Eat your way through Italy with cookbook author Elizabeth Minchilli, April 24

Travel writer and cookbook author Elizabeth Minchilli will share her insights on Italian cuisine and culture at a five-course Italian dinner based on recipes from her book, "The Italian Table" at the Fourth Estate restaurant on Wednesday, April 24.

Combining menus and recipes with visual experience and inspiration, "The Italian Table" is a practical resource that will help home cooks and hosts recreate these fabulous meals and celebrations at their own tables.

The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Fourth Estate with hors d'oeuvres featuring six different Italian specialties. Tickets for the dinner and one copy of the book cost $95 per person, with a discount when buying two ("couples") tickets. Couples tickets include two dinner tickets and one book. National Press Club members are eligible for a 15% discount, but you must be signed in to access the discount code. Click here to purchase tickets.

"The Italian Table" is Minchilli's ninth book. She has tackled such topics as the famed ceramics of Deruta, the intimate studios and salons of Rome's artists and designers, and the style of the Tuscan farmhouse. Her true passion, however, is Italian food. Minchilli has eaten her way through Rome since she was 12. She knows the tastiest gelato and the best spot to sip a Negroni. Her previous book, "Eating My Way Through Italy," shared her tips for exploring Italy's diverse regions -- from pizza in Naples to anchovies in Amalfi.

The menu, listed below, will also include appropriately paired cocktails and wines.

“The Italian Table,” April 24, 2019

Antipasti and Aperitivo
Polpettine fritte, Fried meatballs
Pizza con prosciutto, arugula e pomodorini, Prosciutto, arugula and cherry tomato pizza
Ghineffi, Deep fried rice balls
Acciughe frittte in tempura, Anchovy tempura (with aioli)
Crostini con ricotta e marmellata di peperoncino, Crostini with ricotta and hot pepper jam

Primi
Tortelli di erbette, Ricotta and Swiss chard filled tortelli

Intermezzo
Sgroppino, Lemon sorbet with prosecco

Secondi
Torta di spinaci, Spinach tart (flan)
Porchetta, Pork belly and loin
Peperoni arrostiti, Roasted red bell peppers

Contorni
Lattuga grigliata con formaggio fresco di capra e erbe aromatiche, Seared romaine lettuce with goat cheese and herbs

Dolce and Digestivo
Pavlova con crema e fragoline, Pavlova with crème anglaise and seasonal strawberries