Chicken and potato salad

 Chicken and potato salad

Chicken and potato salad is a cold one-pot meal that is easy to prepare. An easy recipe ideal for a lunch break at the office that satiates without weighing you down, but is also good for a quick lunch or a summer dinner.

• 1 whole roasted chicken breast
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 3 boiled potatoes
• 4-5 pickled gherkins
1 tablespoon of mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Chicken and potato salad is a cold dish that can be made in a short time with simple ingredients, and that can be left over from previous preparations, such as hard-boiled eggs, boiled potatoes and roast chicken. A complete dish that satisfies the appetite without weighing down.

With its soft, white meat and delicate flavor, chicken can be combined with many other ingredients, making it an excellent base for many different salads. It can be combined with eggs and potatoes as in this recipe, but also with peppers and capers as in the salad of chicken and sweet and sour peppers. It can be combined with lettuce and celery as in the chicken salad and also with onions and olives as in the summer chicken salad. Also super tasty and light is the chicken salad with yogurt mayonnaise and green beans.

All these salads, as well as the chicken and potato salad, can be prepared in advance, stored in the refrigerator and seasoned only at the time of serving. A clever idea to think about even for an aperitif with friends or an informal dinner.

To make the chicken and potato salad, first cut the chicken breast into strips. Then peel the potatoes, cut them in half lengthwise first, then into regular chunks.

Drain the gherkins from their water and cut them into chunks. Peel the eggs and slice them. Distribute the potatoes, chicken and gherkins in a serving dish or salad bowl.

Season with salt and pepper and mix. Add the eggs. Dress the chicken and potato salad with the oil and mayonnaise spread in clumps.

Niçoise salad

 Niçoise salad

A mix of flavorful and colorful ingredients come together in this recipe with an unmistakable name and flavor. This is the niçoise salad, a rich single dish ideal for an appetizing summer lunch.

• INGREDIENTS
• 300 g of tuna in oil
• 15 taggiasca olives
• 150 g of green beans
• 5-6 anchovy fillets
• 2 auburn tomatoes
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 1 head of lettuce
• 1 cucumber
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 celery heart
• 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
• ½ a red onion from Tropea
• 4-5 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• salt

The recipe of salad niçoise, as its name suggests, is a specialty of the French Riviera, and in particular of the city of Nice, known all over the world. It is made of many ingredients of different colors and consistencies which make it a rich and tasty dish.

After a day at the beach, for a lunch at the office or a quick dinner, salads of this type are the best solution to bring to the table in a few minutes a dish that is appreciated for the speed of preparation (this is prepared in less than half an hour), for the freshness and for being appetizing and satisfying at the same time.

If you are also fans of the genre, try also the spicy fish salad, an unusual idea to use the sea bass, the summer chicken salad, with boiled potatoes, onions and olives, and the tasty salad with grilled chicken, with tomatoes, olives, cucumbers and red onion.

And if you still haven't found inspiration, also check out the 23 healthy and light summer recipes to fight the great heat.

Start preparing the niçoise salad by cutting the onion into rounds and soaking it in cold water for 30 minutes. Spike the green beans and cook them in boiling salted water for 7-8 minutes. Clean the lettuce, chop it and put it in a salad bowl. Add the tomatoes cut into wedges.

Add the beans cut into smaller pieces. Cut the bell bell pepper into julienne, removing the stalk, seeds and white filaments inside, then add it to the other ingredients in the salad bowl.

Also add the drained onions and the peeled cucumber cut into wedges. Then add the celery cut into chunks, the drained tuna, the hard-boiled eggs cut into wedges and the olives.

Finish the salad with the chopped anchovy fillets. Dress it with an emulsion prepared with vinegar, oil and a pinch of salt and mix well. The niçoise salad is ready to be enjoyed.

Escarole and shrimp salad

 Escarole and shrimp salad

Escarole and Shrimp Salad is a quick and easy recipe to make. The slightly bitter note of this crunchy variety of salad is well balanced by the sweetness of the shrimp in this dish that, in just a few minutes, allows you to bring to the table a seafood main course with a fresh and light side dish.

INGREDIENTS

• ½ head of escarole
• 300 g of shelled shrimp tails
• 10 cherry tomatoes
• ½ tablespoon of salted capers
• 1 lemon
• ½ glass of extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Especially in summer, a salad is always a good idea, if it is enriched with protein, as in this case, and accompanied by a couple of slices of bread, it becomes a complete and satisfying dish, perfect for both lunch and dinner.

Escarole and shrimp salad is a fresh and light seafood second course that can be prepared in a few minutes using shrimp tails already shelled. For a preparation in record time, you can use already cooked shrimps that are now available in many supermarkets. With the same speed you can enhance this simple dish by using more valuable shrimps or other types of crustaceans such as shrimps or cicadas.

Fish is an excellent ingredient from which to prepare tasty salads and cold dishes. Not only crustaceans and mollusks, many other species can be used for this kind of preparations. Swordfish salad, cod salad with polenta chips and spicy fish salad, made with sea bass, are just some of the many tasty recipes that can be made with fish.

To prepare the salad of escarole and shrimp takes very few minutes. First, boil the shrimp tails for three minutes in salted water. Drain them and let them cool. In a salad bowl, place the carefully washed and chopped escarole and the washed and halved cherry tomatoes. Then add the shrimp tails.

In a bowl, prepare a citronette by emulsifying the oil with the lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a grind of pepper. Add the desalted capers to the salad, dress it with the prepared citronette and mix. Serve the escarole and shrimp salad immediately.

Rice salad with mint and feta cheese

 Rice salad with mint and feta cheese

Mint feta rice salad is a fresh dish that is perfect for summer. A quick and easy recipe that can be prepared in advance and enjoyed as a lunch at the beach, for a picnic or at the office. 

