Summer speedy “spaghetti”

Rarely use packaged products, but this of diced tomatoes Mutti has really drawn to and I must say I was not disappointed! Great when you have little time or as a "spare" in case of emergency!

Ingredients for 2 people:
5.30 OZ (150 grams) spaghetti (I use whole grains)
1 zucchini
1 cup of diced Mutti's tomatoes
1 mozzarella
5 basil leaves
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ organic lemon
parmesan cheese
Salt q.b.

Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy

Meanwhile, the pasta is cooking, clean and grate the zucchini, place in a bowl with basil, ½ a tablespoon of olive oil and lemon juice. Drain the cubes and pour into a bowl, add the diced mozzarella, grated courgette pour even after it has been well drained from the lemon.
Drain the pasta and add to the vegetable mixture and mozzarella cheese, mixed with the extra virgin olive oil and any remaining parmesan cheese shavings.
This paste is also excellent from cold! Enjoy your meal!

See the recipe in printable PDF

Three kinds of focaccia bread

A great idea for a drink with friends or a dinner that is not just pizza ...

Ingredients for 3 round “focaccia bread”
Dough:

• 6.7 OZ (200 ml) of water
• 10.5 OZ (300 grams) of durum wheat flour
• 2 tablespoons of milk
• 1 tablespoon of salt
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ packet of dry yeast to slow rising or ½ cube of fresh yeast

Dressing:

• 5.2 OZ (150 grams) of “crescenza” cheese
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 onion
• 1 small cup with half extra virgin olive oil, half water and a pinch of salt
• Oregano or basil to taste

Time: 10 min + 3 hours for rising
Oven: 480° F (250 °C)

Difficulty: medium

Put in the mixer, or in a large bowl, ingredients in the following order:
the water, 2 tablespoons of milk, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, the flour and ½ sachet of dry yeast to slow rising or ½ cube of yeast fresh beer. Turn the mixer with the hook on the program medium speed for 5 min or kneading with the hands for 10 min.

The dough should be soft but not sticky. If necessary, add flour if too sticky or water if too stiff.

Leave to rest in the bowl placed in the oven for 2 hours with a bowl of boiling water. If the outside temperature is low, just turn the oven light on.

Take the dough, give it a nice punch, knead briefly and divide it into three parts. Formed three balls, lay them with a rolling pin and a little flour and place them into three round pizza pans.
Leave to rest for half an hour - an hour.

Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes into slices not too thin and onion rather thin, with the aid of a mandolin.
Brush the buns with the mix of water, oil and salt of the cup and dressing each with slices of tomato and oregano, one with a “crescenza” cheese and the last with the onion. On the latter put on all remaining liquid in the small cup.

Bake at 480° F for half an hour, if too dry surface cover with a sheet in the oven paper or add a bowl of water during cooking.

See the recipe in printable PDF

Very fast aubergine!

A starter for signs occasion, fast, but very tasty, with typical Mediterranean flavors!

Ingredients for 2 people:

• 1 aubergine long and fleshy
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 mozzarella
• salt q.b.
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Basil and season to decorate

Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: easy
Oven: grill to 356 °F

Wash and cut the eggplant into thin slices, usually does not require rest in the salt if it is not too small. Coated the oven plate and brushed both sides of each slices with oil and put them under the grill for 5 minutes, turn them and leave another 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, cut the tomatoes and mozzarella into slices, lay over a grilled eggplant a slice of tomato and mozzarella, salt and cook under the grill for 2-3 minutes until the mozzarella melts. Chopped fresh basil over and serve.
Enjoy your meal.

See the recipe in printable PDF!

Tomatoes soup "light"

Ingredients for 2 people

• 5 tomatoes
• 5 basil leaves or a tablespoon of pesto
• 1 onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon oil EVO
• ½ liter of vegetable stock
• salt
• chilli

Time: 30 minutes

Wash the tomatoes and plunge into a pot of boiling water, remove and peel fast.
Squeeze to remove the seeds and cut into cubes.
Cook in a pan a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, sliced ​​onion end, a clove of garlic.
Add the tomatoes and after 2 minutes the broth.
Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, add pepper (to taste) and basil.
Blend with immersion blender and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve with a slice of toasted bread.

