Andrea Folino Dishes Her Favorite Thanksgiving Dinner Recipes

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Andrea Folino knows a thing or two about entertaining. She and her husband, Marco, are the famous Folinos behind the esteemed Kutztown restaurant and winery, Folino Estate, where all wining and dining is executed to perfection. This season, she’s pouring a glass of Pinot Noir and spilling the details on some of her favorite Thanksgiving recipes.

Autumn Fig Sangria

4 servings

  • 1 bottle Folino Estate Pinot Noir or other medium red
  • 1 1/2 cups cranberry pomegranate juice
  • 3/4 cup triple sec
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar or more if prefer sweeter
  • 5–6 fresh figs
  • Sprigs of thyme

Combine the wine, juice, triple sec and sugar into a pitcher and stir well. Quarter the figs and muddle some to add to the pitcher, leaving some to garnish. Add the thyme, also leaving a few sprigs for garnish. Allow to infuse for three hours in the refrigerator. Serve over ice, optional.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Rosemary Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce

12 servings | Cook time: 10 minutes

For the Gnocchi:

  • 3 medium-sized sweet potatoes
  • 12 oz. fresh ricotta, strained well
  • 2 cups parmesan cheese, grated
  • 4 tsp. salt
  • 3 cups (or more) all-purpose flour

For the Rosemary Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce:

  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • Needles from a large rosemary sprig
  • 6 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. black pepper
  • Parmesan cheese to serve

For the Gnocchi:

Wash the sweet potatoes and stab all over with a fork. Microwave on high for about five minutes per side, until tender. Allow to cool enough to handle, and then cut them in half. Scoop the flesh into a bowl and proceed to mash well. Passing through a ricer works very well, also.

Transfer three cups of the mashed sweet potatoes to a large bowl. Add the strained ricotta, stirring thoroughly to combine. Add the parmesan cheese and salt. Begin to add the flour, a quarter cup at a time, until a soft dough begins to form. Adding too much flour will make your gnocchi dense, so take care to only add as much as is needed to make a cohesive, workable dough that’s slightly tacky. Lightly flour your hands and shape the dough into a large ball.

Lightly flour your workspace and divide the dough into six equal portions. Roll one portion out until it reaches about 20 inches in length. Cut into approximately 20 pieces to form the gnocchi. If you have a gnocchi board, roll each piece off the board and onto a floured baking sheet. Alternately, you can use the back of a fork or skip the ridges completely. (Adding the ridges allows the sauce to coat the gnocchi better but is not necessary.) Repeat with the rolling and cutting process with the remaining portions.

Before cooking the gnocchi, it is best to make your sauce, as the gnocchi cooks very quickly. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add a portion of the gnocchi to the boiling water and allow to cook until they float to the top, roughly 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm while continuing to cook the remaining gnocchi.

Toss in the brown butter sauce, garnish with parmesan cheese and serve.

For the Rosemary Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce:

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cook until the foam diminishes and begins to turn a golden-brown color, roughly three minutes. Turn off the heat and add the rosemary needles, cooking for one minute. Remove from heat and add the balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

12 servings | Cook time: 35 minutes

  • 3 lb. brussels sprouts
  • 1/2 red onion, sliced
  • Olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • 1 lb. pancetta, diced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prep the brussels sprouts by removing the stems. Remove any outer leaves that appear blemished or discolored; halve or quarter, depending on their size. Slice the red onion and add to a bowl with the prepared brussels sprouts. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, taking care to not add too much salt, as the saltiness from the pancetta will also be present in the final dish. Add the seasoned brussels sprouts and red onion to a baking pan and roast for approximately 35 minutes.

While the brussels sprouts are roasting, sauté the diced pancetta until golden brown. Set aside. Once the brussels sprouts are done, combine the cooked pancetta and transfer to a serving platter.

Red Wine Cranberry Sauce

10–12 servings | Cook time: 20 minutes

  • 1 12-oz. package of cranberries
  • 1 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 cup Folino Estate Chambourcin or other semi-dry red wine
  • 1 orange
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Combine the cranberries and sugar in a pot. Pour in the red wine and heat over medium. Zest the orange and add to the pot; then halve the orange and squeeze the juice into the pot. Add the cinnamon stick and allow the mixture to simmer. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries begin to burst, approximately 10–15 minutes.

Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.

It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to five days.