MEDITERRANEAN LEGUME SALAD

As I was looking for something refreshing, yet nutritious to serve on a hot September Florida Fall day, I came up with this creation. We liked it. Hope you will enjoy it too!


1 small can of chick peas
1 small can of lentils
a handful of cherry tomatoes
a couple of radishes
a couple of chopped carrots
the juice of one lemon
about 1/4 cup of EVOO
5/6 leaves of fresh mint - chopped
1/4 of a medium red onion -  finely chopped (or more if you prefer)
salt + pepper to flavor

Start by peeling, washing and then chopping the carrots in a food processor (alternatively, you may use a cheese grater to grate them).
Wash and cut the tomatoes in half.
Wash and chop radishes.
Empty the chick pea and lentil cans by draining excess liquid.
Place all these ingredients in a bowl.

Make dressing in a jar: juice of one lemon, EVOO, salt and pepper. Close lid and shake well. Add to salad. Sprinkle with chopped mint. Toss.

You can be creative and include chopped cucumbers, maybe some sultanas or even crumbs of Feta cheese.
Buon appetito!

EGGPLANT SALAD

This super easy to make salad is perfect to accompany grilled meats or can be a wonderful appetizer with a simple bruschetta / toasted bread.

INGREDIENTS:

4 large eggplants
1 big garlic clove
the juice of one lemon
EVOO
salt & pepper to taste
fresh chopped parsley
White wine vinegar

Start by washing well the eggplants. Dry them with a cloth or absorbent paper. Poke them with a fork all around, and place them on a baking sheet. Cook in a 400F oven for about 40 minutes or until the eggplants have become soft.

Remove them from the oven and let them cool down a bit.

Cut them open in two halves and carefully remove the strings of seeds that you may find inside. (It will be impossible to remove ALL seeds). Then, scoop out the pulp with a spoon into a bowl. Squeeze out excess water by placing them in a fine mesh strainer and pressing down with a spoon.

Place the pulp on a cutting board and finely slice with a knife, then transfer back to the serving bowl.
Dress the salad with salt and pepper to taste, freshly chopped parsley, EVOO, the juice of one lemon and a dash of white wine vinegar. Your salad is done!

POLPETTE DI CARNE

Meatballs are everyone's favorite, young and old!

Following is how I learned to make them form my wonderful grandmother Leonilde.

Coming home from school to her pasta and meatballs is without doubt my fondest childhood memory!



INGREDIENTS for about 20 /22 meatballs:

About 2.2lbs of meat (2/3 beef + 1/3 pork or 1/2 beef + 1/2 pork, depending on personal preference)
4 eggs
about 4 cups of soft - not crusty - bread, soaked in milk
about 2 cups of grated Parmigiano cheese (or 1/2 Parmigiano and 1/2 Pecorino, for added flavor)
about 1/2 cup of bread crumbs
about 1 tsp of sea salt
1 minced clove of garlic
some fresh chopped parsley
a pinch of nutmeg
a dash of pepper
vegetable oil for frying

Start by soaking the bread in milk for a few minutes. Then, squeeze the bread in your hands to get rid of excess milk.
In a bowl combine all the ingredients and mix well together. If the mix is too "lose", add more bread crumbs.
Make meatballs.
Heat up vegetable oil in a frying pan - enough oil so that half of each meatball is submerged.
Fry the meatballs on medium - high heat, about 6 minutes on each side. Drain them on absorbent paper.


INGREDIENTS for the sauce:

1 small onion thinly sliced
EVOO
3  28 oz cans of whole tomatoes
Salt

Start by crushing the tomatoes in a blender at the lowest speed for just a few seconds, until the tomatoes are barely crushed.
Sauté the onion in EVOO - enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan - for a few minutes until  it becomes translucent. (A tall pan works best).
Add the crushed tomatoes and salt to taste.
Bring to a gentle boil for about ten minutes. Add the meatballs and let simmer for about one hour.

