Dan Pelosi Will Move His Ceramic Teddy Bear Collection For You—Just Don’t Bring Food

Dan Pelosi, aka Grossy Pelosi, snuggled his way into my heart with his delicious, approachable Italian American recipes and radiant personality. Dan was born to host a soirée. At his annual cookie party, guests bring their homemade cookies to share. He says that kind of party aligns with his personal hosting philosophy: to give guests clear, simple instructions and emphasize having fun.

I caught up with the New York Times bestselling author of Let’s Eat to learn about his approach to entertaining at home, whether it’s a Christmas cookie party with a clear objective (bring cookies) or an impromptu gathering over a big bowl of pasta.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What's your shopping strategy for impromptu get-togethers?
I only cook recipes made with things that I can get at the grocery store. I don’t want to have to run across town to that one market that sells that one ingredient. The key to being ready for a last-minute gathering is making sure that your pantry essentials are stocked at all times. I have a short list of what needs to be in my pantry because I’m such a pantry girl, and if I’m out of those things, I can’t make food.

What are some of those pantry staples?
Pasta, obviously, oils, vinegars, cheese in the fridge, and panko. You can do so many things with panko bread crumbs. They go in meatballs. They're a great topping. You can make cutlets. I also have heavy cream, whether I'm making my vodka sauce or making whipped cream for a dessert. Whipped cream is like a little kiss to make anything you put on the table feel special.

How do you create an inviting atmosphere at home without a lot of fuss?
I look around my house, think about where I want people to gather, and then ask, ‘Is it clean? Are there places to put drinks? Are there places to put food? Are there places to move around?’ Maybe I need to reorient my couch for the night or move the coffee table. Or I need to clear my ceramic teddy bear collection off the shelf so someone can put a drink down. How do I make it feel like this is the most comfortable house in the world, where guests can stay, until I tell them to leave?

What is one thing that stresses you out about having people over?
People bringing food. I don't usually ask people to bring food to my house when I'm hosting. It's less work for me to make everything and know when it's gonna hit the table. That kind of “full hosting” soothes me.

What is something that you do want guests to bring?
I'm not a drinker, so I ask people to bring whatever they would like to drink. I'd be happy drinking water or maybe iced tea for the rest of my life. So, I love it when people bring drinks. I say, ‘We have some non-drinkers coming, or we have people coming who love wine,’ to give them some direction.

Are there any entertaining trends you’re loving right now?
I love that non-alcoholic drinks are popping up everywhere. I'm someone who's never drank alcohol, and it doesn't matter why. As someone who spent many, many, many nights drinking bitters and soda, the fact that you can now go into homes and find a bottle of St. Agrestis Phony Negroni or Ghia is so cool.

You recommend three recipes—Whole-Roasted Eggplant with Chili Crisp, Spaghetti Aglio e Olio, and Chicken Marsala—the perfect trio for serving last-minute guests. Tell me more about these recipes!
These recipes are good in delivering big flavor, but not a lot of sweating it out in the kitchen. They have high margins of error. If you leave something out, they still taste delicious, which is helpful when you're entertaining.

The whole-roasted eggplant is great because you put an eggplant or two or three, however many you need, on a platter. You roast it, and then you let it sit. You stir Greek yogurt or whatever creamy dairy or non-dairy thing you want, take some chili crisp—you can use my recipe in the book or store-bought—and drip it all over the eggplant. It's a great make-ahead.

The spaghetti is the classic pantry dish—everyone loves spaghetti, olive oil, garlic. It's nice to celebrate these [simple] dishes—people think it's not something you would serve to a crowd, but of course it is, it's delicious. It's pure comfort. I add castelvetrano olives, which give it a bit of heartiness and a bit of fattiness. You can also add capers or other olives. And then panko gives it the perfect crunchy topping. The dish comes together in 15 minutes and is easy to multiply. Perfect vegetarian and could be gluten-free, too.

This skillet Chicken Marsala comes together so fast and is easy to reheat. You could make it and let it sit, and then quickly bring it back to temp and put it on the platter. You could even double the sauce if you wanted to and pour it over mashed potatoes. That sauce is just so good.