INGREDIENTS

• 150 g tuna in oil
• 300 g of rice
• 150 g of cherry tomatoes
• a few mint leaves
• 150 g of feta cheese
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• pepper

In summer, rice salads are a real must: practical, quick and versatile, they solve meals with family, friends and even lunch breaks at work. This mint and feta rice salad is no exception, a fresh dish perfect for the summer season with an easy recipe. 

It takes just a few ingredients to prepare it: cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and mint for a mix of Mediterranean colors and flavors. Feta is a Greek cheese made from sheep's and goat's milk that lends itself well to being used at this time of year in tasty and simple dishes: try it for example in rice salad with cherry tomatoes, feta and olives. 

This vegetarian recipe is ready in just over half an hour and presents no difficulty: our advice is to always use good quality rice, of the Carnaroli or Parboiled variety, which does not burn. When cooling it, avoid putting it under running water to stop the cooking process, because this will cause the loss of the starch and therefore a greater stickiness of the grains. 

Preparing this mint and feta rice salad is very simple. Boil the rice in plenty of boiling salted water, drain when al dente, place it well spread out on a dish towel and let it cool. Transfer to a serving plate or salad bowl. 

Start composing your rice salad: add the washed and halved cherry tomatoes as the first ingredient. Continue with the drained and coarsely chopped tuna in oil. 

Add the diced feta and season with oil, salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. 

Before serving, add fresh mint leaves to your rice salad with mint and feta. The dish is ready. 

Sbriciolata of potatoes, zucchini and Stelvio PDO

 Sbriciolata of potatoes, zucchini and Stelvio PDO

If you like savory pies the Sbriciolata of potatoes, zucchini and Stelvio DOP will conquer you. It is an easy recipe to prepare and becomes a unique dish thanks to its delicious filling. And if you have some left over, it's even tastier the next day!

INGREDIENTS

• 700 g of red potatoes
• 200 g of Stelvio DOP cheese
• 2 zucchini
• 1 spring onion
• 100 g of cornstarch
• 40 g of butter
• 2 yolks
• salt
• pepper
• extra virgin olive oil
• breadcrumbs
• butter for cooking
• fresh mint

Sbriciolata with potatoes, zucchini and Stelvio is a healthy and hearty recipe, ideal as a single course, perhaps during lunch break or as an aperitif, accompanied by a glass of Pinot Grigio Alto Adige DOC.

When we talk about sbriciolata, we usually refer to a cake, which crumbles, inspired by the more famous sbrisolona. As it often happens in cooking, from the original recipes of a preparation are born new ideas and this is the case of the sbriciolata we are proposing, in its savory version. As opposed to a potato gattò or a flan, this cake has the typical irregular aspect on the surface. This characteristic is achieved by arranging the last layer of mashed potatoes in pieces, in a disorderly and discontinuous manner, so that it can expand in cooking, while maintaining a crumbly appearance.

The potato crumbles enclose a soft and irresistible filling, first a layer of zucchini and on top a generous diced Stelvio DOP cheese, which softened in cooking makes the taste fragrant and delicious. A hint of mint completes the whole.

Preparing the potato, zucchini and Stelvio crumble is easy. First, boil the potatoes in their skins for 20 minutes. Cut the cheese into cubes about 1 cm per side and slice the zucchini into rounds and then in half. 

Saute the zucchini together with the chopped spring onion in a little oil in a large hot pan. Scald over high heat, add salt and pepper and set aside. Once the potatoes are cooked, peel them while still hot and mash them in a potato masher, collecting the pulp in a large bowl. 

Add the butter, egg yolks and starch, season with salt and pepper and mix. The result will be a mixture similar to a puree, but more compact. 

Take about half of the mixture and distribute it in the mold lined on the bottom with a disc of baking paper. Compact it in a single layer with the (greased) palms of your hands. Stuff with the zucchini and chopped fresh mint. 

Add the Stelvio cubes and cover the surface by arranging the remaining potato mixture in irregular, coarse mounds. 

Sprinkle with a light dusting of breadcrumbs, place some butter flakes on top and bake in a static oven preheated to 200°C for 30-40 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and leave to set for about ten minutes.

Gently transfer to a serving dish and serve your potato, zucchini and Stelvio crumble in slices. 

Pasty polenta with fake sauce

 Pasty polenta with fake sauce

Polenta pasticciata con sugo finto is an easy and hearty recipe, with a very tasty sauce that features a vegetarian ragout that is absolutely worth trying. A unique dish perfect for when the temperatures drop.

INGREDIENTS

1. 280 g yellow flour
2. a level teaspoon of salt
3. 500 g of ripe tomatoes
4. 1 liter of water
5. 2 celery stalks
6. 1 onion
7. 1 carrot
8. 1 tuft of parsley
9. 100 g of grated Grana Padano cheese
10. 1 tuft of basil
11. extra virgin olive oil
12. salt
13. pepper

Polenta pasticciata con sugo finto is an easy, hearty recipe, perfect for when temperatures drop. A unique dish that has its trump card in the sauce. 

Sugo finto is a rustic and tasty meatless ragout, like the vegetarian ragout: very popular in Central Italy, especially in the Marche and Tuscany, it is also defined as a "poor" sauce due to the absence of animal proteins. It is a traditional peasant recipe which features a rich "parterre" of vegetables such as carrot, celery, onion and tomatoes, flavored with aromatic herbs and cooked slowly, which is used here as a condiment for layers of yellow polenta and Grana Padano cheese. 

In autumn and winter, there is no lack of robust dishes with polenta as the protagonist, such as polenta concia, enriched with speck, Asiago and Puzzone di Moena. If instead you want to try another version of veggie ragout, here is our lentil ragout.  