Use the sauce to top your favorite pasta (not egg pasta, though), cooked al dente!

PASTA E FAGIOLI

Fall and Winter call for soups or more soupy pasta dishes, like Pasta e Fagioli (pasta with beans).
It is an example of what we call Cucina Povera or peasant dishes due to its low cost but good nutritional value.

INGREDIENTS FOR FOUR PEOPLE:

1 chopped celery stalk
1 medium size chopped carrot
1 clove of garlic
1 small diced onion
Some diced prosciutto for extra flavor - optional
EVOO
About 3 1/2 quarts of vegetable stock
Black pepper
Some fresh, minced rosemary
400 gr of pinto beans (you can substitute with canned beans)
250 gr of tomato puree


Sauté the garlic in some olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of a tall pasta pan). Once it becomes golden, remove it and add the chopped onion, carrot and celery. Add a ladle of stock and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the diced prosciutto and cook for a few more minutes. Add another ladle of stock and the tomato puree. Flavor with salt and pepper. Add the cooked beans with a bit of their cooking water (if using canned beans, drain them first). Now add the remaining stock and simmer for about ten minutes. With an immersion blender, partially blend 1/3 of the beans, to give the pasta a creamier consistency. Cook the pasta in the same pot according to pasta directions. Add salt to taste.
Add some hot water if you feel you are running out of liquid.
Once done, remove from heat and let rest for 15 minutes before serving.
Serve with freshly grated parmigiano cheese and some finely minced rosemary.

TORTA AL CACAO

Simple  Chocolate Cake

A quick and easy recipe for a cake that you can eat plain or decorate with frosting as you wish.

250 gr flour

3 eggs

200 gr sugar

50 gr of dutch processed cocoa

100 gr of melted butter

1/2 glass of  milk

19 gr of baking powder

Start by whipping the eggs with the sugar. Add the melted butter (after it has cooled down), then the flour, cocoa and milk. Mix for five minutes. Add the baking powder and mix for ten more minutes. Bake at 350 F  for about 40 minutes in a previously buttered and floured cake pan.

ZEPPOLE DI PATATE

Zeppole - a type of fried donuts, with a potato based dough -  are traditionally made and eaten during the Christmas Holidays in the region of Campania. It would not be Christmas without them!


INGREDIENTS for about 60 zeppole:

1 Kg of yukon gold potatoes
about 1kg of all purpose flour
4  large eggs + 1 egg yolk
250 ml of warm milk
200 gr sugar
5 tsp dry yeast
the lemon zest of one organic lemon
1 tsp of vanilla
120 gr butter
a pinch of salt
about 6 cups of Wesson vegetable oil
a mix of about 3 cups of sugar and 2 TBS of cinnamon (or more according to your preferences)



Rinse well the potatoes and boil them - skin on. Once they are boiled, mash them using a potato ricer.
Allow the yeast to dissolve in the warm milk for a few minutes.
Create the dough by mixing all the ingredients together by hand, adding the flour a little at the time.
You may need more or less than 1kg of flour, depending on the consistency of your potatoes. The dough should be soft and not sticky on the outside.

Cover the dough with a cloth. Flour a few baking sheets.
Remove a chunk of the dough from the original piece. Dust your working surface with flour, roll out the dough in strips about 18cm long (about 7 inches). Cross the two ends on top of each other to form a donut, so that you have two "tails" on each side. Place on floured baking sheets. Cover each baking sheet with a clean cloth and let the zeppole rest and rise for about 45 minutes to one hour in a non drafty warm room (not in the oven).

Pour vegetable oil in a tall pan. Heat up on medium high heatzeppole that you can fry at the same time will depend on the size of your pan. However, be careful not to overcrowd it. I can fry about 4 at the time. After frying the first ones, you will realize if you need to adjust the temperature. They need to be golden - not dark brown or they will burn - and will need to be turned on both sides while frying.
. When hot, start frying. The number of
Drain them on paper towel and while still warm, dip them in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon. Place on a serving platter.

