Top 5 Best Italian Recipes for Summertime
Summertime and outdoor gatherings go hand in hand, but many people are challenged when preparing warm-weather meals. Here are a few of my favorite Italian recipes from my newly released Italian Recipes for Dummies. These mouthwatering and easy to make dishes are elegant enough to serve for a party or ceremony, but easy enough to enjoyed whenever the mood strikes.
Tagliatelle con salsa di ricotta e basilico / Tagliatelle with Basil Ricotta Cream Sauce
PREP TIME: 5 MIN
COOK TIME: 20 MIN
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
* 1 pound tagliatelle pasta
* 1 cup fresh ricotta
* Bunch fresh basil (roughly @@bf3/4 cup), reserving a few leaves for garnish
* 1/4 cup Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, freshly grated, plus extra for garnish if desired
* 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
* 1/4 cup Amy Riolo Selections or other good-quality extra virgin olive oil
* Salt, to taste
* Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1.Cook the pasta to al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
2.While the pasta is cooking, combine the remaining ingredients except for salt and pepper in a food processor, reserving some of the Grana Padano cheese for garnish.
3.Process until smooth. Taste, and adjust salt, pepper, and olive oil to your preference. Add a bit of pasta water if sauce needs to be thinner.
4.Spoon sauce into a large bowl. Using tongs, toss pasta with sauce until combined. Garnish with basil and Grana Padano cheese, if desired.
TIP:
You can use your own homemade tagliatelle(see Chapter 9), buy fresh tagliatelle, or use the dried variety for this recipe. When serving this dish, be sure to pair it with grilled or roasted meat or poultry for a second course.
Pair this dish with a bottle of Malvasia puntinata(or Malvasia del Lazio) or similar. This wine is characterized by its marked fruity and fresh-savory note, which, when blended with Trebbiao grapes, also gives an almond finish.
NOTE:
Be sure to buy the best-quality cheese and freshest basil possible to make this quick sauce.
VARY IT!
Other flat, long pastas such as fettuccine, pappardelle,and trenettealso work well with this sauce.
Pesce spada alla griglia / Calabrian-Style Grilled Swordfish
PREP TIME: 10 MIN
COOK TIME: 20 MIN
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
* f1/4 cup Amy Riolo Selections or other good-quality extra virgin olive oil
* 4 swordfish steaks, 4 ounces each
* 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
* 1/4 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste, or your favorite chili paste
* 2 bulbs fennel, thinly sliced, a few fronds reserved for garnish, finely chopped
* 1 cup Seafood Stock (see Chapter3)
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
DIRECTIONS
1.Heat olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add swordfish steaks and cook 2-3 minutes per side until golden. Remove the fish from the pan, and place on a platter. Set aside.
2.Add onions and chili paste to the skillet. Stir the paste around the base of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add fennel slices. Sauté, uncovered, over medium heat until onions begin to caramelize, about 10-12 minutes. Add stock and pepper. Stir well to combine, and cook, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes.
3.Add the fish back to the skillet, cover, and cook for 3 minutes per side until done.
4.Remove the fish from the skillet to a serving platter. Pour sauce over the swordfish, and arrange onions around the top and sides of the platter. Sprinkle finely chopped fennel fronds over the top of the dish. Serve warm.
TIP:
Serve this dish as a second course with Cavatelli con sugo/Calabrian Cavatelli with Spicy Tomato Sauce (see Chapter 9) for lunch or with a side dish of sautéed greens and a salad for dinner.
Pair this dish with a bottle of Vernacia di San Gimignanoor similar. A white wine with fine fruity aromas combined with notes of Mediterranean scrub, a wild bush native to the Mediterranean. The sip is full, ample, and fresh with a bitter finish.
NOTE:
Calabria is famous for its Peperoncini, spicy red chile peppers. Many of the local varieties are preserved as chili flakes and ground into a fine powder, or made into a paste. Nowadays, many of these products are available on the international market, but if you can’t find them, you can substitute your own favorite chili paste, crushed red chili flakes, or whatever source of heat you prefer.
VARY IT!
Fresh tuna and grilled chicken also taste great prepared this way!
