Cold, refreshing sparkling wines benefit from foods that are salty and crisp or rich and creamy. Here are two excellent choices that can be served alone or together. These recipes were developed for Molesini Wine Club. If you are a member, they send along recipes that you can make and enjoy during their virtual wine tastings. What a great idea! You may wish to offer an accompanying soft cheese, such as a Saint André, Epoisses, Brie, fontina, or Taleggio.

Italian Potato Chips

Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus minimum 30 minutes soaking
Cook time: 15 to 20 minutes.

4 cups (1 liter) ice water with 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) salt added
4 medium-to-small Russet or Yukon gold potatoes
½ teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) coarse salt 
1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) fresh rosemary, stemmed
corn, canola, or vegetable oil to fill a large skillet 2 ½ inches (6 centimeters) deep

Directions
These chips are double-fried for crispness.

1. Place ice water and salt in a medium bowl. Stir to dissolve the salt. You can either peel the potatoes or keep the skin on. Use a mandolin or the long slicing side of a hand grater to slice potatoes into thin circles. Place potatoes in the salted ice water and refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes and up to four hours.

2. A half-hour (and up to 24 hours) before cooking the potatoes, combine coarse salt and rosemary on a cutting board and finely mince. Place in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Line two large cookie sheets with three layers of paper towels. Fill a large skillet with oil and set over medium-high heat. While the oil heats, drain potatoes in a colander, then dump them on a dishtowel. Use another dish towel or a couple of paper towels to blot dry and separate.

4. When the oil is shimmering hot, add only enough potatoes not to crowd the pan, keeping them in a single layer. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to flip potatoes as they brown. Adjust heat, so they do not brown too much. When just golden, remove and drain on paper towels. Reheat oil and repeat until all potatoes have been browned, keeping the piles separated.

5. Add more oil if needed and reheat. Fry the chips a second time, beginning with your first batch. They will brown very quickly, so watch to keep from burning. Remove from pan and drain on the fresh paper towels. Repeat until all have been cooked twice. Sprinkle potatoes with the rosemary salt and gently toss. Serve in a bowl or on a platter with the tuna tartare (below) and watch them disappear.

Tuna Tartare

Serves 4
Prep time: 15 minutes

Dressing

Can be made one day in advance and refrigerated.

1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) fresh orange juice
juice of 1 lime
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
¼ small red onion or 1 shallot, finely minced
1 generous tablespoon (15 milliliters) each: fresh basil and fresh mint, finely minced
½ teaspoon (2.5 milliliters) each: salt and red pepper flakes
¼ cup (50 milliliters) olive oil

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake.

Tuna

Can be diced up to four hours in advance, covered, and refrigerated.

½ pound (225 grams) sushi-grade ahi tuna, finely diced
1 small avocado, pitted and finely diced
1 small mango, peeled and finely diced
salt to taste

Directions 

1. Place diced tuna, avocado, and mango in separate bowls. Toss one-third of the dressing into the avocado and one-third into the mango. Cover both and refrigerate. Just before serving, toss the remaining dressing into tuna. Taste tuna and avocado for salt.

2. Assemble the tartare in a five- to six-inch (12.5-15 centimeter) ring mold if available, otherwise, simply layer. In the center of your serving platter, beginning with one-third of the tuna, then half of the mango, another one-third of tuna, all the avocado other than 1 tablespoon for topping, remaining tuna, finally remaining mango topped in the center with the tablespoon of avocado.

3. Serve with toasted baguette slices and potato chips. Offer small plates and spoons.

Title photos: Tuna Tartare / © lblinova
Chips / © natkinzu

About Molesini Wine Club

This recipe was developed for Molesini Wine Club to be included in virtual tasting notes with wine shipments. Molesini Wine Club, based out of Cortona, Tuscany, features Italian wines that are otherwise unavailable outside of Europe. Marco and Paolo Molesini work closely with over 1,000 producers from across the country to ensure they are procuring the top labels from small producers making the finest boutique wines. Explore with them as they lead you through Tuscany, Piedmont, Sicily, and many lesser-known wine regions of their country. Members can customize shipments, decide on a tier that fits their palate best, and enjoy exclusive access to the most stunning wines of Italy. As a member of the Molesini Wine Club means becoming part of the Molesini family and we invite you to join us for this experience. For more information, please visit the Molesini Wine Club website.