Italians do it better: an expert guide to hosting an Amalfi-inspired dinner party

From authors and actors to designers and directors, the glamorous set has long flocked to Italy’s Amalfi coast. And it’s not hard to see why.

A film-set perfect 25-mile ribbon of mountainous coastline, its colourful villages, fragrant lemon groves and deep blue sea form a Unesco world heritage site.

And as with all Italian regions, the local food and drink is inextricably tied to the culture; which means that even if you can’t actually strut your stuff in Positano, you can cook up a bit of Italian sunshine in your kitchen.

Alessandro Savelli is CEO and founder of UK-based Pasta Evangelists, which makes premium fresh pasta and sauces for home cooking – with next day delivery across the UK – in addition to its coveted concession in Harrods, now back open for business following the easing of lockdown restrictions.

He learned to make pasta with his grandmother. Step one, he says, is to understand the culture. “I am Italian. I love food. I love pasta. I love cooking. Meals in Italy are when the family comes together to talk and enjoy delicious food. It is the highlight of our day. Food is not just seen as a necessity.”

He celebrates the regional roots of Italian cuisine, sharing culture and stories to support local speciality pasta dishes. The food of the southern Italian Amalfi coast is different to that of his native Genoa, in the north, but it is close to his heart.

“We go every year. My wife is from Naples and we married in Capri. I love it. The people are friendly, funny and loud, and the cuisine has everything – from amazing fish and seafood, fruits and vegetables to wonderful pizza and pasta. I discovered dishes that only really exist in that area.”

His personal favourite is spaghetti alla nerano, with fried courgette and provolone cheese. While scialatielli – somewhere between linguine and tagliatelle in shape – with Amalfi lemon, ‘nduja sausage and mascarpone, features on the Pasta Evangelists’ Amalfi week menu.

“Pasta dishes are about simplicity, freshness and few ingredients. We can bring that to your home,” he says. Although he admits he can’t deliver the full experience. “In Italy, we do tend to take the sunshine for granted.”

Carla Bollati, a retired doctor from Turin, was introduced to the area around Amalfi by her late partner Gennaro, a Neapolitan. “I have a deep sentimental attachment,” she says. “And the tastes are a lovely way to travel to happy memories.”

She was struck by the area’s scenery from her first visit. “It is a crowded landscape that cannot be changed. But there is also such special light and colour, the perfume of lemons, so many wonderful flavours. All the senses are covered.”

The people and cuisine of the south are, she says, another huge draw. “They cook with what the area has to offer. Try a mozzarella there and you will understand what it is supposed to be.”

Culinary roots and rules are revered, she adds. “If I cooked Neapolitan pasta e fagioli – with beans – for Gennaro, it had to be with broken odds and ends of pasta. Shells just wouldn’t be right. We Italians are so tied to the history of our food and the habit of coming together to eat it.”

Italian food expert and cook, Paola Maggiulli, who runs the Tiny Italian supper clubs and cookery courses, agrees. But she insists it is a very inclusive tradition. To create an authentic Italian dinner, she says, the starting point is confidence.

“Anyone can make Italian food. It is about flavour, not technique. With a few quality ingredients you can make incredible dishes.”

Having spent much of her childhood in her father’s south London Italian deli, she recommends taking time to shop for good ingredients and learn the stories behind them.

“In normal times, what is special about Italian food is the connection and time with other people. That might be planning the menu with friends or helping your grandmother prepare Sunday lunch for the extended family. Community and family are everything. Sharing the experience of eating with people you care about just makes you feel better.”

So what would Maggiulli serve for a feelgood dinner inspired by the Amalfi coast?

“I would want those incredible lemons,” she says, suggesting simple spaghetti with lemon, parmesan, olive oil and basil as a first course.

Related: Competition: enter our free prize draw to win a hamper filled with artisan Italian treats

“Amalfi seafood is beautiful, too. So perhaps a main of braised octopus, mussels cooked in white wine, or a frittura mista platter of fried squid and prawns,” she says. A chocolate and almond cake – a torta caprese after the island of Capri – would end the meal nicely.

When you host your party, build the convivial atmosphere by serving the food on large dishes in the middle of the table, for guests to help themselves, and make sure the conversation, as well as the drinks, are flowing.

For the latter, Daniele Umoette, former bar manager and drinks brand ambassador from Carpi in the northern region of Emilia-Romagna, suggests a gin spritz aperitif to kickstart the evening.

“Mix blood orange flavoured Malfy Gin Con Arancia with Fever Tree Sicilian Lemon Tonic and a splash of prosecco over lots of ice in a nice glass, and garnish with some fruit such as blackberries, pink grapefruit slice and some aromatic herbs such as sage,” he says.

Admittedly, your after-dinner stroll will probably be a little less glamorous than the nightly passeggiata in Positano. Maybe next year. Meanwhile, buon appetito.

Malfy Gin is available to purchase in selected Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Asda, M&S, Waitrose and Co-op stores, as well as Ocado and the Malfy Gin Amazon brand store

Please drink Malfy Gin responsibly. For the facts, visit drinkaware.co.uk