Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES ONE 9 INCH (23 cm) CAKE

For the compote
- 1/2 cup (4 oz/125 g) sugar
- 1 lb (500 g) fresh or thawed frozen cherries, pitted
- 1 lemon zest strip
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch (cornflour)
For the cake
- 1 1/2 cups (6 oz/185 g) cake (soft-wheat) flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (8 oz/250 g) sugar
- 1/3 cup (3 fl oz/80 ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

In this recipe, olive oil imparts richness and moisture to a simple sponge cake. The flavor of the oil is subtle and slightly fruity, and your guests may never guess your secret ingredient. The ruby red cherry compote delivers a wonderful splash of color and sweet-tart flavor.

To make the compote, in a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar and 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) water. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add the cherries and the lemon zest strip, bring the liquid back to a simmer, and cook until the cherries are tender but still firm, about 2 minutes.

In a small bowl or cup, stir together 2 tablespoons water and the cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the simmering cherries and cook, stirring gently, until the liquid is clear and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer the compote to a bowl, remove and discard the lemon zest strip, and let the compote cool to room temperature.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan.
To make the cake, in a bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. While continuing to beat, slowly add the granulated sugar in a thin, steady stream until fully combined. Then add the oil in a thin, steady stream, continuing to beat constantly. Beat in the vanilla and the lemon juice and zest.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture in 3 batches. Do not overmix. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake the cake until it is golden brown and springs back when pressed in the center, 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven, place the pan on a wire rack, and let cool for about 10 minutes. Run a small knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake, then release and remove the pan sides. Transfer the cake to serving plate. Accompany each slice with the compote.

Buon appetito !

 MAKES 4 SERVINGS

- 4 fennel bulbs
- 1/3 cup (3 fl oz/80 ml) olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup (4 f oz/125 ml) chicken stock
- 1/3 cup (1 1/2 oz/45 g)
- shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano

Fennel, known asfinnochio in Italian, is a native ingredient of the Mediterranean. Widely used throughout Italy, it is often served thinly sliced and raw, baked, or braised, as here. lts delicate anise flavor lends itself to simple preparations. It is excellent with fish, such as Halibut with Salsa Verde

Working with 1 fennel bulb at a time, cut off the stalks and feathery leaves and discard or reserve for another use. Peel away the tough outer layer of the bulb, then cut lengthwise into medium-sized wedges. If the core seems very tough, trim it, but do not cut it away fully or the wedges will fall apart.

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the fennel, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until browned on both sides, about 5 minutes.

Reduce the heat to low. Add the chicken stock, cover, and cook until the fennel is tender, about 10 minutes. Arrange the wedges on a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Serve at once.

Buon appetito !

 MAKES 4 SERVINGS

- 4 lb (2 kg) English peas in their pods
- 6 tablespoons (3 fl oz/90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Handful of fresh basil leaves

In Tuscany, peas are only to be served, and found in the markets, when they are in season, and their season is fleeting. If you catch it perfectly in early spring, you will be rewarded with tiny, tender, sweet vegetables. This recipe celebrates the early spring bounty.

Shell the peas into a bowl and set aside. You should have about 4 cups (1 1/4 lb/ 625 g) shelled peas.

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until translucent and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the peas and stir well. Pour in just enough water to cover the peas, cover the pan, and cook just until soft, 5-7 minutes.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir in the basil. Continue cooking until the peas are tender but stili firm, about 3 minutes longer.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve at once.

Buon appetito !

 MAKES 4 SERVINGS

- 2 lb (1 kg) zucchini (courgettes)
- 1/3 cup (3 fI oz/80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

This simple vegetable side dish makes the most of a few essential Italian ingredients: olive oil, garlic, and fresh sweet basi!. Mushrooms and zucchini are two of the best candidates for cooking this way. You can substitute fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley for the basil.

Trim the stem ends of each zucchini. Cut in half lengthwise and then cut crosswise into slices about 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick.
In a large, heavy frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant and golden, about 2 minutes. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring often, until the zucchini are tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the basil over the zucchini toward the end of the cooking time.Season to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to a warmed serving dish, and serve at once.

NOTE: These garlicky zucchini not only make a flavorful side dish but double nicely as a pasta sauce. Boil 1 lb (500 g) of pasta, such as penne or rigatoni, according to package directions. Drain and add to the frying pan. Toss with the zucchini. Serve with plenty of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Buon appetito !

