Celebratory, festive, cozy, elegant and intimate. For the perfect Christmas table setting, these are all the elements that must be present, according to Francesco Pecoraro, owner and head chef at his restaurant Autentico in Oyster Bay, NY.
Born and raised in Sicily, in Filaga, a small town between Palermo and Agrigento, Chef Pecoraro attended and graduated from culinary school there, before leaving Sicily to work all over Northern Italy. After he moved to the United States, he opened his own Italian restaurant, Autentico, in Long Island’s Oyster Bay – an elegant venue that blends Francesco’s particular Italian culinary training with a mix of traditional dishes from both the Emilia-Romagna and Sicilian regions of Italy.
Chef Pecoraro and partners
While finishing up and tweaking some of the details for his upcoming Autentico Christmas Eve menu (the restaurant will be open with limited capacity), Chef Pecoraro decided to share a few tips on table setting, food styling and menu ideas with us at La Cucina Italiana.
Table setting and styling
Chef Pecoraro’s table setting style lies somewhere between the minimalist style of Northern Italy and the baroque Sicilian look. “I love both,” he noted.
A candid, embroidered white linen tablecloth is symbolic of Christmas Eve for Pecoraro’s dining table. He pairs it with elegant matching linen napkins wrapped in golden rings, suggesting we don’t use colored plates or tablecloths since the food will add color to the table.
The table is decorated with green and golden porcelain pine cones placed in the center, with a touch of silver (like salt and pepper shakers, for example). White candles and pine cones are sprinkled with silver powder for a festive accent. He pays particular attention to fresh flowers for decoration, as well. “For some, flowers can cause an allergic reaction, or they don’t like the unpleasant aroma during meals, especially if they’re close to candles or hot plates,” warns Pecoraro. He prefers to decorate the table with elegant Nasturtium flowers and some aromatic herbs instead.
Table setting
Gold and silver cutlery are the best choice for an elegant, Italian-style Christmas table, says Pecoraro. Serving plates should be silver, crystal or porcelain, depending on the dishes you’re serving. “Pasta should be placed in a porcelain cloche, with a dome lid, and serving plates can be opened only in front of the guests when it’s time to serve,” he suggests. “Silver serving plates can be used for meat dishes like veal, beef or turkey to keep their temperature warm.”
Wine and any other beverages should be served in glass or crystal flutes. He uses vintage glasses for cold sauces or small dessert portions, as well. Dessert is plated on a big porcelain or glass serving dish placed in the center of the table.
Bread decorations
Chef Pecoraro’s Christmas menu
Francesco likes the idea of a tasting menu, to give people a chance to try all the courses without feeling stuffed. He serves several small dishes, from appetizers to dessert.
His Christmas dinner menu includes fish appetizers such as Baccalà mantecato alla Veneziana (creamed baccalà), sea bass croquettes with red shrimp and avocado mousse, along with his Sicilian pizza, the classic sfincione. Vegetable tempura; Roman broccoli with an olive oil emulsion and pomegranates; fennel salad dressed with olive oil and fresh red chili pepper to follow.
Spaghetti Chitarra with Clams
For the primo piatto (the first course according to traditional Italian meals), a seafood spaghetti alla chitarra with toasted breadcrumb is served. Then there are two secondi: Battuto di ricciola (yellowtail) marinated with Sicilian citrus, zucchini millefeuille, leeks and ginger, followed by delicious Sicilian veal involtini (rolls) with raisins, pine nuts and oranges.
Christmas dessert
And finally, the dessert menu – the quintessence of opulence and elegance in the Italian tradition. For the occasion, Pecoraro makes a Christmas tree dessert made with ricotta mousse, buttercream frosting and fresh herbs. Then his dessert made from ladyfingers, persimmon mousse and cranberries is an irresistibly balanced yet sweet treat, while his petite Sicilian patisserie – starting with classic marzipan and homemade almond cookies – pay tribute to the chef’s roots. Pecoraro also makes his grandmother’s recipe for Sicilian cuccidati (a typical Christmas sweet with figs) and his aunt’s recipe for passavolante, a dessert of butter cookies filled with jam and almonds from the Sicilian town of Vicari. And of course, the classic panettone and pandoro are paired with a warm Marsala eggnog.
Savoiardi dessert
“This Christmas will be unique, but we can’t give up elegance, sobriety and joy,”