Zeppole are best when still warm or eaten within the same day. Their consistency will change with time, and they will become harder and stale as time goes by.

PASTA CON CREMA DI PEPERONI

One of our family's favorite, quick, inexpensive and tasty pasta dish.

INGREDIENTS for five people 

1 chopped onion

1 chopped fresh red pepper 

Salt 

Fresh basil

EVO oil

Heavy Cream

Grated Parmigiano 

1 package of penne or rigatoni 

Sautée onion and pepper in some olive oil (enough to barely cover the bottom of pan), for about ten minutes on medium heat, until onion becomes translucent and pepper is tender.

Meanwhile, put your pasta pot on and bring water to a boil.

Transfer pepper and onion to a blender, add heavy cream, fresh basil and salt to taste and blend together into a smooth mixture.

Transfer back to pan and cook on low heat for a couple of minutes. 

Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and toss in with cream. Stir in low heat for a minute and serve right away sprinkled with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.

AMALFI LEMON CAKE

The Amalfi Coast is known, among other things, for its Yellow Gold, aka Lemons. Hard to imagine but absolutely true!
To people there, lemons are more than just fruit: they represent one of the key elements in the local economy, second maybe only to tourism. Throughout the centuries, the abundance of lemons has had a significant impact on culinary traditions and flavors and even on medicinal remedies.

Lemons that grow in the Amalfi microclimate are called Sfusato Amalfitano, due to their elongated shape. They are characterized by a sweeter taste and a thick skin which allow the fruit to be eaten or used in its entirety, peel and all.

Many local dishes feature lemons in their preparation, ranging from a simple lemon salad to delicious pastries like Delizia al limone, lemon profiteroles and Torta Caprese al limone (Lemon Caprese Cake).

Lemons and Limoncello are also the main ingredients of the traditional Amalfi Lemon Cake, featured here.
As you will not find Amalfi lemons in the US, please, always use organic lemons for this recipe.
The best Limoncello can be shipped right to your doorstep by ordering from my friend Salvatore Aceto, right in Amalfi!! And if you happen to go to Amalfi, visit his lemon grove located right in the heart of the village!

INGREDIENTS

200 gr of butter
200 gr of sugar
100 gr of bread flour
100gr of all purpose flour
3 eggs
lemon zest from 3 organic lemons
1.75 oz of Limoncello
a splash of cold milk
16 gr of baking powder

For the syrup:

the juice of three lemons
250 gr of sugar

In a mixer, whip together the butter and sugar. Add one egg at the time, while mixing. Sift the flour and add it one spoonful at the time. Add the limoncello, a splash of cold milk, and the lemon zest. Continue to mix and scrape off the sides, if needed. Add the baking powder. Mix well for a few seconds and transfer to a  previously buttered and floured bundt cake pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350F for about 30 minutes.

In the meanwhile, make the syrup by bringing to a boil the filtered juice of three lemons and 250gr of sugar. Stir frequently. Let boil for about one minute on medium/low heat and remove from heat. Let cool down a bit.

When the cake has finished baking, let it cool down for 15/20 minutes. Then,  with a spoon, wet it with half of the syrup, while still in the baking pan. At this point, turn it upside down on a serving
plate, and evenly wet the top with the remaining syrup.

Serve at room temperature. Do not refrigerate (not even left overs).

AGLIO, OLIO E PEPERONCINO

A staple of Italian cooking, this "poor" dish is one of the most popular among friends for an improvised get together, rightly called "spaghettata".

Crucial to its success is the quality of the few ingredients needed: high quality extra virgin olive oil and fresh (not super old) garlic.
Never cheese on this pasta dish!

