The arrival of summer, with its increasingly longer and warmer days, when it comes to food in Italy, translates in only one way: more colorful and lighter dishes (but always super tasty)! This is a typical menu in any home, with seasonal, fresh products that are especially quick to prepare (appetizer, first course, and second course). Buon appetito!
Appetizer: Bruschette al pomodoro
An evergreen, a timeless classic you can find in restaurants and the homes of typical Italians. The king is the tomato, but the touch of class is a drizzle of olive oil from our olive groves (rigorously)!
The recipe (the Italian way) is straightforward, you can’t go wrong:
- High-quality Italian tomatoes, such as cuore di bue, Pachino cherry tomatoes, or Corbarino. Once cut into small pieces, add salt, oregano, and fresh garlic.
- Cut slices of bread (homemade is better), and place them on a hot grill.
- Add the freshly cut tomatoes to the bruschetta and season with oil!
First course: Pasta alla crudaiola
On a hot summer day, you might crave anything except turning on the stove and cooking. This fresh, quick, and completely raw dish can save your lunch while keeping an Italian touch!
In this light dish, the timeless cherry tomatoes make a comeback (we Italians adore them). I prefer smaller tomatoes for this recipe, like datterini or cherry tomatoes, but it’s up to you. We also need a creamy but not too sweet cheese, like ricotta salata (perfect for this dish), and pasta, preferably short, such as farfalle.
- Combine thinly sliced tomatoes, grated ricotta, and basil.
- Drain the pasta al dente and pour over the seasoning. Don’t forget the Italian touch, the oil!
PS: Instead of ricotta, if you prefer a stronger flavor, you can use feta or mozzarella, and also add fresh olives and canned tuna for extra freshness.
Second course: Orata all’acqua pazza
Orata all’acqua pazza is a typical dish of Neapolitan cuisine, so it’s a must-try. Legend has it that acqua pazza comes from the island of Ponza and became more famous thanks to Totò’s interest.
The recipe calls for orata, but any white-fleshed fish is more than fine (orata, sea bass, cod, hake).
- Once the fish is cleaned, brown it in a pan with cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of oil.
- Don’t forget to insert a clove of garlic and some parsley into the fish.
- Add white wine and let it cook with the lid closed.
The fish will be cooked as soon as you can easily detach the flesh from the skin…and buon appetito!
If you love Italian cuisine, don’t miss out:
