For a foodie, Los Angeles is one of the best places in the states to live. The diverse selection of restaurants in the SoCal city makes for some of the best dishes in the country. However, every once in a while it can be a nice change of pace to take the time to prepare your own perfect meal. To make this even easier, we've hunted down some spectacular recipes from Italian restaurants throughout the area so you can recreate them in the comfort of your own home. Buon Appetito!
Grilled Oyster Mushrooms
Other than the one-hour wait needed to marinate the oyster mushrooms, this dish from Chef Sascha Lyon at Soleto Trattoria & Pizza Bar is one of the easiest but most presentable Italian dishes to prepare. It's a vegetarian dish that makes for a wonderful appetizer or garnish.
Mozzarella Stuffed Dates
A highly versatile hors d'oeuvre from the mind of Cicada's Chef Suzay Cha, these dates stuffed with mozzarella offer a little bit of sweet, savory, spicy and salty all rolled into a bite-sized package. The recipe sets the foundation for the dish, but after they're prepared, you can add your own touches like wrapping them in bacon or deep frying them...or both.
Dungeness Crab Cioppino
This recipe, offered by Chef Michael Mina of Sunset Boulevard's Michael Mina Restaurant, is actually a familial recipe from Mina's mother-in-law who would prepare cioppino every year on Christmas Eve. The preparation is rather involved, but the outcome is an extraordinary rendition of the seafood stew that'll quickly become a family favorite of your own.
Slow-Braised Hare Ragu
This robust main course from Chef Alberto Lazzarino of Melograno offers one of the best ragus to top your favorite pasta or gnocchi that you'll ever create (or have the pleasure of eating). If you're averse to eating rabbit, you can swap out the meat for one your more comfortable with.
Nectarine Crostata
Assuming that you're aiming to create a fully-impressive Italian meal, you're going to want a show-stopping dessert. This nectarine crostata from Pastry Chef Karen Hatfield of Hatfield's Restaurant might not come from an Italian restaurant, but the pie-like sweet is undeniably Italian itself. What's best about this dessert is that, other than the nectarines, you probably already have all the required ingredients.
For more recipes and some inspiration on taking your culinary skills to the next level check out our list of Exceptional Dishes.