In order to prepare this polenta pasticciata with a fake sauce, first of all prepare the latter, as it will have to cook for about an hour. Wash the tomatoes and blanch them for a couple of minutes in a pot full of water. Peel them, remove the seeds and reduce them to small cubes, recovering their liquid by passing the waste through a sieve. 

Finely chop the celery, carrot, onion, parsley and basil. Heat three or four tablespoons of oil in a pan and add the chopped vegetables for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook semi-covered over low heat for about an hour.

At this point, prepare the polenta. Pour the lukewarm water into a saucepan, salt it and, stirring, add the flour. Keep stirring to avoid the formation of lumps and after 30-40 minutes the polenta should be cooked. In a casserole or bowl, place half of the polenta and half of the dressing on the bottom, adding plenty of grated Grana Padano cheese. 

Form the second layer first with the polenta and then with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with more cheese to taste.

Bread dumplings with salami

Bread dumplings with salami

Bread gnocchi with salami are a very hearty and flavorful first course. Inspired by the many traditional recipes of popular cuisine that call for the use of stale bread, these gnocchi are actually the result of a well-thought-out combination of fresh breadcrumbs and the well-known salami. Perfect for a robust family lunch, and if they don't win in lightness they certainly triumph in taste!

INGREDIENTS

• 400 g of fresh bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 40 g of sliced lard
• ½ liter of milk
• 1 white onion
• parsley
• 120 g of salami
• 1 tablespoon of flour
• extra virgin olive oil
• garlic
• parmesan cheese
• sage
• butter
• salt
• black pepper

Gnocchi di pane al salame (bread dumplings with salami) are a robust and tasty first course that takes up and reworks the traditional recipes of popular cuisine, present almost everywhere in the territory, born to reuse in the kitchen the leftovers of stale bread, cheese, cold cuts or vegetables. Recipes that have then assumed the rank of real regional specialties, as in the case of the famous South Tyrolean dumplings.

In this version, the bread dumplings we are proposing are actually made with fresh breadcrumbs. And if you want to recycle them, don't worry, the leftover bread crust can be kept in a paper bag and dried to become breadcrumbs or large crumbs for crispy breadcrumbs.

After cooking in salted water, gnocchi are seasoned with melted butter and grated cheese. Alternatively, they are also very tasty cooked in vegetable or meat broth, as desired, and served with just a sprinkling of cheese. Maybe they cannot be defined as the lightest dish to propose for lunch or dinner, but they are certainly among the tastiest.

And if you are in the mood to try alternative gnocchi recipes to the classic potato ones, we certainly recommend Gnocchetti di semolina in broth, Cajettes and Gnocchetti with Jerusalem artichokes, Taggiasca olives, pine nuts and lemon.

To make Gnocchi di pane al salame, beat the egg in a large bowl with the milk and add the breadcrumbs in pieces. 

Heat the lard, cut into squares, in a pan until it becomes transparent. In a pan, brown the finely chopped onion in a little oil. Add both the lard and the onion to the crumb mixture. Add the chopped parsley with half a clove of garlic, the chopped salami, salt, pepper and flour.

Knead until the mixture is well blended and firm enough to handle. If necessary, add a little more flour and let it be well absorbed. Let the dough settle for a few minutes and then, with slightly wet hands, form some gnocchi about the size of a large walnut. Place them, as they are ready, on a floured work surface. 

Boil the gnocchi in plenty of boiling salted water. When they come to the surface, gently remove them with a skimmer and place them in a pan where you have melted the butter flavored with sage. Turn the pan so that the gnocchi with salami are seasoned evenly without breaking and then serve them sprinkled with grated cheese.

Chutney of Chioggia radicchio, orange and dried fruits

 Chutney of Chioggia radicchio, orange and dried fruits

Chutney of Chioggia radicchio, orange and dried fruit is an original and spicy sweet and sour preparation, a perfect sauce to accompany cheese, cold cuts and cold foods. An easy recipe to prepare and to serve with appetizers or aperitifs. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of radicchio di Chioggia
• 2 Golden apples
• 3 cm of ginger root
• 90 ml of apple vinegar
• 90 g of brown sugar
• 1 clove
• 1 teaspoon of mustard seeds
• grated rind of 1 orange
• 1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
• pink pepper to taste
• 3 black pepper berries
• 20 g shelled walnuts
• 20 g of sliced almonds
• salt

Chutney of Chioggia radicchio, orange and dried fruit is an easy and original recipe, inspired by Asian flavors but based on an ingredient that is an Italian excellence, perfect to tastefully accompany cheeses, cold cuts and boiled meats.

Chutneys are in fact a preparation of Indian origin, generally made of spices and fruits or vegetables, which accompany the main courses. Very common in the English cooking as well, they can remind our mustards, also because they are often slightly spicy. 

The bitter taste of radicchio di Chioggia goes particularly well with the sweetness of the other ingredients and makes for an original chutney. If you would like to try other recipes with radicchio in which this intriguing bitter-sweet combination can be found, we also suggest Radicchio and Forest Honey Salty Cake and Red Rice with Caramelized Pumpkin and Radicchio.

Another tasty idea to accompany cheeses, fresh or aged, are our jams such as Pepper jam or Green Tomato jam.

To prepare the Chioggia radicchio, orange and dried fruit chutney, start by peeling the radicchio and cutting it into strips. Peel and core the apples and dice them.

Pour the vinegar into a large, shallow pan and mix it with the sugar. Add the apples and cook for a few minutes.

Pound all the spices in a mortar and add them to the mixture along with the salt and grated peeled ginger, leaving them to gain flavor. Add the radicchio and orange zest, allow to soften and lower the heat.

Add the dried fruit and cook for about 30 minutes until you have a soft, jam-like mixture. Pour into a well-cleaned glass container with an airtight seal, turn upside down and let cool completely.