INGREDIENTS for four people:

1 package of spaghetti
Extra-virgin olive oil - between 1/4 and 1/3 cup
3 garlic cloves - lightly smashed
Dried hot pepper flakes
Salt
Chopped parsley for decoration (optional)

In a small tall pan, warm up the olive oil, garlic cloves, and some hot pepper (the quantity will depend on your taste buds and how much heat they are willing to take. Try a small amount the first few times). Add a pinch of salt.  Cook on low heat just to warm up the oil. The garlic should become lightly blond, and not burn.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. When it is time to drain, just transfer the pasta from the pan directly to a bowl, without using a strainer. The idea is that you want to preserve some of the cooking water to avoid for the pasta to become dry. Pour the oil, garlic and hot pepper and toss well.
Add chopped parsley for decoration.
Serve and eat immediately.
This dish is not suitable as leftovers. The pasta dries up too much.

RISOTTO AL LIMONE

Up until last Summer, I had no idea one could make risotto with lemons. But, after being in Amalfi for a while, one soon realizes that almost anything can be made with the fantastic lemon of the Amalfi coast or Sfusato Amalfitano. Sadly, it is not yet present on the American market. 

Amalfi lemons are very unique and precious, so much so that they are called Oro di Amalfi  (Amalfi's gold). They are rather large in size, with a thick peel and are much less acidic than the average lemons. The name Sfusato  comes from the elongated shape and the pointy tip at the bottom. They are consumed in their "wholeness", peel and pulp, as in the lemon salad so typical of the Amalfi Coast.

So, why not risotto?


INGREDIENTS for five people

500 gr of carnaroli or arborio rice
1 onion, finely chopped
About 2 tbs Extra-virgin olive oil
about 3 tbs of salted European butter
1 glass of dry white wine
The juice of two lemons, filtered
150 gr of Crème Fraiche
1 egg yolk
Warm vegetable broth (store bought is fine, about two cartons )
Chopped parsley
Salt

In a tall cast iron pan, melt and warm up the butter and oil. Add the onion and sauté on medium low heat until it becomes translucent, making sure it does not burn.
Add rice and toast it well, mixing often for a few minutes. Add the white wine and continue mixing to ensure all rice soaks up the wine. 
When the wine evaporates, start adding about three  or four ladles of broth at the time, so that the rice is completely immersed in the broth. Cover with lid and cook on medium low heat. When broth is absorbed, add more ladles of broth. This means you have to check often, every 5 minutes or less, to make sure rice does not burn. 
Add salt to flavor in between ladles of broth.
Meanwhile, combine the crème fraiche with the egg yolk.
When the rice has reached the desired "al dente" consistency, wait for all the broth to be absorbed one last time and add the crème fraiche and egg yolk mixture. Delicately fold into rice. Turn heat off and add the lemon juice, a little at the time, still delicately folding it into the rice. Taste halfway through this process to make sure rice is not too acidic. This step requires some concentration as you want to achieve just the right balance of flavors between the acidity of the lemon and the soft texture of the cream. This means that, depending on the size and acidity of the lemons being used, you may or may not utilize all the juice prescribed in this recipe. 
Finally, garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve and eat immediately. (If you wait, it will become acidic and it will quickly dry up).

(In the absence of a cast iron pan, a regular non stick tall skillet or high pan, will do. It may just take a little longer to cook the rice).

PIZZA DI MACCHERONI

Pizza di maccheroni, best translated into English as pasta frittata, is definitely one of those dishes that evokes many memories. It is a dish that must date back to times when resources were scarce and in order not to waste food, moms would utilize leftover pasta in a somewhat unusual fashion: cooking it again with eggs, cheese and / or any leftover cold cuts. I even remember my grandmother turning it into a humble dessert as she would garnish the final product with sugar.

Pizza di maccheroni is also the ultimate picnic food for people in the Campania region, especially on the day of Pasquetta (Easter Monday) which is traditionally devoted to picnics and day trips.

If you visit the Amalfi Coast beaches during the Summer months, you may often see the locals eating Pizza di Maccheroni  as their lunch at the beach.

One of the tricks to success in making this dish, in my opinion,  is to utilize egg pasta, preferably tagliolini (similar to angel hair but a little thicker). In the absence of egg pasta, regular spaghetti will be fine too.







