Blazing sun, summer has been underway for a while, and the desire for the sea. What could be better, for an Italian, than cooking typical seasonal products and enjoying delicious dishes steeped in Italian culinary tradition?
Here is a menu with seasonal products, featuring slightly daring yet revisited recipes, like the cold Parmigiana, inspired by the beloved Parmigiana, the queen of the South.
Buon appetito! Enjoy your meal!
Cold Parmigiana
Let’s start the menu with a cold appetizer, as the season demands. This is a variation of the prestigious Parmigiana, certainly among the most beloved dishes of southern Italian cuisine.
The recipe is very simple and quick, perfect for a hot summer day, but pay attention to the choice of products! Basil, extra virgin olive oil, tomatoes, and eggplants must be strictly fresh. Italian cuisine does not forgive!
To prepare the cold Parmigiana, you just need to:
- Slice the eggplants into 0.5 cm thick slices and add some salt. It’s important to let them rest, this way they will lose water and be less bitter.
- Grill the slices of eggplant on both sides. Once ready, drizzle with olive oil.
- According to the recipe, you should compose at least 3 layers, each composed of eggplant, mozzarella, and cherry tomatoes.
- Add basil to the delicious Parmigiana, it’s a touch of class!
Cold pasta with eggplant
If you like eggplants, this menu is perfect for you. Eating hot pasta on a July day just after draining is a real torture. So, it’s time for cold pasta: more practical to take on a picnic and no doubt less demanding to eat in summer.
For a colorful and classy touch, I recommend using both peppers and eggplants, but it’s up to you; however, for a touch of freshness, mozzarella (or feta if you prefer) should never be missing.
- Dice cherry tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants, and season with plenty of oil and salt. Bake at 200°C for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta of your choice and let it cool in a bowl.
- Then, take out the baked vegetables and add them to the pasta along with a drizzle of oil and basil.
Sauté mussels
This fresh and delicate dish also comes from Southern Italy. As always, the protagonists of the recipe are olive oil, garlic, and parsley (in addition to mussels, of course). The mussels must be very fresh, just bought; I invite you to check the integrity of the shells, which should be tightly closed and not leak any liquid.
After cleaning the mussels from impurities and sand, heat oil and garlic in a pan. Then add the mussels and cook over high heat for about 3 minutes with the lid closed. Add a splash of white wine, parsley, and chili pepper if you like.
Enjoy your meal!
Grilled peaches with gelato
For dessert, you can really indulge yourself. You can adapt any flavor of gelato, add yogurt, or any cream you like.
To prepare grilled peaches with wild berry gelato:
- First, cook sugar with wild berries in a pan for 10 minutes.
- Then blend the mixture with an immersion blender.
- Cut the peaches in half and after spreading butter, grill them on both sides.
- Place a scoop of gelato on top of each peach and then add the initial wild berry mixture.
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