Lidia Bastianich's Last Meal Unsurprisingly Would Be A Classic Italian Spread

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Lidia Bastianich is famous for her classically comforting Italian cuisine, like her sage fettuccine Alfredo and flavorful white wine risotto. Naturally, the Italian American culinary icon would bring that signature sophisticated taste to her last meal on Earth. In an interview for Melanie Dunea's project "My Last Supper: The Next Course," Bastianich revealed that her ideal final meal would start with an antipasti of San Daniele prosciutto paired with ripe black figs, followed by a pasta course of linguine with white clam sauce. She would also enjoy a plate of the Italian cheese she always uses for pasta, Grana Padano, and she'd round things out with "perfectly ripe, juicy peaches" (via My Last Supper).

Unsurprisingly, the chef would pair her last meal with Bastianich wines, produced at the family's vineyard in Friuli. Bastianich would cook up the spread with the help of her mother and children, and they'd savor the meal in her Italian home with sweeping views of the Adriatic Sea. This simply elegant meal spotlights top-quality Italian ingredients through thoughtful flavor pairings, and, frankly, we'd expect nothing less from one of America's most beloved Italian chefs.

It's hard to cover all the comfort foods from Italy in one meal, but Lidia Bastianich's last supper comes impressively close to having it all: excellent cured meat, perfectly sauced pasta, and flavor-packed cheese, complemented by ripe regional fruit and expertly paired wine. San Daniele prosciutto is a D.O.P. (Protected Designation of Origin) product expertly crafted with traditional methods in the Italian Alps. The superbly savory prosciutto and velvety-sweet Italian black figs are a match made in heaven.

As for the pasta, linguine with white clam sauce is the ideal light yet luxurious pasta preparation, especially assuming Bastianich would cook up her own recipe, which includes littleneck clams, anchovies, fresh parsley, and plenty of garlic. While it may seem surprising to stick to fruit for your ultimate dessert (at least for those of us with a sweet tooth), it's admittedly hard to beat a juicy Italian peach perfectly ripened under the Mediterranean sun.