INGREDIENTS:

1lb of Tagliolini egg pasta

4 eggs

2 cups of freshly grated Parmigiano cheese or even Pecorino cheese

Any left over Salame or Prosciutto Cotto (cooked ham)

Any left over mozzarella or smoked mozzarella

Chopped parsley (optional)

Salt and Pepper to taste


Start by cooking the pasta according to package directions.

In the meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. Add the rest of the ingredients (cold cuts, cheese and parsley) and mix well.

Drain the pasta and add it to the eggs, delicately mixing well to completely soak the pasta.

Cover the bottom of  a large skillet with a thin layer of olive oil and heat up on medium heat.

Add the pasta and egg mixture and spread it evenly.

Cover with a lid and cook for about ten minutes on medium heat.

Remove the lid and check bottom of the frittata to make sure it looks cooked and crispy.

With the help of the lid or a large dish, turn the frittata upside down and cook the other side for about ten more minutes. No lid necessary at this point.

Again, check the bottom to make sure it is evenly cooked and crispy.

Serve warm or bring it on your outing!

PASTA CON TONNO

Not necessarily what comes to mind when thinking of an Italian pasta dish, Pasta con tonno (pasta with tuna fish) is actually one of the typical  "quick meals" when pressed for time.
Several variations exist, with tomatoes, garlic or onion, olives, capers or anchovies.

Mine is a "white" version (no tomatoes) with olives.

Make sure to serve and eat as soon as it is ready, as the pasta quickly dries up.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb of pasta (penne, farfalle, rigatoni, etc.)

2 tins of tuna in olive oil

2 large cloves of minced garlic

About 20 fresh olives (I used green and Kalamata)

2 fresh lemons

chopped parsley

Extra -virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper

Fresh chopped parsley


Start by bringing your pasta water to a boil.

In the meanwhile, sautée the minced garlic in a skillet, just a few minutes on medium heat,  making sure it does not burn.

Add the tuna fish, including its own oil from the tin. Break up the chunks with a fork. Add the olives, chopped or whole, as you prefer, and the juice of two fresh lemons.

Flavor to taste with salt and pepper and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with the tuna sauce. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

Serve and eat immediately.

BRUSCHETTA CON POMODORINI

Bruschetta (pronounced bru-sketta) is THE Italian antipasto found in all Italian restaurants, both in Italy and abroad. It is made of sliced bread rubbed with garlic and typically topped with tomatoes, olive oil, chopped garlic and salt as the essential ingredients and then toasted for a few minutes in the oven.
In this recipe,  I sprinkled some oregano. During the Summer, when fresh basil is in season, I add that too.
(Please, make sure your oregano is from countries like Italy, Greece, or Turkey. This means a trip to a specialty / ethnic shop).

There are many other variations: with mozzarella, olives, prosciutto, etc.

Try making your own version, but don't over do it using too many ingredients at once. Keeping it simple is always best in Italian cuisine.

Bread quality is of crucial importance for what may seem an inconsequential dish, just as a good quality of oil.
Use rustic artisan breads for absolute perfection of Bruschetta. 

Impress your guests and... your palate! It is easy!


INGREDIENTS:

Sliced artisan bread

Diced cherry tomatoes

Fresh garlic

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Oregano

Fresh Basil

Toast the bread (in the oven ) then rub it with a garlic clove. Drizzle with some olive oil. In a separate dish, combine the diced tomatoes, salt to taste, oregano, fresh chopped basil and extra- virgin olive oil. Mix well and top the bread slices.

BROCCOLI DI RAPE SOFFRITTI

Broccoli di rape are known for their somewhat bitter taste. It is a taste that one either loves or detests but it is definitely an acquired taste. When sauteed, they accompany very well meat, especially pork (sausages, pork chops, pork roasts).

One way to remove some of the bitter taste is to boil them first for a few minutes.