 MAKES 2 SERVINGS

- T-bone or poterhouse steak, cut from the rib with the bone, 1 1/2 lb (t50g)
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- Lemon wedges, for garnish
- 1 1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz/45 g) baby arugula, for garnish

Take the meat out of the refrigerator about 2 hours before cooking it. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Oil the grill rack.

Rub the meat on both sides with the olive oil. (Do not add any salt at this point.)
Using tongs, lay the steak directly over the hottest part of the fire or the heat elements about 5 inches (13 cm) above the fire. Cook unti) browned and juicy on the first side, 5-7 minutes. Turn the steak and sprinkle with salt. Cook on the second side unti) browned and juicy, 5-7 minutes longer. Then turn the meat over once again and sprinkle with salt

Transfer the steak to a cutting board and season generously with pepper. Garnish with the lemon wedges and arugula and serve at once.

Buon appetito !

 MAKES 8 SERVINGS

- 4 large cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves
- 2 teaspoons crushed fennel seeds
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 bone-in pork loin roast, about 5 Ib (2.5 kg)
- 4 tablespoons (2 fl oz/60 ml) olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, halved and siiced
- 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio

In Tuscany, the word arista is used for a pork roast seasoned with rosemary, fennel, and/or other herbs and garlic. According to legend, the pork roast received its name in the fifteenth century, when it was served to a group of visiting Greek bishops who declared it aristos—"the best." But most food scholars dismiss that story, pointing out that the fourteenth-century Italian author Franco Sacchetti referred to pork roast as arista in one of his novels.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C).
Using a chef's knife, very finely chop together the garlic, rosemary, and sage. Transfer to a small bowl, add the fennel seeds, season with salt and pepper, and mix well. Make slits 1/2 inch (12 mm) deep all over the pork roast and insert some of the mixture into each slit. Rub the roast with the remaining seasoning, then rub with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place the meat in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it.

Roast the meat for 1 hour. In a bowl, toss the onion slices with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and scatter them around the meat. Continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the roast away from the bone registers 155°F (68°C), or the meat is pale pink when cut into at the center, about 11/4 hours longer. Transfer to a warmed platter and cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm. Let rest for 15 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, pour off most of the fat in the roasting pan and piace the pan over medium-low heat. Add the wine and deglaze the pan, stirring to scrape up any browned bits from the pan bottom. Simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced.

Carve the roast and arrange on a warmed platter. Spoon the pan sauce over the pork and serve at once.

Buon appetito !

 MAKES 4 SERVINGS

- 6 tablespoons (3 fI oz/90 ml) olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, 2 minced and 1 crushed
- 1 Ib (500 g) fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 can (15 oz/470 g) plum (Roma) tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 8 fresh basil leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley, plus more for garnish
- 4 tuna steaks, each about 1/2 Ib (250 g)
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup (5 oz/155 g) pitted brine-cured black olives
- 4 teaspoons capers, rinsed

This Tuscan sauce marries the flavors of the Mediterranean: tomatoes, olives and olive oil, capers, garlic, and basil. It pairs particularly well with fresh tuna, a fish traditionally linked with the Sicilian kitchen, but today enjoyed throughout the country..

In a frying pan over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté unti! it begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sauté until golden, about 2 minutes longer. Stir in the tomatoes, basil, and 2 tablespoons parsley and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and pass through a food mill fitted with the medium disk held over a bowl. Set aside.

Lightly season the tuna steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. In a frying pan large enough to hold the fish in a single layer, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and cook, stirring often, until golden, about 2 minutes. Remove and discard the garlic dove. Add the tuna steaks to the pan, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides, about 2 minutes on each side. Pour the reserved sauce directly over the fish, reduce the heat to low, add the olives and capers, and cook unti! the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the tuna steaks and sauce to warmed plates and sprinkle with parsley. Serve at once.

Buon appetito !

 MAKES 6 SERVINGS

- 4 lb (2 kg) assorted fish and shellfish such as clams, mussels, snapper, striped bass, cod, haddock, cleaned squid, shrimp (prawns) in the shell, and crabs, in any combination
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, 2 minced and 1 halved Iengthwise
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup (8 fI oz/250 ml) dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio
- 3 cups (24 oz/750 g) canned plum (Roma) tornato purée
- 6 thick slices coarse country bread

Along the Tuscan coast, especially around the lively ports of Livorno and Viareggio, zuppa di pesce, thick fish stewiike soup ladied over bread, is a popular dish. The ingredients vary according to what is available at the market, so buy what looks best and what your pocketbook can handle. Choose deboned fish fillets if possible.

