Pinocchio Dinner

Bring the enchanting world of Pinocchio to life with a Pinocchio dinner. This theme is perfect for a movie night, Father’s day celebration, or Italian dinner with friends. Get our full menu, delicious recipes, and tablescape & decor ideas to host this dinner for your family or friends.

The Tablescape

Our quaint tablescape featured simple patterns and colors from the movie: chambray blue, subtle stripes, a star pattern, and pops of yellow and red. We dressed the table in a chambray blue and white striped tablecloth and topped it with a chambray table runner.

We added several wooden elements to the table including a wooden tray which housed a centerpiece of fresh tulips in a vintage blue Ball jar, a rustic lantern, and a wooden Pinocchio doll from my childhood.

Our place settings were also simple: simple white dinnerware, silver flatware, everyday stemless wine glasses and water goblets, and chambray blue star napkins made from this fabric with wooden napkin rings.

The serving buffet housed a trio of desserts displayed on a wooden cake plate and simple white serving pieces. A red lantern along with a wooden tray, miniature hammer, and wooden toy house gave nods to Geppetto’s workshop.

The Menu

This menu is full of easy and delicious family-friendly offerings. Get all the recipes below to create this tasty Italian meal for your family.

San Pellegrino

San Pellegrino is one of my personal favorites and was enjoyed by everyone. It comes from natural springs in Val Brembana at the foothills of the Alps in the Lombardy region of Italy. We served flavored San Pellegrino and enjoyed sampling the various flavors.

Italian Tossed Salad

We served a delicious and simple Italian salad using romaine lettuce, croutons, tomatoes, fresh vegetables such as cucumbers and onions, and a dressing of olive oil and vinegar. We like adding some delicious Italian olives as well.

Flatbread Pizzas

The flatbread pizza comes from the Lazio region, just south of Tuscany. This region is home to Rome, the capital of Italy. Flatbread pizzas are fun to make and so versatile. Use our easy and delicious homemade crust recipe or purchase flatbread crusts at your local supermarket.

The options for toppings are limitless but some of our favorite recipes include:

Margherita {Sally’s Baking Addiction}: pizza sauce, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil
Caprese {Two Peas and Their Pod}: pesto, tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, balsamic glaze
Potato-Pesto {Pixie Dust and Posies} : pesto, sliced potatoes, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, mozzarella
Pizza Bianca {Martha Stewart}: ricotta, mozzarella, fontina, Parmesan, garlic, olive oil (I like to top this one with some fresh greens)
Quattro Formaggi & Pepperoni {Italian Food Forever}: pizza sauce, pepperoni, Italian cheese blend

Cannoli

Cannoli originate in the Sicilian region of Italy and are tube-shaped pastries of fried pastry dough filled with a sweet creamy filling using ricotta cheese. The filling can be topped with candied fruit, pistachios, or chocolate. Our family’s favorite recipe uses store bought cannoli shells and a sweet creamy filling with a hint of lemon. Get our lemon cannoli recipe here.

Pizzelle Ice Cream Sandwiches

Pizzelles are traditional Italian waffle cookies that originated in the Abruzzo region of Italy. They are delicate and tasty and can be used in a variety of ways. Try dipping them in coffee or hot chocolate, make s’mores with them, or serve them with chocolate fondue. Our favorite way of eating Pizzelles is as an ice cream sandwich. Get our recipe here.

pinocchio Cupcakes

These rich chocolatey Pinocchio cupcakes are topped with creamy vanilla frosting and miniature fondant hats decorated with a blue ribbon and red feather. These easy treats are perfect for a Pinocchio movie night or party. Get the recipe here.