See the recipe in printable PDF

“Conchiglioni” filled with aubergine and crescenza cheese

“Conchiglioni” is a type of Italian pasta that can be filled, after cooked, in this case with aubergines and crescenza a kind of soft cheese typical of Lombardy.

Ingredients:

• 7 OZ (200 gr.) pasta like “conchiglioni”
• 5.30 OZ (150 gr.) crescenza cheese
• 5.30 OZ (150 gr.)  tomatoes
• 1  aubergine
• 1 shallot
• 2 basil leaves
• 3 tablespoons of salt
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Time: 45 minutes
Oven: 356 ° F

Cut the aubergine into slices and let drain in a colander for half an hour with the salt. At the end rinse and remove all the salt. Reduce the eggplant slices in small cubes and fry in a small frying pan in a little oil. Add the finely chopped shallots and tomatoes. Cover and reduce heat. Cook until the liquid is completely absorbed and the tomatoes taste the aubergine is cooked. Meanwhile boil the “conchiglioni” in salted water for 10 min. Drain and toss with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. When the sauce is ready put one layer on the bottom of a baking dish and cut above 2 basil leaves. In a bowl mix the sauce and the crescenza cheese. Fill the conchglioni one by one and then place them in the pan, on top of the sauce. Put into the oven, at 180 °, not ventilated for 10 minutes. I do not add more salt, to what remains in the aubergine, but you like you can add a pinch. Serve hot.
enjoy your meal!

See the recipe in printable PDF

Aubergine sandwiches

This is a great appetizer or dish in the evening, in the "light" version in fact usually the "sandwich" is then fried.

Ingredients for 2 people:

• 1 aubergine
• 1 large tomato
• 1 mozzarella cheese
• 2 tablespoons oil EVO
• salt
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Time: 25 minutes

Cut the aubergine into slices and let them drain in salt. Try to obtain 12 slices not too thick.

After half an hour wash with care and grill in a pan or in the oven.

Cut the tomato and mozzarella so as to obtain 6 slices for each.

Remove the aubergine cooked and in the same pan put a  slice of aubergine, a tomato, a mozzarella and aubergine again to close. Repeat until you have 6 "sandwiches."

Cook over medium heat for 2/3 minutes, until the cheese melts. If the cook in the pan turn them thoroughly after 1 minute.

Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

See the recipe in printable PDF

Gilthead bream in “acqua pazza”

A plate of fish lightly with a delicate taste and pleasant, easy to prepare. Ideal for a light dinner, accompanied by grilled vegetables and toast.
 

Ingredients for two people:

• a gilthead bream or two small
• 2 tablespoons parsley
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 onion
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• 1 carrot
• 2 tablespoons oil EVO
• ½ cup of dry white wine
• ½ cup of water
• 1 pinch of salt

Oven at 350° F (180 °C)
Time: 30 minutes

Wash and clean the fish inside, if it is not clean.
 Scale and cut the fins.
Wash the vegetables and cut them  into cubes.
In a saucepan place the oil  and the gilthead bream, entering into a little parsley and garlic.
Put the tomatoes, the carrot, onion and parsley remaining in the pan and pour half a glass of wine and ½ water, the fish must remain not completely submerged.
Add salt and cook in a hot oven for 20/25 minutes.
Once ready, you can serve the fish with the sauce leaving whole or filleted, removing the backbone, head and skin, as you can see in the photo.

See the recipe in printable PDF

“Calzoncini” cooked in the oven

the stuffing

Ingredients for 10 shorts

• bread dough
• 1 mozzarella
• 2 tomatoes
• 3 slices of ham
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 150 gr of parmesan cheese
• salt and oregano 

Oven at 350° F

Roll out bread dough to obtain a thin sheet.