Kansas barbecue sauce

 Kansas barbecue sauce 

Kasas City Style BBQ sauce is the traditional accompaniment to American-style BBQ. It is a sweet and sour, lightly smoked sauce that is perfect for grilled meats, especially pork. It is very easy to make, and preparing it in a pressure cooker greatly reduces cooking time. A recipe absolutely to try for summer grilling.

INGREDIENTS

• 200 g ketchup
• 125 ml of tomato puree
• 220 g of dark molasses
• 1 medium onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4 tablespoons of muscovado brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons of apple vinegar
• 2 tablespoons Worcester sauce
• 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• salt

To prepare the Kansas City Style Pressure Cooker BBQ Sauce, gather all the ingredients in the jar of a blender and blend until smooth and homogeneous. Transfer it to the pressure cooker and bring to a boil, then close the lid and place the pot over a medium-sized fire on high heat. From the hiss, reduce the power of the heat source and cook for 15 minutes.

Remove from the heat, allow to vent and open the lid. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and let it cool completely before serving.

Kansas City Style Pressure Cooker BBQ Sauce is the typical accompaniment to Ribs BBQ style, the queens of American grilling. It is also excellent with our Grilled Pork Ribs or Grilled Sausages. In the summer, try it with cold boiled meat: you will be amazed. If you are not able to find dark molasses, you can replace it with chestnut honey or fir honeydew.

Spelt salad, tomatoes, olives and pecorino cheese

 Spelt salad, tomatoes, olives and pecorino cheese

Spelt salad, cherry tomatoes, olives and pecorino cheese is a cold first course that on hot summer days represents a valid alternative to the usual pasta. It doesn't take long to prepare and can be enjoyed the next day, proving to be an excellent idea for a healthy lunch break at the office.

NGREDIENTS

• 300 g of husked spelt
• 20 black and green olives
• 250 g of cherry tomatoes
• 50 g of semi-mature Tuscan pecorino cheese
• 1 pinch of dried oregano
• 1 spring onion
• 1 garlic clove
• extra virgin olive oil
• a few basil leaves
• salt

Spelt salad, tomatoes, olives and pecorino cheese is a first course which is particularly appreciated on hot summer days, because it should be eaten cold or at room temperature. Preparing it is really simple, although it takes about an hour to cook the spelt. But this operation does not require any attention and it can be sped up by using a pressure cooker. 

The protagonist of this dish is a very ancient cereal which has been abandoned for a long time because cultivating it was not so convenient in economic terms. Luckily, thanks to its numerous nutritional properties, spelt has been rediscovered and today it is used in many preparations, both hot and cold. Excellent in soups mixed with other cereals and legumes, it is often preferred to rice, bulgur and amaranth to make salads because it is more aromatic and consistent.

It goes well with fish as in spelt and shrimps salad, as well as with meat. It is excellent with cheeses and vegetables as in spelt salad with provolone cheese and sauteed vegetables and in spelt salad with celery, peppers and scamorza cheese. It can be combined with an infinite number of other ingredients in order to adapt the recipe to the needs of every diner and to create healthy and balanced dishes to bring to work, to enjoy outdoors or to eat at home for a light lunch or dinner.

The first thing to do to prepare the salad of spelt, cherry tomatoes, olives and pecorino cheese, is to soak the spelt for 12 hours. After this time, rinse it and cook it in abundant salted water, flavored with a clove of garlic, for about 45 minutes, then drain it, dress it with 4 tablespoons of oil, a pinch of salt and oregano and let it cool. Then add the cherry tomatoes cut in half.

Clean the spring onion and cut it into thin slices. Dice the pecorino cheese. Add both of these ingredients to the farro and mix. 

Add the olives and a few basil leaves, chopped according to taste. Finish with a splash of oil and stir again. The spelt, cherry tomatoes, olives and pecorino salad is ready to be enjoyed.

Pan-fried cherry tomatoes

 Pan-fried cherry tomatoes

The recipe for preparing tasty cherry tomatoes in a pan is quick and easy. In just a few minutes, with just garlic, rosemary and oil you will obtain a tasty and aromatic side dish, perfect to accompany with taste and simplicity meat or fish dishes, cold cuts or mixed cheeses.

INGREDIENTS

• 400 g of piccadilly tomatoes
• 1 garlic clove
• 3-4 sprigs of rosemary
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt flakes
• black pepper

How can you not take advantage of the last of the tomato season? The recipe of tasty tomatoes in the pan allows you to easily and in a few minutes make a healthy, light and tasty side dish. 

An even simpler, and decidedly faster, version of the equally tasty Pomodorini confit. Soft and juicy, the tasty tomatoes in a pan are the ideal accompaniment to main courses of meat and fish, roasted or grilled, cold cuts and cheeses. Prepared in this way, they are also excellent for flavoring pasta dishes, mixed salads or for dressing bruschetta and friselle.

Tomato is the vegetable symbol of summer, source of precious nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium and vitamin C. Its red color is due to lycopene, a carotenoid with antioxidant properties. Raw or cooked it is the protagonist of countless recipes, from the simplest and most traditional like Panzanella to the most original like Tomato and Peach Salad: here is our selection of the 50 best recipes with tomato. 

To make the tasty tomatoes in the pan, devote yourself first to the chopped herbs: on a cutting board finely chop the rosemary needles with peeled garlic and salt flakes. Set aside.

Wash the cherry tomatoes, dry them with a kitchen towel and cut them in half. Heat a large non-stick frying pan greased with a drizzle of oil and place the cherry tomato halves in it with the cut side down. Leave them in this position over very high heat until they are just "caramelized". At this point, turn them over with the aid of a fork, dress them with more oil and the aromatic mixture prepared.

Continue cooking for a few minutes, until they are completely softened, then serve the tomatoes in a pan hot or cold.

