For this look, we decided to set the table in a non-traditional casual setting—the coffee table in the living room. Layer pillows and cozy blankets on the ground for comfortable seating. We used two layers of fabric for the runner, and added a handmade floral arrangement as the centerpiece. To achieve this look, use a two-layer serving tray and layer flowers and stems to adorn the tray. Add grapes or berries to give a fuller and textured look. For a romantic ambiance, add candle sticks, a bottle of wine and Billie Holiday playing in the background.
For a no-hassle dinner, order out and serve your favorite takeout in the comfort of your own home. Or if you like to cook together, Chef Jasper provided a go-to pasta recipe (see below) perfect for a Valentines Day in.
Capelli d’Angelo alla Nanni
Ingredients
8 oz. Barilla Capellini
2 tsp. salted butter
4 oz. prosciutto ham
4 mushrooms, sliced thin
12 oz. Jasper's Marinara Sauce
4 oz. heavy cream
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 oz. Romano cheese
Method
Cook pasta al dente according to package directions.
Melt 2 tsp. butter in a saute pan over medium high heat. Add prosciutto and let it crisp, then add sliced mushrooms. Saute for 2 minutes.
Stir in marinara sauce and cream, red pepper flakes, peas and Romano cheese. Bring to a light boil. Add cooked pasta and toss. Serve immediately.
Jasper’s notes: Be careful to cook the pasta al dente as it can become soggy very quickly and soak up all of the sauce. My father loved canned peas and said they had more flavor than regular peas. Also, I add a little more red pepper because I like this dish to have a bit of spice.
“Capelli d’Angelo alla Nanni is a recipe my father, Jasper Sr., created and today is Jasper’s most-requested pasta dish. In the late 1960s, he ate this pasta in a restaurant in Italy and became intrigued with it, returning to the trattoria three nights in a row, trying to decipher the ingredients. While on the surface the recipe appears simple, believe me, it took many hours for my father to perfect this dish. When he returned home, he and my mother experimented with Jasper’s chefs until he said it was perfect. Customers requested the recipe for over 50 years, but my father would never give it out. It wasn’t until several years ago that we decided to share this delicious pasta with our guests, in my father’s honor.” — Chef Jasper Mirabile Jr., chef-owner, Jasper’s Restaurant