Cut the tomatoes into small cubes and dress with oil, salt and oregano.

Also cut the mozzarella into small cubes and slices of prosciutto in half.

With a little cup (like those for fruit salad) cut 10 disks, if you prefer you can then use the shapes of ravioli (plastic ones), then put in 5 rounds a little tomato and mozzarella.

Do the same with the other 5 with ham and Parmesan cheese.

Seal them well with a fork and adding in a cup 2 tablespoons of water and oil and a brush them .

Bake for 15 minutes at 180 ° C together with a pot with water.

As soon as they crisp and golden brown you can serve!

With the scraps of dough to form rolls of type short sticks and brush with oil and salt and cook 10 minutes.

See the recipe in printable PDF

Pasta with aubergine and tuna (super fast!)

Pasta with aubergine and tuna

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of pasta like penne or fusilli

• 1 aubergine

• 1 large tomato

• 3,50 OZ (100 gams) of tuna in olive oil

• 1 onion

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

• salt

• pepper to taste.

Time: 25 minutes, 15 with the pressure cooker + 20 minutes if you want to remove the bitterness from the aubergine.

Peel the aubergine and cut into cubes, if you prefer put the cubes in a colander with the salt for 20 minutes to remove the bitterness.

Boil the pasta water with salt (2 tablespoons) and in a regular pot or pressure fry put the chopped onion, then add the drained tuna, aubergine and tomatoe cut into small cubes.

Allow to simmer covered for 20 minutes or alternatively close the pressure cooker and cook for 8 minutes from time.

Finish cooking the pasta, once cooked the sauce open the pressure cooker (or normal) pour the drained pasta, add a little hot pepper and / or basil to taste, leave the flame a couple of minutes turning frequently.

Serving, in summer as a main dish, followed by a mixed salad and a fruit salad.

See the recipe in printable PDF

Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 1 red sweet pepper,
• 3 tomatoes
• 8 fresh or pickled onions
• 1 whole chicken breast
• 2 hard boiled eggs
• 80 gr. salad like lettuce
• ½ lemon
• salt
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• mayonnaise if you want

Time: 30 minutes

Boneless chicken breast and cut into cubes of about 1 inch.
In a frying pan  put a little oil and cook the chicken and sprinkle it with  a  lemon juice.
Add salt after cooking.
Cook the eggs.
Meanwhile, it cools the chicken, wash the peppers, remove seeds and cut into squares
Clean and wash the tomatoes, remove seeds and cut into four pieces and then in half again.
Wash the lettuce.
Put in a dish or into a large bowl:
lettuce, peppers and chopped tomatoes, finely sliced ​​onions, the chicken  and boiled eggs into slices.
Dress with extra virgin olive oil, salt and if you want a little mayonnaise.
The salad will be tasty if allowed to stand at least half an hour.

See the recipe in printable PDF

Chicken skewers

Chicken skewers on the grill

Ingredients for 6 skewers:

• 1 sweet pepper
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 courgettes
• 12 small spring onions
• 1 whole chicken breast
• 2 sausages like chicken or pork
• salt
• pepper
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon

Time: 20 minutes + cooking

Boneless chicken breast and cut into cubes of about 1 inch.
Wash the peppers, remove seeds and cut into squares
Clean and wash the tomatoes, remove seeds and cut into four pieces and then in half again.
Wash the courgettes and cut into wheels of 0.80 inch.
Wash the small onions .
Cut the sausages in order to have 12 pieces.
Take the skewers  and compose the skewers alternating elements.
Put them in a large bowl, add salt and pepper, add 2 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, olive oil and lemon. Cover and let stand in refrigerator for an hour.
Cook on hot grill, or alternatively in the oven (390° F/ 200° C) directly on the plate covered with greaseproof paper, for 8/10 minutes from all sides.

