato aioli

OR

Sweet Potato Soup
Sweet potato puree topped with sautéed mushroom and crème fraiche

OR

Stuffed Pepper
Sweet bell peppers stuffed with vegetable saffron risotto
Baked with Romano cheese and tomato sauce

OR

Warm Spinach Salad
Fresh spinach with mango, tomato and red onion
Topped with sautéed tiger shrimp and warm garlic dressing

OR

Mini Meat Pie
Slow braised pulled beef hip with caramelized onion baked in flaky piecrust
Served with roasted garlic aioli

Piatto

Steak Marsala
Grilled N.Y. Striploin topped with sautéed mushroom and sweet Marsala
Served with ricotta garlic mash potato

OR

Baked Salmon
Oven roasted Atlantic salmon topped with roasted fennel and tomato white wine sauce
Served with lemon garlic risotto

OR

Veal Saltimbocca
Milk fed veal cutlets rolled with Mozzarella, Italian ham and fresh sage
Baked with tomato sauce and served with linguini in garlic olive oil

OR

Roasted Cornish Hen
Oven roasted baby chicken with amaretto honey glaze
Served with pancetta and caramelized leek risotto

OR

Baked Ziti
Veal sausage and sweet bell pepper
Baked with roast garlic cream and mozzarella with ziti pasta

Dolci

Choice of fresh baked dessert

New Year’s Menu

Anti Pasti

Your choice of:

Corn Flake Crab Cake
Flaked Dungeness crab mixed with crushed corn flake
Served over arugula with Sun dried tomato aioli
or
Sweet Potato Puree
Topped with sautéed cremini mushrooms and topped with crème fraiche
or
Grilled Romaine Hearts
Topped with roasted cherry tomatoes, cucumber, sweet pepper, Kalamata olive
Finished with feta drizzle vinaigrette

Refresh your palate with Green Apple Sorbet

Piatto

Your choice of:

Roasted Rack of Lamb
Oven roasted and served over wild mushroom compote
Served with sweet marsala demi-glaze and foie gras tortellini
or
Grilled Seafood Platter
Grilled Maine Lobster, sea scallops, jumbo prawns and Pacific Halibut
Served over creamy potato cheddar manicotti and topped chive drizzle
or
Braised Duck Confit
Double Duck Legs cooked in it’s own juices
Finished with pearl onions and port reduction
Served over pancetta and leek risotto

Dolci

Duo Dolci
(one plate two desserts)
Double chocolate mousse with peanut butter cookie crust
&
Lemon marscapone square with raspberry coulis

$50/person

Hot Apple Cinnamon Cider
This one was provide by one of my patrons that I just couldn’t ignore
8 oz hot apple cider
1 oz Goldschlager liqueur
½ oz Amaro bitters

Rim the mug with cinnamon and sugar, pour in cider with Goldschlager and Amaro, garnish with cinnamon stick.

Triple Chocolate Hot Cocoa
6 oz hot water
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp heavy cream
1 oz milk
3 tbsp sugar
1 oz crème de cacao dark
1 oz crème de cacao white
Whipped cream

Whisk all the items together in a pot except the cacao liqueurs. Bring to boil and set aside. In a mug pour in your cacao liqueurs, top with the cocoa mix and garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings.

Butterscotch and Eggnog
8 oz eggnog
1 dash nutmeg
½ oz dark rum
1 oz Butterscotch Schnapps

In small pot, on low heat, warm up the eggnog with nutmeg. Pour into a cup with Schnapps and dark rum, garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Spike Americano
8 oz Americano coffee (or regular coffee)
1 oz Baileys
½ oz Frangelico
½ oz Amaretto
Whipped cream to garnish

In sugar rimmed cup pour in liqueurs and then coffee, top with whipped cream and enjoy!