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Starters - Italians start a special dinner with a delicious Antipasto: an appetizer to enjoy while cooking the main courses.

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Italian-style octopus salad -

Octopus salad is a typical dish from Italy's coastal cities, and it includes all the quintessential Mediterranean flavors. 

Ingredients for two:
- 500 g octopus
- 2 chilies
- 2 celery stalks
- 1 garlic clove
- Parsley
- Salt and pepper

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Italian-style octopus salad -

Preparation:

Clean the octopus and cook it in boiling water until it gets tender (30 mins). When ready, let it cool in its water, then cut it into medium pieces.

Season the octopus with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon, chopped parsley, diced celery, chilies, and garlic.

Let the salad marinate for at least one hour.

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The real Caprese salad -

Here's a delicious and fresh starter: the tomato and mozzarella salad from the wonderful Capri island.

Ingredients:
- 2 large tomatoes
- 2 cow's-milk mozzarella
- Basil
- Salt
- Extra virgin olive oil

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The real Caprese salad -

Preparation:

Arrange basil, tomato, and mozzarella slices on a large plate, lightly overlapping them. Season with salt (only on the tomatoes) and olive oil. 

Easy, quick, and full of flavor.

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Bruschetta with porcini and cheese -

If you read porcini and your mouth is already watering, then this might be the dish for you! It's very easy to prepare and super tasty.

Ingredients:
- 2 slices bruschetta bread
- 2 porcini mushrooms
- 2 tbsp goat cheese
- Salt and pepper
- Butter

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Bruschetta with porcini and cheese -

Preparation:

Clean and slice the mushrooms, then cook them in a frying pan with butter and garlic over high heat for five minutes, and season with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, toast your bread as much as you like and spread some cheese on it. Add your scented mushroom and taste the heavenly flavor.

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Peppered mussels -

Impepata di cozze is a Neapolitan classic, classified as an antipasto, but it makes a nice main course as well.

Ingredients:
- 300 g mussels
- Freshly ground pepper
- Lemon wedges (optional)
- Parsley (optional)

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Peppered mussels -

Preparation:

Carefully rinse the mussels, and throw away the ones that are already open. Place them in a large pot and grind a generous amount of black pepper over them.
Cover and cook them for five minutes, shaking the pot every now and again. 
Serve them with parsley and lemon wedges.

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First course - A real Italian dinner starts with an antipasto and continues with the first course (usually a pasta or risotto). Keep reading and discover the most loved Valentine's Italian recipes.

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Spumante shrimp risotto -

Spumante is the typical Italian sparkling wine, perfect for making shrimp risotto even tastier.

Ingredients:
- 300 g shrimps
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 sliced onion
- 2 cups Arborio white rice
- 1/2 cup spumante
- 1 cube vegetable bouillon
- Salt, pepper, and parsley

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Spumante shrimp risotto -

Preparation:

Dissolve the bouillon cube in boiling water. Melt butter in a large pan with onion and add shrimp (previously peeled). Cook for 5 minutes. Remove them from the pan and add the spumante to the onion. 
Cook until the liquid evaporates and stir in the rice. Let it cook for five minutes and add a cup of broth, as well as salt, pepper and parsley. When the liquid is absorbed, repeat with the remaining broth until the rice is tender. 

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Farfalle with eggplant and fresh tuna -

Farfalle (butterfly) is a typical Italian pasta often used in fish-based dishes.

Ingredients:
- 1 eggplant
- 1 fresh tuna steak
- 200 g farfalle pasta
- 5 cherry tomatoes
- 1 garlic clove
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- Salt, pepper, and basil

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Farfalle with eggplant and fresh tuna -

Preparation:

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water.
Meanwhile clean, dice, and fry the eggplant in the olive oil. When ready, add the diced tuna and cook for 5 minutes. Remove and set the mix aside.
In the same pan, add the garlic clove and the tomatoes. After five minutes add the eggplant, tuna, salt, pepper and basil. 

Then combine the pasta and the mixture. Enjoy!

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Spaghetti with clams - All the flavor of the Mediteranean Sea in one plate!

Ingredients:
- 300 g clams
- 200 g spaghetti
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 cup white wine
- Parsley
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 chili pepper

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Spaghetti with clams - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then add the spaghetti and cook until slightly underdone.
Rinse the clams and cook them in a large saucepan over medium heat with garlic, olive oil, and the chili pepper.
Add wine and parsley, and then cover it. Drain the pasta and finish cooking it by putting it in the saucepan for 3 more minutes, carefully shaking it.

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Spaghetti with garlic, olive oil, and chili pepper - A simple dish with amazing flavor.

Ingredients:
- 200 g spaghetti
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 chili peppers
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Parsley

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Spaghetti with garlic, olive oil and chili pepper - Cook the spaghetti in a large pan with salted water.
Meanwhile, cut the garlic and fry it in the olive oil until golden. Then add the chilies and the spaghetti when ready. Season with chopped parsley.

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Second course - It's time to surprise your loved one with the second course, usually consisting of a fish or meat dish.

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Scallops with saffron sauce - Delicate and tasty, this is the ultimate meal for a romantic dinner.

Ingredients:
- 2 scallops
- 1 pinch saffron
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 cup light cream
- 1 small shallot
- Salt and pepper

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Scallops with saffron sauce -

Preparation:

Chop the shallot and cook it in melted butter for 5 minutes. Add the light cream and the saffron and cook until it thickens.
Meanwhile, wash and dry the scallops, and then season them with salt and pepper. Cook them for 2 minutes on each side in a very hot pan.
Place some of the sauce on a plate and put the scallops on top of it. You can also drizzle some of the sauce over them for good measure.

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Squid with potatoes -

Seafood is the best choice to show love to your partner, especially when calamari is involved!

Ingredients:

- 2 calamari
- 2 potatoes
- 1 chili pepper
- Basil
- 3 tsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 clove garlic

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Squid with potatoes - Boil the potatoes and cut them into four wedges each. Place them in a pan with melted butter and the chopped garlic.
In the meantime, wash, clean, and dry the squid. 
Pour the oil in a large pan with the chili and the remaining garlic, and brown the squid for 4 minutes on each side.
Place the potatoes and the squid on a plate and garnish it with fresh basil leaves.

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Zucchini parmesan - You may have heard of traditional eggplant parmesan. This recipe is similar, but will sit a bit lighter in your stomach.

Ingredients:
- 500 g zucchini
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 1 cup bechamel
- 2 balls of mozzarella cheese
- Breadcrumbs
- Salt and pepper

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Zucchini parmesan -

Preparation: 

Wash and dry the zucchini before slicing them lengthwise into strips. In an oven-safe pan place a layer of zucchini, salt, pepper, sliced mozzarella cheese, bechamel, and parmesan.
Repeat this until there are no more ingredients left, and then sprinkle breadcrumbs on the last layer.
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top gets golden brown.

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Fried artichokes - A simple finger food that will delight your soul mate!

Ingredients:
- 2 artichokes
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup oil 
- Salt and pepper
- Flour

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Fried artichokes -

Preparation: 

Peel the artichoke and remove the fibrous end of the steam. 
Whisk the eggs with salt and pepper. 
Cover the artichokes with flour and dip them into the egg mixture.
Place the oil in a pan and let the artichokes fry until brown. 
Serve them hot.

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Say "I love you" the Italian way -

You cannot end an Italian dinner without chocolate! 

Baci Perugina is much more than a simple chocolate: it contains a love note inside every chocolate, making it the perfect Valentine's day dessert.

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