Vegetarian Ragout

 Vegetarian Ragout

The recipe for vegetarian meat sauce that we propose here is a very simple alternative to the classic meat sauce. Carrots, shallots, celery and tomatoes for a tasty vegetable sauce, very easy to make and suitable for the most traditional pasta dish as well as for other more elaborate recipes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 shallots
• 3 carrots
• 3 celery stalks
• 90 g of tomato paste
• a few bay leaves
• rosemary
• cloves
• juniper berries
• salt
• pepper
• extra virgin olive oil

Shallots, carrots, diced celery and tomato paste are the ingredients of our simple vegetarian ragout, a tasty and perfect alternative recipe to the classic meat sauce. It is proposed in line with the healthiest and most correct dietary indications that recommend alternating (as often as possible) vegetable products with those of animal origin.

This vegetable ragout is excellent in this way, to season the most classic of pasta dishes, but lends itself to become the precious ingredient of many other preparations such as vegetarian or vegan lasagna. Prepare it and let it rest for some hours before using it, it will be even more tasty.

Ragout of lentils and Ragout of soybean and sunflower seeds are also two very good and tasty proposals if you want to prepare a vegetarian sauce for your first courses.

Preparing this vegetarian ragout is simple. First, cut the vegetables into cubes and obtain about 90 g of tomato paste. Then devote yourself to sautéing: pour a few tablespoons of oil in a saucepan and add the vegetables. Stir and cook over low heat for about 15-20 minutes. Add some water if you notice that it is too dry. 

At this point, add the concentrate, stir and pour in water until the vegetables are completely covered: they should cook for at least 2 hours. As the water is absorbed, add more water. Not too much, because it should not have the consistency of a broth. After an hour and a half, add the aromas: juniper, cloves, bay leaves and rosemary and season with salt. Let it cook for another 30 minutes. 

At this point the vegetarian ragout is ready and can be used as a condiment for an excellent pasta. 

Spicy Chutney

Spicy Chutney

Spicy chutney is a sauce originating from south east Asia. It is a sort of jam with an intense and aromatic flavor, with a sweet and sour taste, which is used to accompany meat and cheese main courses.

INGREDIENTS
400 g of apples peeled and cut into cubes
250 g pears, peeled and diced
200 g of onions cut into strips
100 g of raisins
230 g brown cane sugar
400 ml apple vinegar
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
10 g salt
A little bit jam, a little bit mustard, but different from both, chutney is a very common sauce in Asia, typically in India. There are many variations of chutney, with different ingredients, from coconut to mint, from chickpeas to peppers and mango.
Prepare the spicy chutney to season meat or cheese, if you want to give an ethnic touch to your dinner. If you are familiar with the preparation of jams and marmalades, you will have no difficulty in obtaining a delicious chutney.
In this recipe it is important to make sure that the sweet and sour taste is balanced, strictly following the doses of vinegar, which gives the sour note, and sugar, which adds sweetness to the fruit. The spicy mix of ginger, turmeric and cinnamon will fill the kitchen with fragrance.
Don't give in to the temptation to taste the chutney right away, it needs a few days in the jar to mature a rounded flavor.
To make the spicy chutney, gather the fruit, onion, raisins and vinegar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil until the pulp appears cooked, but not undone. Add the spices, salt and sugar.
Turn down the heat and stir for about 40 minutes until a teaspoon of chutney is placed on a flat slanted plate and the jam falls out. Pour the spiced chutney into sterilized glass jars with an airtight seal and let it rest for at least ten days before tasting to allow the flavors to blend and enhance each other.

Lentil Ragout

 Lentil Ragout

The lentil ragout is a totally vegan alternative to the classic meat sauce, great for dressing pasta, gnocchi and lasagna is also delicious served on hot croutons. An easy recipe, rich in vegetable proteins.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 250 g small lentils
• 25 g of dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 carrot
• 1 small golden onion
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 500 g of tomato puree
• 1/2 glass of dry white wine
• 3 spoons of extra virgin olive oil
• 500 ml of hot water or vegetable broth
• salt
• pepper

Lentil ragout is a tasty and very versatile recipe. Not only is it a delicious, totally vegan condiment, an alternative to the classic Ragù alla Bolognese, for tagliatelle, gnocchi and lasagna. Its rich flavor and dense, full-bodied consistency make it exquisite also simply served on warm bread croutons or as an accompaniment to polenta and for all the uses of traditional ragù.

Prepared in this way, the vegan lentil ragout is ideal for family meals but also for a dinner with friends. It is also a perfect idea for those who follow an omnivorous diet but like to alternate the intake of vegetable proteins with those of animal origin. A choice that makes our diet more sustainable and healthy. With advantages for everyone. And recipes with legumes are, in this sense, very valuable.

The procedure for this vegetable ragout is very simple and fast: the cooking must be carried out over a gentle flame and for a period of at least 1 hour and a half, so that the lentils cook perfectly without flaking but enriching their taste. Choose preferably small green lentils, such as those from Castelluccio. If you like them, you can also opt for larger ones, while small hulled red lentils are to be excluded.

Tasty vegetable alternatives are also available for the soy and sunflower seed ragout or for a real vegetable ragout as in the Green Lasagna with vegetarian ragout. 

To prepare the lentil ragout, first place the dried mushrooms in a bowl with warm water and let them soak for at least 30 minutes. In the meantime, clean the vegetables and chop them finely with a knife. Fry them over low heat in a saucepan with a couple of tablespoons of oil.

When they become translucent, add the drained, squeezed and finely chopped dried mushrooms and the bay leaf. Leave to gain flavor for 2 minutes, then add the well rinsed lentils and fry for a few minutes over medium heat. Deglaze with the white wine and allow to evaporate.

