Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKE 6-8 SERVINGS

- 2 cloves garlic
- About 1/2 cup (1/2 oz/15 g) fresh fiat-leaf (Italian) parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) extra-virgin olive oil plus
- 2 tablespoons for brushing
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- 1 eggplant (aubergine), 1-11/4 lb (500-625 g), trimmed and cut crosswise into slices 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick
- 2 zucchini (courgettes), trimmed and thickly sliced lengthwise -
- 2 red or yellow beli peppers (capsicums)
- 6 green (spring) onions, including tender green tops, trimmed
- Sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

The vegetables in this classic antipasto signal the arrivai of midsummer. The dish is unequaled in its delicious simplicity: meaty vegetables cooked over a hot fire, peeled, and drizzled with olive oil and seasonings. Enjoy this dish in the garden with soft burrata (a buttery fresh cheese made from mozzarella curds and cream) or fresh mozzarella, crusty country bread, and a dark pink rosé.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Oil the grill rack. Using a chef's knife, mince together the garlic and parsley. Transfer to a small bowl, add the 1/2 cup olive oil and the vinegar, and mix well. Set aside.
Brush the vegetables with the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Using tongs, lay the eggplant and zucchini slices, the peppers, and the green onions over the hottest part of the fire or directly over the heat elements. Cook the eggplant and zucchini slices, turning once, until both sides have grill marks and the slices are tender, about 6 minutes total for the eggplant and about 3 minutes total for the zucchini. Grill the green onions, turning as needed, until slightly charred and tender, about 4 minutes total. Grill the peppers, turning as needed, until the skin is blackened and evenly blistered on ali sides, about 10 minutes total.
As the vegetables finish cooking, transfer the eggplant, zucchini, and onions to a platter. Place the peppers in a paper bag and fold over the top so they will steam. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove from the bag, remove and discard the stems, and slit the peppers open lengthwise and remove and discard the seeds and ribs. Peel away the blackened skin, and cut the peppers lengthwise into strips about 1/2 inch (12 mm) wide. Add the pepper strips to the platter.
Drizzle the olive oil-parsley mixture evenly over the vegetables, and then sprinkle with salt and red pepper flakes (if using). Serve at once.

Buon appetito!

 MAKE 4 SERVINGS

- 1 large eggplant (aubergine), about 11/2 Ib (750 g)
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 cup (8 oz/250 g) wholemilk ricotta cheese
- 1/4 Ib (125 g) fresh mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 4 tablespoons (1 oz/30 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-Ieaf (Italian) parsley
- Olive oil for brushing
- 21/2 cups (20 fl oz/625 ml) classic tornato sauce

Eggplants are prepared in a variety of ways in southern Italy, especially in Sicily, where they turn up in pasta sauces, layered with tomatoes and cheese, and in this simple antipasto of involtini (stuffed rolls), which can also be served as a meatless main course in larger portions. Cooks salt eggplant for two reasons: it contains a lot of moisture and it can have bitter juices, and salt draws out both of them.

Trim the eggplant, then cut crosswise on the diagonal (so the slices are as wide as possible) 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. Layer the slices in a colander set over a plate, sprinkling each layer with salt, and let stand for 30 minutes to drain.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir together the ricotta, mozzarella, 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano-Reggiano, the parsley, and pepper to taste.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450°F (230°C).
Rinse the eggplant slices quickly under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels. Brush the slices on both sides with olive oil, and arrange them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake the slices until lightly browned on the bottom, about 10 minutes. Turn the slices and continue to bake until browned on the second side and tender, 5-10 minutes longer. Remove the eggplant from the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (180°C).
Spoon a thin layer of the tornato sauce into a 9-inch (23-cm) square baking dish. To make each eggplant roll, piace a spoonful of the cheese mixture near one end of a slice and roll up the slice. As it each roll is formed, piace it seam side down in the dish. Spoon the remaining sauce over the rolls, then sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Bake the rolls until the sauce is bubbling hot and the rolls are heated through, about 25 minutes. Divide the rolls among individuai plates and serve at once.

Buon appetito!

 MAKE 6 SERVINGS

- 2 eggplants (aubergines), about 1 Ib (500 g) each
- Sea salt
- Olive oil for frying
- 2 1/2 cups (20 fI oz/625 ml) classic tornato sauce
- 1 lb (500 g) fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into thin slices
- 1/2 cup (2 oz/60 g) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

There are many versions of this dish throughout southern Italy. Some include a meat sauce, others slip hard-cooked eggs between the layers, and stili others cali for dipping the eggplant slices in beaten egg and bread crumbs before frying. This recipe is from Campania, where it is typically served as an antipasto, a contorno, or even cold as a sandwich filling. Make sure the oil is fuliy heated before you add the eggplant, or the slices will absorb too much oil.

Trim the eggplants, then cut crosswise into slices 94 inch (6 mm) thick. Layer the slices in a colander set over a plate, sprinkling each layer with salt, and let stand for 30 minutes to drain. Rinse the eggplant slices quickly under cold running water and pat dry with paper towels.
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Have ready a 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) baking dish.
Line a large platter or tray with paper towels and set it next to the stove. Pour the olive oil to a depth of about 1/2 inch (12 mm) into a large, heavy frying pan and piace over high heat until hot. Working in batches, add the eggplant slices in a single layer, being careful not to crowd the pan. Fry, turning once, until nicely browned on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Using tongs, transfer the slices to the towel-lined platter to drain. Fry the remaining slices in the same way, adding more oil to the pan as needed.
Spread a thin layer of the tornato sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Cover the sauce with a layer of the eggplant slices, overlapping them slightly and using about a third of the slices. Top with a third of the mozzarella, a third of the sauce, and a third of the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Repeat the layering two more times, ending with the grated cheese.
Bake until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Buon appetito!