Easy Italian Recipes

 MAKES 4-6 SERVINGS

- 1 1/2 lb (750 g) Yukon gold or other roasting potatoes
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the potatoes into 1-inch (2.5-cm) chunks. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Scatter the potato chunks and the garlic in a single layer on the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining olive oil. Toss gently to combine the ingrediente, then spread them out evenly.
Roast the potatoes, stirring 1 or 2 times, unti) the skins are crisp and browned and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and transfer to a serving bowl. Serve at once.

Buon appetito !

 MAKES 4 SERVINGS

- Sea salt
- 1 lb (500 g) broccoli rabe, trimmed
- 1 lb (500 g) Italian sweet fennel sausages
- 4 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- Pinch of red pepper flakes

Salsicce e verdure, "sausages and greens," is a favorite combination not only in Campania but throughout southern Italy. Pork sausages seasoned with fennel seeds are the most popular fresh sausages in Campania, but you can substitute the fiery-hot pork sausages of neighboring Calabria or another fresh sausage for some or all of the fennel sausages.

Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil and add about 1 tablespoon salt. Add the broccoli rabe and cook, testing often, until the stems are softened but not fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Drain and cool under cold running water, then drain again. Set aside.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, combine the sausages and 1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) water. Cover the pan and bring the water to a simmer. Cook until the water evaporates and the sausages begin to sizzle and turn brown, about 10 minutes. Uncover the pan and continue to cook, turning the sausages as needed, until lightly browned on al! sides, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the sausages to a plate and cover to keep warm.

Add the garlic and red pepper flakes to the pan drippings and sauté over medium heat until the garlic is lightly golden and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add the broccoli rabe and stir well. Return the sausages to the pan, cover, and cook until the broccoli rabe is tender and the sausages are cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the sausages and greens to a warmed platter 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 4-6 servings

- 1/3 cup (3 fI oz/80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/3 cup (1/2 oz/15 g) minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
- Sea salt
- 1 Ib (500 g) linguine or spaghetti

Named after its primary ingredients, aglio (garlic) and olio (oil), this simple pasta dish depends on using a good-quality, flavorful extravirgin olive oil. Without it, the naturally bold flavors of the garlic and red pepper flakes will dominate the sauce, rather than blend with the oil that forms its base.

In a large frying pan, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and sauté until the garlic is golden and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley and remove the pan from the heat.
Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a rolling boil and add about 2 tablespoons salt. Add the linguine, stir well, and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, according to the package directions.
Just before the linguine is cooked, reheat the sauce over medium-low heat. When the pasta is ready, scoop out and reserve about 2 ladlefuls of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Add to the sauce in the pan and stir and toss over low heat until well coated with the sauce, adjusting the consistency with some of the cooking water if needed. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve at once.

Buon appetito!