Here is how I make them:

1 Bunch of Broccoli di Rape

Extra-virgin olive oil

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

Hot pepper flakes

Salt


Start by cleaning the broccoli (remove thick stems) and washing them well in water.

Using a pasta pot, bring some water to a boil, add some salt.

Cook the broccoli in boiling water for about 5 / 7 minutes. Remove from water with a straining spoon and place in a plate.

In a skillet, sauté garlic and hot pepper flakes until garlic becomes blonde - but not burned.

Carefully toss in the broccoli  and cover with a lid until oil splashing ends. Then, remove the lid and cook on medium - low heat, add salt to taste and stir the broccoli from time to time, until stems are tender. If you see that juices dry up, but more cooking is needed, add a bit of water.

How do you like the bitter flavor? 
If you do, you are more Italian than you think!

CALAMARATA SEPPIE E PISELLI

Calamarata is a special cut of pasta meant to evoke calamari rings and which is therefore, mainly accompanied by seafood sauces. For this dish, the pasta condiment is made with fresh cuttlefish and peas (which are traditionally a Roman dish, served alone as a second course ). It is not always easy to find fresh cuttlefish but when I do, I never miss the chance!

INGREDIENTS for five people:

2 large fresh cuttlefish
1 fresh medium size onion
1 16oz bag of frozen peas
About 1 cup of white cooking wine
Salt to taste
Extra virgin olive oil
Hot pepper flakes to taste
Fresh chopped parsley.
1 package of Calamarata pasta or other short cut pasta of your choice, preferably bronze cut.



Start by defrosting peas: remove them from bag and place them in hot water. Change water a couple of times.
Clean, wash and cut the cuttlefish in strips, including tentacles.
Dice the onion and let it sauté in a large skillet in extra-vergin olive oil  - enough to barely cover bottom of pan - with some hot pepper flakes. Add the cuttlefish, sauté for a few minutes, add the white wine and cover. Let simmer on medium - low heat until cuttlefish becomes tender. Depending on the thickness of the strips, this will take 30 to 40 minutes.  About ten minutes from reaching the desired fish consistency, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the peas to the fish, with salt to taste, continuing to simmer on low heat.
When the water boils, add salt and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and add  it to peas and cuttlefish, still on low simmer.  Sprinkle with abundant fresh chopped parsley and serve promptly.

POLLO AI PEPERONI

This is a traditional dish from Rome.
In the real recipe you want to sautée the chicken with a couple of cloves of garlic. This time, as you can see from the photo, I tried substituting the garlic with onions, to give the dish an even sweeter taste. Try both ways and decide which you like best.


INGREDIENTS for 5 people

About 3 lbs of cut up chicken (I used just drumsticks this time)
4 fresh and ripe plum tomatoes
1 medium size onion or 2 cloves of garlic
about 4 sliced fresh peppers - yellow and red.
Salt
Hot pepper flakes
Parsley
Extra-virgin olive oil


Start by washing and cleaning the chicken.  Barely cover the bottom of a high skillet with olive oil and sautée the garlic (if you are making the "garlic version") with the chicken and some hot pepper flakes, until all sides become golden/ brown. Splash with white wine and let evaporate. Add the sliced peppers, onions, parsley, tomatoes and salt.

Cover and let cook on medium heat for about one hour, turning each piece of chicken to prevent sticking to the pan.

Accompany this dish with roasted potatoes and a fresh salad.

RAGÙ CON CARNE MACINATA

Ragù is the general word to indicate tomato sauce  made with meat. The type and cuts of meat may change according to the several recipes (beef, pork, and even lamb). For this recipe, I used ground beef, which could also easily be substituted by half beef and half pork.

INGREDIENTS (for a large pot of sauce that will allow to make pasta for about 15 people -I like to make it and freeze it).

3lbs of ground beef meat

3 peeled and washed carrots

3 washed celery stalks

3 medium size onions

2 cans of crushed San Marzano tomatoes

2 cans of tomato purée

One glass of white wine

Olive oil

Half a stick of butter

Salt


Start by chopping up the onions, celery and carrots in a food processor.