If using clams, scrub well, discarding any that fail to dose to the touch. If using mussels, scrub well, debeard, and discard any that fail to dose to the touch. If using fish fillets, cut into large chunks. Clean any whole fish, remove and discard their heads and tails, remove their skin, and cut crosswise into thick slices on the bone. If using squid, cut the body into rings about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and the tentacles into medium-sized pieces. Place all the seafood in a bowl of salted cold water and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until it begins to soften and is fragrant, 3-4 minutes. Add the minced garlic and 2 tablespoons of the parsley and sauté unti! the garlic is fragrant, 1 minute.
Raise the heat to high, add the red pepper flakes, and pour in the wine. Let the alcohol bubble away for a couple of minutes, then reduce the heat to medium, pour in the tornato purée, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 5 minutes.

Begin adding the seafood to the soup, starting with the squid, adding the fish slices after 10 minutes, and ending with the shellfish. After all the seafood is added, reduce the heat to low and cook, uncovered, at a slow simmer for about 15 minutes to cook the seafood and blend the flavors. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Meanwhile, toast the bread and rub the surface with the cut sides of the halved garlic. Place 1 bread slice in each warmed soup bowl.
Transfer the soup to a warmed tureen. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley. Bring the tureen to the table and ladle a mix of fish and shellfish and some broth onto the toast in each bowl. Serve at once.

Buon appetito !

 MAKES 4 servings

- 4 tablespoons (2 fI oz/60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Ib (1 kg) fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped, or 1 can (28 oz/875 g) plum (Roma) tomatoes, drained and chopped
- 4 slices day-old coarse country bread, crusts removed and torn into small pieces
- 4 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Tuscan cooks are frugai, as this traditional tomato and bread soup made from cubes of day-old bread illustrates. Italians typically feel that many foods, including a number of soups, taste best when they are neither too hot nor too cold. They believe that moderate temperatures don't shock the taste buds, so that ali of the flavors will come through. This soup is a good candidate for testing the theory, as it is delicious fresh off the stove, at room temperature, or in between.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion and celery and sauté unti) the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté unti! fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes and 4 cups (32 fl oz/1 I) water and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, unti) the vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
Fit a food mill with the fine disk, piace over a bowl, and pass the contents of the saucepan through the mill. Or, purée in batches in a blender or food processor. Return the soup to the pan over medium heat. Add the bread, basii, and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer. Cook unti) the bread is soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in a little more water if the soup becomes too thick.
Serve the soup hot, warm, or at room temperature. Ladle into soup bowls and drizzle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.

Buon appetito!

 MAKES 6 servings

- 1 cup (7 oz/220 g) dried borlotti or cranberry beans
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
- 1 large tornato, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
- 8 cups (64 fl oz/2 I) beef stock (page 273) or chicken stock (page 274)
- 2 cups (7 oz/220 g) ditalini, tubetti, or other small hollow pasta
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Here, beans and pasta are combined in a classic soup of southern Italy. Borlotti beans, which are ivory-beige with maroon speckles, are known as cranberry beans or French horticultural beans in the United States. If you can find fresh borlotti shell beans, which are in season in late summer and early autumn, you can substitute 2 cups (14 oz/440 g) of them for the dried beans. Cook them in boiling water until tender, about 30 minutes.

Pick over the beans and discard any misshapen beans or stones. Rinse the beans under cold running water and drain. Place in a large bowl with cold water to cover generously and let soak for at least 4 hours or for up to overnight. Drain the beans, rinse well, and transfer to a large saucepan. Add 8 cups (64 fl oz/2 I) cold water and the garlic cloves and bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off the foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the beans are tender, about l'h hours. Drain and set aside.
In another large saucepan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and sauté unti! the onion is golden, 6-8 minutes. Add the tornato, stock, and beans and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. If desired, to thicken the soup, remove 1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) and purée in a food processor or blender. Add the puréed soup back to the saucepan and stir to combine. Raise the heat to medium, add the pasta, and cook until al dente, 8-10 minutes.

Buon appetito!