Three ideas for a summer dinner with friends

There’s never a bad time to get together under a starry, romantic sky by the sea or around a big table in the garden. But while it might be easy to find an excuse to organize a lunch or dinner with friends, it takes a bit more inspiration to decide on the perfect menu for the occasion.

We all know that getting together is good for us – but it’s also important that we’re able to satisfy the appetite of our guests with delicious, original dishes.

Summer, friends, beach... the perfect trio! This year more than ever before, we’ve rediscovered the pleasure of spending time together with the people that make us feel good. This is the summer of friendship and open-air evenings. Forget trying to get reservations at the hottest restaurant – all you need is good company, and perhaps a stunning setting... like the beach!

A bit of a tan and that’s your outfit sorted! All you need is comfortable, lightweight clothes, recycled tablecloths and disposable glasses and crockery – preferably plastic-free.

Trying to decide on a menu for your summer dinner with friends? Easy! If you’re next to the sea, fish just has to take center stage in your supper.

Fish Club Sandwich? Perfect for a picnic. For a seaside version, swap out the chicken for our Tuna Filets.

Fishcakes? You won’t be able to stop eating them! These Fragrant fishcakes will be even more irresistible with some of our Mayonnaise with Olive Oil.

What could be more enchanting than a dinner under the stars? Add in a location like a spacious balcony with a moonlit view... et voilà! The perfect outdoor summer dinner is yours!

The joy of simply spending time together will provide all the electricity you need... so turn off the lights and decorate your terrace with a few candles or lanterns! Or, if you fancy a more modern touch, opt for the low-consumption magic of LED fairy lights.

Now that you’ve set the mood, you need a menu to match! It needs to be simple yet delicious and capable of leaving your guests speechless – but only for a moment or two...

Treat yourself with these Tomatoes stuffed with Russian salad flavored with lime. Ever tried stuffing tomatoes with Russian salad flavored with lime? They’re perfect for your dinner party!

Get your appetite working with this Skewered turkey. It’s irresistible with a few spoonfuls of our Pesto Rosso Sauce.

There’s no doubt about it. The summer is the best time of year to get together with your closest friends for long, moonlit dinners, especially if you can do it in a spacious garden – the kids running back and forth while the teenagers lay about with one eye on their phones and the other looking out for shooting stars.

For this occasion, we’ve gone for a bit more of a polished, sophisticated setting. The theme is green, and so we’ve chosen environmentally sustainable materials and brought emphasis through the use of colors that work well with the rest of the setting. Seasonal flowers sit in the center of the table, while 100% natural jute place mats and biodegradable, compostable dishes complete the effect. The final flourish comes from candles: the more you have the better, particularly if you opt for citronella ones to ward off those pesky mosquitoes.

The perfect menu for this setting features simple yet delicious dishes: appetizing vegetarian dishes to carry you through from aperitivi to the end of the night.

Start with something original: these Crepes with Sundried Tomatoes and brie are easy to prepare and will bring bold flavor to your aperitivi.

Next up, a crowd-pleasing pasta dish: Pici pasta with pecorino cheese, pepper and fried zucchini. What’s the secret to making them perfectly, we hear you ask? Simply choose quality ingredients and fry the battered zucchini in our Pure Olive Oil. That’s it!

To end on a high, you need a fresh dessert suitable for any occasion, such as this Lemon cheesecake with Amaretti cookies with an original base made from Soft Amaretti Cookies.