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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.