Insalata Caprese/Caprese Salad
PREP TIME: 5 MIN
COOK TIME: 0 MIN
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
* 1 (8 ounce) fresh mozzarella ball, preferably from Buffalo-Milk, drained, sliced into 10 even-sized slices
* 4 large, ripe tomatoes, sliced
* f1/4 cup Amy Riolo Selections or other good-quality extra virgin olive oil
* 10 fresh basil leaves
* Unrefined sea salt
DIRECTIONS
1.Slice mozzarella balls into four thin slices each.
2.Arrange in an artistic pattern on a plate, alternating with the tomato slices.
3.Drizzle olive oil over the top, and scatter basil on top of the plate.
4.Sprinkle with salt, and serve.
NOTE:
This popular Italian salad is so simple to make that the recipe reminds us what notto put in more than what to use.
TIP:
Reserve this salad for the height of summer, when tomatoes and basil are at their peak and use the best-quality mozzarella you can find.
VARY IT!
The ubiquitous Caprese Salad recipe often includes balsamic vinegar, various types of lettuce, olives, and more, which are not typical on the island of Capri. You can add other ingredients to this salad, or serve it in a different way, but you can no longer call it a Caprese Salad. I like to toss this mixture into baby spinach as well.
Macedonia/Fruit Salad
PREP TIME: 10 MIN
COOK TIME: 5 HOURS FOR OVERNIGHT MARINADE
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
* 1 cup pineapple, papaya, or mango chunks
* 1/2 cup raspberries
* 1/2 cup strawberries, thinly sliced
* 1/2 cup blueberries
* 1/2 cup sliced kiwi
* 1/4 cup sugar
* Juice of half a lemon
* 4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint, plus 4 whole mint leaves
* 1 cup freshly whipped cream
DIRECTIONS
1.Combine all the fruit in a large salad bowl. Mix the sugar, lemon juice, and mint together in a small bowl.
2.Drizzle the sugar mixture over fruit, and mix gently to combine.
3.Cover the bowl, and store in refrigerator for a minimum of 5 hours or maximum of overnight.
4.Transfer to individual bowls before serving. Garnish with whipped cream and a mint leaf, if desired.
TIP:
This salad can pass for a dessert or snack and can even follow a traditional green salad in a meal.
NOTE:
There are many types and species of fruit that grow in Italy’s many different microclimates, and it is important to always use seasonal fruit in this recipe.
VARY IT!
Any combination of fruit you like can be used in this recipe. When berries are not in season, for example, substitute apples, pears, and oranges.
Tiramisù di fragole / Strawberry Tiramisù
PREP TIME: 20 MIN
COOK TIME: 0 MIN PLUS OVERNIGHT CHILLING
YIELD: 12 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
* 3 large egg yolks
* 1 cup sugar
* 1 cup mascarpone cheese, chilled
* 1 cup heavy cream
* 24 plain lady fingers, divided
* f1/2 cup strawberry purée (made from puréeing fresh strawberries)
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 1 cup freshly sliced strawberries
DIRECTIONS
1.In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on high speed, beat together the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow, smooth, and shiny, about 5 minutes. Add the mascarpone, and continue to beat until smooth, about 3-5 minutes.
2.In another bowl, using clean beaters, whip the cream until soft peaks form.
3.Using a rubber spatula or whisk, fold the whipped cream into the yolk mixture until blended.
4.Arrange 12 lady fingers in a single layer in the bottom of a decorative serving bowl (10 inches in diameter).
5.Place strawberry purée and vanilla in a medium bowl, and whisk to combine.
6.Brush some of the strawberry purée evenly over the lady fingers. Turn lady fingers over, and brush again until each one is soaked through with the strawberry purée.
7.Spoon some of the mascarpone over the ladyfingers in an even @@bf1/2-inch layer.
8.Place remaining 12 lady fingers in a single layer over mascarpone mixture. Brush the tops with strawberry purée to soak. Spoon remaining mascarpone over the top. Cover and chill for 6 hours to overnight before serving. To serve, place sliced strawberries on top and scoop individual portions onto plates.
TIP:
Serve this recipe instead of strawberry shortcake in the summertime.
If you’d like to pair this dessert with wine, look for Prosecco dryor similar.
NOTE:
Because this version of tiramisù contains no alcohol, in Italy it’s often prepared with kids.
VARY IT!
You can use any kind of berries you like, or a mixture of berries, in this recipe. I usually make a red-white-and-blue version with the addition of blueberries for 4th of July and Memorial Day celebrations.