Add the tomato paste, the passata and the hot water. Bring to a boil, add salt and pepper, cover and cook over low heat, as you would for a classic ragù, for at least 1 and a half or 2 hours, adding more hot water if necessary. When cooked, the lentil ragout should be creamy and thick.

Rice Salad

Rice Salad

A practical, quick and tasty idea to prepare a lunch to eat at home or take to the beach and eat under the umbrella. Rice salad is the summer dish par excellence. Fresh and light, it lends itself to multiple interpretations by adding or changing a few ingredients.

INGREDIENTS

• 300 g of rice
• 300 g of tuna in oil
• 15 cliegino tomatoes
• 5 anchovy fillets
• 200 g of smoked black olives
• parsley
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Rice salad is always an excellent idea to solve summer lunches and dinners. Tasty and light, if followed by a refreshing mixture of leafy vegetables, it can be a valid alternative to a pasta dish. Enriched with other ingredients and vegetables it can be transformed in a delicious single course to be consumed at home or to be taken to the beach or to the office.

Rice, like bread, goes well with everything and for this reason it is easy to customize the recipe of rice salad according to one's tastes by adding or changing some ingredients. For the same reason it is an excellent solution to empty the fridge. Olives, tomatoes in oil, tuna, capers, and cheese cubes mix perfectly.

If you're looking for inspiration, check out the recipes for rice salad Niçoise style, rice salad, shrimp and green apples, rice salad with cherry tomatoes, feta and olives and rice salad in melon and you'll find that all it takes is a little imagination to bring a healthy and tasty dish to the table.

To prepare the rice salad, first boil the rice in plenty of salted water, drain it al dente and lay it out on a kitchen towel. Let it cool. Meanwhile, wash the tomatoes, dry them, cut them in half and place them in a salad bowl with the drained and chopped tuna.

Add the olives and anchovy fillets chopped. Add at this point the rice.

Dress the salad with extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of salt and ground pepper and mix. Top with a little chopped parsley. Keep the rice salad in the fridge until ready to serve.

Crepes with porcini mushrooms and provolone cheese

 Crepes with porcini mushrooms and provolone cheese

Porcini mushroom crepes with spicy DOP provolone cheese are a very satisfying vegetarian recipe. A creamy and flavorful holiday dish that can be prepared in advance and reheated in the oven at lunch or dinner time.

INGREDIENTS

3 eggs

500 ml milk

220 g of type 00 flour

butter

500 g of cow's ricotta cheese

40 g of dried porcini mushrooms

fresh parsley

Val di Mazara DOP extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove

salt

pepper

½ glass of dry white wine

2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese

PDO 30 months grated

300 ml of béchamel sauce

spicy provolone Valpadana DOP cheese

Vegetarian cuisine is full of surprises. A delicious first course for a vegetarian holiday menu is porcini mushroom crepes with spicy DOP provolone cheese. The ingredients of the recipe are calculated for 4 people equal to 8 crepes. The beauty of this dish is that you can prepare it in advance, so you can save time and avoid unnecessary stress.

HOW TO PREPARE: CREPES WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS AND SPICY PROVOLONE DOP

Prepare the filling: soak the mushrooms in warm water for about 30 minutes. Drain and squeeze them gently and then chop with a knife. Set aside.

Brown the garlic in a non-stick frying pan with a little oil, add the mushrooms, salt and pepper and allow to take on flavour. Deglaze with white wine and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Collect the well drained ricotta in a bowl and mix it with grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of salt. Mix in the mushrooms and set aside.

aside.

At this point, prepare the crepes: collect the eggs in a large bowl, beat them adding salt and milk. Continue adding the sifted flour and mixing with a whisk. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and let it rest 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Grease a non-stick frying pan with butter and put it on the stove. Pour in a ladleful of the mixture and spread it over the entire surface of the pan. Cook the crepe on both sides and continue in this way until all the batter is used up. As they are ready, stack the crêpes on top of each other to keep them warm and soft.

Then grease a baking sheet. Take one crêpe at a time and sprinkle half with a generous layer of ricotta and mushroom cream. Close each crêpe in half.

Arrange them in the baking dish, side by side. Cover with a generous amount of béchamel sauce and grated provolone, and bake in a static oven preheated to 200°C for about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

Radicchio salad with quinoa, cranberries and pistachios

 Radicchio salad with quinoa, cranberries and pistachios

Radicchio salad with quinoa, cranberries and pistachios is a delicious mix of healthy and tasty ingredients. A salad, also excellent as a single dish, with a quick and easy recipe that provides the balanced nutrients for a light meal. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 head of red radicchio di Chioggia
• 2 tablespoons cranberries
• 150 g of quinoa
• 2 tablespoons shelled pistachios
• 1 teaspoon of traditional balsamic vinegar
• Parmesan cheese flakes
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Radicchio salad with quinoa, cranberries and pistachios is a dish that features a delicious combination of ingredients and textures. Perfect for a light but balanced meal with flavor.

The base of the dish is radicchio di Chioggia, a salad with a rounded and compact head, with red leaves with a pleasantly bitter taste and a crunchy texture. And then the quinoa, a pseudocereal of Andean origin very nutritious and low-calorie, gluten-free. Dehydrated cranberries recall the color of radicchio and contrast its bitterness with a slightly sour sweetness. Pistachios add a point of crunch and delicacy of flavor. The slivers of parmesan give the right savory note. Not to mention the balsamic vinegar which we recommend, as always, DOP, learn more about the differences in our in depth study Balsamic vinegar DOP characteristics and pairings. 

There are many proposals for fruit and vegetable salads that we suggest and that allow you to stay light with taste, in every season. Among our favorites are surely Grapefruit and avocado salad, Winter salad and Orange, pistachio and fennel salad. 

Clean the radicchio di Chioggia, removing the base and outer leaves. Cut into lozenges, not too large. Boil the quinoa according to the instructions on the package. Drain and cool under running water.