Sautée vegetables in melted butter + a splash of olive oil, for about 15 minutes on medium low heat.

Add the ground meat and tear it apart with a fork. Let it brown. Add salt to taste and the glass of wine. Let the wine evaporate on low heat.

Add the crushed tomatoes and stir well. Add the tomato purèe and stir well. Flavor with more salt.
(If, at this point, your sauce is too thick, you may want to add about half a glass of water to thin it out). Bring sauce to a boil on medium high heat and then reduce to low. Let simmer for about two hours.

Serve this sauce on your favorite short pasta, like penne or rigatoni, or on fettuccine all'uovo (egg fettucine) if you prefer long shaped pasta - but NEVER on spaghetti or linguine!!!

INVOLTINI DI MELANZANE

This summer we had the opportunity to take a cooking class as a family in Amalfi, in an almost magical setting: a lemon grove set right above the town. La famiglia Aceto taught us how to make these light and super easy to prepare eggplant "roll-ups".

This dish is now our new favorite! Hope you will like it too.

TIP: the quality of the eggplants is crucial for a successful outcome. If you live in the US, please avoid buying the standards eggplants you find at the supermarket. They have too many seeds. Look instead for either Chinese eggplants (long and thin) or the Holland or Italian eggplants, which are going to be not as thin but with no seeds.

INGREDIENTS (for five people)

6 long eggplants
2 pints of cherry tomatoes
1/4 lb of diced provola (smoked mozzarella) or regular fresh mozzarella
grated Parmigiano cheese
fresh basil
salt
vegetable frying oil

olive oil


Start by washing the eggplants. Dry and remove the stem. Slice them thin lengthwise, discarding the first and last slices which will be mostly skin.
Fry them in vegetable oil until they become golden and drain on absorbent paper.

Make a sauce with the cherry tomatoes: wash them and cut them in half or fourths, depending on how big they are. Sautée them in a pan with very little olive oil. Add salt to taste. Don't cook them too long or they will become watery. Five minutes should suffice.

Use a plate to assemble the rolls: take one eggplant and garnish with the tomatoes, provola, grated cheese and basil (in this order). Roll it up and place it in a baking dish, side up. Continue until you run out of eggplants.

Bake at 350 F for about 15 minutes or until the cheese melts. Serve warm.

Special Thanks to the Aceto Family!
http://www.amalfilemon.it/

ZUCCHINE ARROSTITE

Another easy side dish to accompany meat or fish. Also great to enrich your lunch sandwiches.

INGREDIENTS:

6 round zucchini (alternatively the traditional long ones will be just as fine - just beware of seeds if you live in the US)
Minced fresh garlic
Fresh mint
Salt
Olive oil
White vine vinegar


Wash the zucchini, remove top and bottom. Slice them thin (a little less than 1/4 of an inch)
and roast them, on both sides, making sure not to overdue it, as they will easily burn.
In a serving dish, make a layer of zucchini. Dress with salt, minced garlic and mint, olive oil and just some sprinkles of vinegar. Make several layers in the same fashion until you run out of zucchini.
You can keep this dish refrigerated for a few days.

INSALATA DI ASPARAGI E BARBABIETOLE

This fresh salad is ideal to cool off during hot summer days. Have it for lunch with a green salad and fresh bread or use it as a side dish for dinner.


INGREDIENTS for 5 people:

One bunch of fresh asparagus
Four small boiled beets (you can now buy them precooked in most supermarkets)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Fresh lemon juice
Two or three scallions
Salt

Wash the asparagus, remove the ends and chop it up in about 1 in. chunks. Steam until tender.
In the meanwhile chop up the beets. When the asparagus is cooked, add it to the beets. Flavor with salt, olive oil, fresh lemon juice and the chopped up scallions. Stir well. Serve cold or at room temperature.