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[quote=Anonymous]Italian fam here. Our thanksgivings include traditional to an extent, but we lean into Italian multi courses. Here’s what I’ve done for vegan friends in the past. Don’t panic, it’s easy. Just offering step by step.

Starter: A vegan version of traditional antipasto— organic artichoke hearts (not marinated), a variety of olives, (roasting peppers imported jar), drizzle all with evoo and sea salt. On a long serving tray I arrange this, bakery Italian semolina, condiment bowls with nuts of choice mixed with organic cranberries, hummus burrowed in middle for evoo, sea salt, cracked pepper served with mini naan (warmed)

Main: in this case, buy imported bagged pasta (not fresh) tagliatelle or my fav tripoline nests. The goal is to keep the nest shape which is easier with dry pasta. Here’s a delicate vegan topper.

Rinse and halve organic cherry tomatoes, salt them. 
Heat evoo in a skillet pan, add fresh chopped garlic (not jarred). Add dry basil or fresh if you prefer. On low-medium heat, let them wither in the oil until skins become soft. Taste test.
Transfer to a baking dish and let sit at room temp 
Top the tomato mixture with fresh breadcrumbs. Grab a bag from your local market that has some chunks.
I don’t know the taste or texture of vegan butter, but if others say it will add flavor then put a few pats on top of breadcrumbs.
Bake in toaster oven until crumbs are slightly brown and crunchy.
Time this in tandem with bringing salted water to a boil.
Using a strainer spoon, gently lower the nests in water. Do not stir! They’ll keep their shape. 
Cooks fast so be sure to test. I pull one strand out with small tongs. You definitely want al dente. 
Scoop out each nest with strainer spoon giving it a gentle shake.
Plate and use a slight hand to top with tomato mixture until it looks pretty.

For the vegan version w/o hot Italian sausage. I roast/bake an extra tray of sweet potatoes (not yams) in a pan with onions, a few cloves of garlic, olive oil salt and pepper. Throw it all in an aluminum pan and mix to coat. Bake at 375. Do the fork test for readiness. Scoop with straining spoon, shake, and add to side of nest. Avoid the oil so potatoes stand alone without a sloppy oily mess the way my family likes them.

Dessert: In pretty bowls dessert bowls— [i]HAAGEN-DAZS Non-Dairy Chocolate Salted Fudge Truffle Frozen Dessert,[/i] chilled berries. Traditionally, we always fill a huge wooden bowl with skin on seedless clementines, walnuts in shell, and figs. Don’t forget the nutcracker. Another southern Italian tradition is dark chocolate dipped clementines. These are presliced from Calabria where they’re soaked for months. Big hit, so I add them to xmas stockings. https://www.zingermans.com/Product/clementines-in-chocolate/P-CIC[/quote]

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