Toast the pistachios in a non-stick pan without fat. Transfer the quinoa to a bowl along with the radicchio, toasted and coarsely chopped pistachios, and blueberries and mix. In a small bowl, whisk the salt and vinegar very vigorously with a fork. Gradually add the oil, continuing to mix until the mixture is smooth.  

Use it to dress the salad. Complete with a few shavings of Parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Bell pepper sauce

 Bell pepper sauce

Bell pepper sauce is a quick and easy recipe for making a tasty condiment for pasta dishes and croutons. Make it in the summer, when peppers are in season for maximum flavor. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 large red peppers
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• salt

Bell pepper sauce is a quick and easy passepartout condiment, ideal for spreading on croutons, canapés and bruschetta or for dressing pasta dishes.

Make it during the summer, when the peppers are fresh, so as to get the best taste: this sauce is rightfully included in our best of Jams, preserves, fruit in syrup and sauces: the best 38 recipes to prepare in summer.

Just a few steps are needed to obtain a tasty and velvety cream: first blanch the peppers, so that they can be peeled and easily blended with an immersion blender. Then add vinegar, garlic and oil and you're done! 

Preparing the bell pepper sauce is quick and easy. In a small saucepan, pour the vinegar, add the minced garlic and let it steep for a few minutes. Blanch the peppers in salted water, peel them and remove the seeds and filaments.

Blend the peppers to a smooth consistency. At this point add the white vinegar using a sieve, so that it retains the pieces of garlic. Emulsify the mixture with the oil. The bell pepper sauce is ready.

Peppers and basil pate

 Peppers and basil pate

Peppers and basil pate is a homemade sauce that packs the flavor of summer in a jar. An easy recipe to make in the summer time and then enjoy this fragrant cream on bread and croutons. 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 red peppers
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 red onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 30 g of pine nuts
• 1 tuft of fresh basil
• 2 slices of wholemeal bread
• salt

extra virgin olive oil

Peppers and basil pâté is a simple preparation, perfect to accompany tasty bread croutons or as a quick condiment for a tasty pasta dish. An ideal recipe to preserve the scents of summer for a long time and that can be packaged and given as a gift as a thought "home made" that will certainly be appreciated.

Peppers are a seasonal vegetable in the summer months: colorful and versatile, they are very loved and give many tasty preparations, for example discover our 30 easy and tasty recipes with peppers that you will love immediately.

If you like creamy textures do not miss our 10 sauces, mousses and creams to spread with summer ingredients: they are easy to make, to enrich canapés, croutons and bruschetta. But also for fillings and to flavor salads and cold dishes. 

To prepare the peppers and basil paté, wash, dry and cut the peppers in half. Remove seeds and inner filaments. Cut the flaps into cubes for even cooking. Transfer them to a non-stick skillet. Add the thinly sliced onion and chopped garlic clove. Cover and grill - without fat - over high heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.

Season with salt and add a splash of oil. Continue cooking without the lid until the vegetables are soft but still al dente. When the cooking liquid is quite dry, turn off the heat and let cool. In the meantime, toast the pine nuts for a few minutes on another non-stick pan. Transfer everything to a kitchen mixer and blend. Correct for salt. Add a generous splash of oil, a sprig of basil and the bread slices. Blend again until thick.

Transfer the pate to a bowl and incorporate the toasted pine nuts. Spread the paté inside one or more perfectly clean and dry jars and cover the surface with oil. The bell pepper paté will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Serve the paté on slices of warm bread, freshly toasted.

Peach, stracciatella and culatello salad

 Peach, stracciatella and culatello salad

A recipe that deviates from the usual combinations and guarantees a surprising and delicious result. The salad of peaches, stracciatella and culatello is perfect for a light and complete lunch break. Lively flavors in a combination that will win you over.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 peaches
• stracciatella
• sliced culatello
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• pepper
• a few basil leaves

An easy, quick recipe and an unusual combination, ready in 5 minutes. For the salad of peaches, stracciatella and culatello you can use yellow peaches, removing the peel, or nectarines, both are perfect and, if you want, you can replace the culatello with raw ham. A few quality ingredients to bring to the table a unique dish with a surprising flavor. You can serve this dish as a salad but also on toasted whole-wheat bread croutons to add crunchiness to the whole.

In summer, when fruit gives its tastiest products, the combination with cheese, sausages, fish and vegetables is a winner, as in the Mozzarella and Fruit Salad or in one of the 8 fruit appetizers we have suggested. Pairings that may seem daring but once experienced will win you over, if you love the classic ham and melon have you ever tried to combine ham with pineapple? A real surprise!

Wash, peel and chop the peaches into chunks. Transfer them to a large serving dish and start composing your peach, stracciatella and culatello salad by adding the stracciatella. 

Add the slices of culatello and a few basil leaves. 

Season with salt, pepper and oil to taste. The peach, stracciatella and culatello salad is ready. 

Exotic rice salad

 Exotic rice salad

Exotic rice salad is perfect for a summer lunch or dinner. Fresh, light, thirst-quenching and colorful, this unique dish features lots of fresh fruit. An easy recipe to try right away!

INGREDIENTS

• 300 g of Carnaroli rice
• 3 slices of fresh pineapple
• 300 g of precooked shrimps
• 1 papaya
• ½ melon
• 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
• 1 avocado
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Rice salad is the ultimate summer dish. Simple to prepare, you can customize it with an infinite number of ingredients, as in this exotic rice salad, which not only recalls the summer, but makes us imagine we are catapulted into a tropical beach. An easy recipe and at the same time creative, thanks to the fresh mix of shrimp, pineapple, papaya, avocado and melon. 

For less classic combinations, in fact, rice can be combined with shellfish and fruit as in rice salad, shrimp and green apples or mix with meat and spices as in rice salad and chicken with ginger and saffron.