the elements of the chicken skewers

 View the PDF of the recipe

Little sandwiches

Little sandwiches

Ingredients for 30 sandwiches

• 15 slices of bread for sandwiches
• 3 eggs
• mayonnaise
• 50 g of butter
• 3 anchovies in oil
• 20 cherry tomatoes
• 50 g of tuna in oil
• 1 pinch of salt
• Extra virgin olive oil for dressing
• 3 leaves of basil
• 10 salted capers (optional)

Cut the slices of bread into desired forms, I have prepared 10 rounds (2 per slice of bread square), 10 squares (cut into 4 slices square) and with it the heart-shaped cutter 10 hearts (2 per slice)
Grilled the bread for 2 'on each side.
3 Boil the eggs.

Canapé with tomatoes:
Cut 15 cherry tomatoes  in a bowl and flavor with olive oil, salt and chopped basil.
Let stand for half an hour, put on the bread.
Canapé with eggs and anchovies
Mix the butter with chopped anchovies
Spread the mixture on the rounds of bread, cover with a slice of boiled egg.
Garnish with half a cherry tomato for each sandwich.
Canapé with tuna
Mix tuna with mayonnaise and spread on the prepared mini sandwiches.
If you want garnish with capers in salt previously desalted.

View the PDF  of the recipe

Summer’s prawns

Summer’s prawns

INGREDIENTS

For 2 people

• 7 OZ (200 grams) of prawns
• 1 large or 2 small tomatoes
• 1 courgette
• 1 small onion
• ½ hot pepper
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 sage leaves
• 3 leaves of basil
• A pinch of salt

Time: 30 min

Clean the prawns by removing the head and the dark filament, wash them thoroughly in cold water, I take off the filament cut them with a cutter.

In a wok and add the olive oil and the onion thinly sliced.
Add sage, red pepper and prawns.
In a small pot of boiling water for 1 minute add the tomatoes, after peel them with a boxcutter and remove the seeds inside.

After 2 minutes add the courgette with shrimp and the diced tomato.
Add the wine and a pinch of salt, cook for 15 minutes covered.
Remove the lid and let dry thoroughly.
When cooked, add the fresh basil and serve.

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Pot of summer vegetables

Pot of summer vegetables

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tomatoes
• 1 courgette
• 1 clove of garlic
• 2 anchovies in oil
• oregano
• 1 pinch of salt
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

oven at 350°F

Wash the vegetables.
Slice into rounds.
Grease a baking dish with a tablespoon of oil.
Place the slices of tomato and zucchini alternately.
In a bowl, chop the garlic with the anchovies and a little 'oil
Pour the mixture over the vegetables, add salt and put a pinch of oregano.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350° F, until the vegetables are not cooked.

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A little bit of… sea in rainy days: marinated and grilled of St. James’s shells...I hope they are so called!!!!!

marinated and grilled of St. James’s shells

8 shells
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 or 2 cloves of garlic
½ cup dry white wine
10 small tomatoes such as "Pachino"
2 tablespoons parsley
3 tablespoons bread crumbs
A cup of salad lettuce type or kind
A pinch of salt

Clean the shells of St. James gently and removing the shellfish  from their shells. Wash the shellfish, leaving the orange part and removing the brown and stringy.

Once you clean all started to fry in a nonstick pan or preferably coated ceramic, a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil with a clove of garlic.
Add the mussels and sprinkle with ½ cup dry white wine, cook over medium-low to no more than 6/7 minutes.

Turn on oven with grill  at 180° C (356 °F) and place the empty shells, and put on 1 part white and 1 orange of fried shellfish.

Add in the tomatoes, cut into small cubes, the parsley and a little bit of bread crumbs.

If you want to throw the tomatoes for 1 ' in boiling water, dredge with a spoon, then cut and strip them (be careful not to burn yourself!)

Baked in the oven for 5 minutes and serve hot, arranged on a bed of fresh salad and dressed with oil, lemon and a pinch of salt.

Usually the mollusks are already salty, but if you prefer, add a pinch of salt during cooking in a pan.