Chickpea crêpes with rosemary mashed potatoes and bacon

It happens, especially in these long gray and rainy afternoons, to regret for a little while summer, the season of garden parties, barbecues and cocktails under the stars, caressed by a gentle breeze. It is a feeling that does not last long, though, because the autumn and winter have their unquestionable winning points, just think of cosy dinners at home, next to a fireplace to roast chestnuts in an old cast iron pan with holes, rocked by the a good smell spreading in the room, a dry and reassuring smell of fire, wood and old times.

During summer the available spaces are often larger, while the good weather and the sun tun turn everyone’s mood into a happy and open one. When the warm season surrenders to the rainy winter, though, you have to squeeze all your friends and festive ideas into rather small rooms with a stormy weather outside and creepy branches rustling against your windows. As a perfect host, your task is to put everyone at ease, giving a feeling of warm hospitality.

How to do that? How to make pleasant and memorable even the last minute improvised dinner? How to make everyone feel welcomed and involve them into the party?

I try to involve my friends in the imaginative construction of their plate, so that everyone can customize his own sandwich, or pizza, or tigella according to his taste and preferences. As a former marketing student, I strongly believe in the importance of the customized service and the totally involving experience… a few memories left from my University years!

Involve the clients – in this case your guests – and make them feel pampered and unique. Draw them into an event and this will be memorable for them. Translated into few words, what has it to do with a dinner at home?

It works just like during the cooking classes for the little ones: at the beginning the children didn’t even dare to taste fava beans, but eventually they shelled them, mashed them with fresh pecorino cheese and olive oil and then spread the green velvety cream over toasted slices of bread… at the end of the morning they were licking their fingers after having enjoyed a whole tray of fava bean crostini! You involved them into a messy and fun experience and they trusted you.

With adults it works in much the same way, it is often the background, the experience that counts and that leaves them with a good memories or makes them feel open and creative. If during a party you want to involve different groups of friends, to integrate even the most shy person into a laugh or a chat and to make Little Miss Perfect who stands in her corner with not a hair out of place loosed a bit, the best thing to do is to draw everyone into a fun and creative activity.

Your task is to make crêpes, tigelle, omelettes, tacos or quesadillas, whatever you want provided it is warm, fragrant and made with quality ingredients, then arrange on the table small bowls with different spreads, fresh herbs, cheese sauces and cold cuts, and let everyone create the dinner according to his taste.

You will see that everyone will be involved gradually, your friends will pass from hand to hand the bowl you filled with smoked salmon and goat cheese spread or will declare loudly that the best combination is definitely rosemary potatoes with crispy bacon crumbs.

On the occasion of a dinner with friends I made these crepes made with organic chickpea flour, inspired by an appetizer I had in one of my favourite restaurants, the Trattoria Bel mi’ Colle in Colle di Val d’Elsa, and seasoned with mashed rosemary potatoes and crispy bacon.

I used rosemary as predominant herb because for me – from Tuscany – chickpeas recall the rosemary, no ifs and buts, but you can play along with the herbs and spices you prefer.

A hearty and warm thanks to my sweet models,  Zizi, Regula and Karin: we enjoyed a long Tuscan weekend together eating, eating and eating! And yes, we enjoyed ourselves!

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