In any case, in order for a rice salad to be successful, the secret is one: rice grains must have a good consistency even after cooking and they must not stick together. There are many varieties that have these characteristics: for this dish we have chosen a white rice, such as Carnaroli, but Venus rice is also an excellent alternative, as in Venus rice salad. 

The first thing to do to prepare the exotic rice salad is to cook the rice. Boil it in abundant boiling salted water for the time indicated on the package. Drain it al dente and place it on a clean cloth to cool. In the meantime, take care of the fruit: peel and remove the seeds and filaments from the melon and papaya and cut the pulp into chunks.

Cut the pineapple into chunks and season with a little freshly ground pepper. Peel the avocado, cut the flesh into cubes, put it in a bowl and season with a tablespoon of oil, a tablespoon of lemon juice, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. When the rice is cold, transfer it to a serving plate (or salad bowl).

Compose the exotic rice salad by adding the shrimp first. Drizzle with three tablespoons of oil and the remaining lemon juice and toss. Then add the fruit: pineapple, papaya, melon and avocado and toss again. The exotic rice salad is ready to serve. 

Genoese Pesto

 Genoese Pesto

Pesto alla Genovese is the most famous sauce of Ligurian cooking. The original recipe calls for the use of seven ingredients, including Genovese basil DOP, garlic of Vessalico and taggiasco oil, the quantities should be established "by eye", according to the experience of the cook.

INGREDIENTS

• Vessalico garlic with the soul removed
• Pine nuts
• Small leaf Genovese DOP basil
• Taggiasco oil
• Salt
• Sardinian fiore pecorino cheese
• Parmesan cheese seasoned 24 months

There is no perfect recipe for Pesto alla Genovese. There is a rule about the type and quality of ingredients and there is good pesto, where good depends, as always, on the taste of the person who prepares and tastes it. We asked Roberto Panizza, a true Genoese and ambassador of pesto in the world, to reveal us some secrets, which we will show you. In the meantime, pay attention to the tools: the mortar is made of marble and the pestle is made of wood, a compact wood like pear wood. Pay attention to the sequence of ingredients and to the basic rule: prepare pesto by hand and not in a blender. 

Also keep in mind that the dosage of ingredients has changed over time: in the past they used much more garlic, whereas today the quantity has been greatly reduced. Many people consume pesto without garlic, but for this preparation it is necessary: it represents the spicy part in a recipe which otherwise would be mainly sweet.

The most important rule of pesto is to never heat it! Pesto must be used cold, diluted with a little cooking water if needed. 

Pesto is good with everything, even on bread. If I had to suggest a pasta format, I would prefer trofie, which wins over everything, but gnocchi and testaroli also make their mark.

You can use pesto to make many tasty recipes. For example, Lasagna with pesto or Trofie with cuttlefish in basil pesto, and finally pasta salads, such as Cold Pasta with cherry tomatoes, pesto and mozzarella.

A final tip: remember to finish the pesto recipe by giving it another turn in a mortar, to better blend the parmesan and oil with the other ingredients. Once ready, you can store the pesto alla genovese in the refrigerator, in a hermetically sealed glass jar, for up to 5 days.

To prepare the pesto alla Genovese, start by crushing the pine nuts and the Vessalico garlic in a mortar. Pound them together to create a floury mixture. 

Add the basil, removing the leaves one by one from the stem and placing them in the mortar along with the garlic and pine nut mixture. Add a pinch of salt, taking care not to overdo it: the parmesan and pecorino, which you will add later, are already very tasty.

Begin to pound: when the leaves are bruised, continue to work them with the mortar using a rotary motion. Change direction of rotation every so often until a cream is formed. 

Add the Parmesan cheese aged 24 months and the pecorino fiore sardo. Add the taggiasco oil and mix with a spoon.

Pound the mixture with the pestle to obtain a homogeneous sauce, adding more oil. Your pesto alla genovese is ready to season pasta, lasagna and gnocchi, as you like.

 Bagna Cauda

Bagna cauda is a typical preparation of Piedmont based on anchovies and garlic. A "hot sauce" that is usually brought to the table accompanied by fresh and cooked vegetables. Try it for a dinner with friends.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 garlic heads
• 100 g of salted anchovies
• a glass of red wine
• 150 g of extra virgin olive oil

Bagna cauda is one of the most symbolic preparations of Piedmont. It is a very tasty sauce made of anchovies and garlic and it is also celebrated during the Bagna Cauda Day which takes place every year in Asti. The recipe we are presenting is the one deposited at the Italian Academy of Cuisine in September 2015 and considered "the most reliable and passable" by the judging commission of experts. 

Bagna cauda literally means "hot sauce" and is prepared by letting garlic cloves and anchovies (preferably of the red type from Spain) cook slowly in extra virgin olive oil until they are completely flaked.

It is traditionally served in the "fujot", the typical earthenware stoves that maintain the heat, accompanied by raw vegetables (such as the "hunchback" thistle of Nizza Monferrato or peppers) and cooked vegetables (from Jerusalem artichokes to boiled potatoes and savoy cabbage).

Start preparing the bagna cauda from the garlic: peel the garlic, remove the sprout and cut each clove in half lengthwise. Now dedicate yourselves to the anchovies. First, desalinate them and then remove the bones. 

Soak them for a few minutes in red wine and then pat them dry. Start cooking the garlic cloves in a crock with half of the oil and stir with a wooden spoon. 

Add the anchovy fillets and the remaining oil. Cook over low heat for about 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Be careful not to let the oil fry. Cooking must be very gentle: for better heat dispersion place a flame spreader under the crock. Towards the end you can help with a wooden spoon, breaking up the garlic cloves that have softened in the meantime. Once ready, bring the bagna cauda to the table inside the typical fujot, which will keep it warm.