Here Are 5 "Authentic Italian Food" Recipes Delicious and Healthy Recipes You Can Quickly & Easily Cook.
1. Broccoli raab and cannellini beans on garlic bread
Ingredients
*1 bunch broccoli raab, washed
*1 1/2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil; more for drizzling
*1 small onion, finely chopped
*11/2 to 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
*2 cloves garlic, minced, plus
*1 whole clove to rub on the toast
*Crushed red pepper flakes
*1 15-oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
*Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
*2 to 4 thick slices sturdy country-style bread, preferably sourdough
*Lemon wedges or red-wine vinegar
Directions
1. Peel the larger stems of the broccoli raab and slice them thinly. Chop the leaves coarsely. Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet. Add the onion and rosemary and cook over medium-high heat until the onion softens and begins to color, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and a pinch or two of red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped raab leaves and stems along with 1 cup of water and cook, stirring occasionally, until the raab is wilted, about 5 minutes. Add the beans (and more water as needed) until the greens are cooked, about another 15 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, toast the bread on the grill or under the broiler. Rub one side of the toast with the reserved garlic clove. Set a slice or two of bread on each plate. Spoon the beans and greens over the toast. Drizzle olive oil liberally over the beans and greens. Top with a squeeze of lemon juice or a splash of red-wine vinegar.
2. Cherry tomatoes stuffed with mozzarella & basil
Ingredients
*1/2 lb. fresh mozzarella, cut into tiny dice (to yield about 1 1/4 cups)
*3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
*1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
*1/2 tsp. freshly grated lemon zest (from about 1/4 lemon)
*Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
*1 pint (about 18) cherry tomatoes, rinsed and stems removed
Directions
1. In a medium bowl, stir the cheese, oil, basil, zest, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours before assembling.
2. When ready to assemble, slice each tomato in half (either direction is all right) and scoop out the insides with the small end of a melon baller or a teaspoon. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Invert onto a paper towel and let the tomatoes drain for 15 minutes.
3. Fill each tomato half with a scant teaspoon of the cheese mixture and arrange on a serving tray. Serve immediately as an hors d’oeuvre, or wrap and refrigerate for up to 2 hours.
3. Stuffed mushrooms with pancetta, shallots & sage
Ingredients
*35 to 40 cremini mushrooms (about 11/2 lb.), 11/2 to 2 inches wide
*3 Tbs. unsalted butter; more for the baking dish
*11/2 oz. pancetta, finely diced (1/4 cup)
*5 medium shallots, finely diced
*2 tsp. chopped fresh sage
*Pinch of dried red pepper flakes
*Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
*2/3 cup coarse fresh breadcrumbs (preferably from a day old rustic French or Italian loaf)
*1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
*2 to 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F. Trim and discard the very bottom of the mushroom stems. Remove the mushroom stems and finely chop them, along with five of the largest mushroom caps.
2. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium heat for 1 minute and add 2 Tbs. of the butter. When it has melted, add the pancetta and cook until it starts to render some of its fat, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shallots, sage, and pepper flakes; cook gently until the shallots are tender, about 4 minutes (reduce the heat if the shallots begin to brown). Stir in the chopped mushroom stems and 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is tender, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. butter. When it has melted, transfer the mushroom mixture to a bowl and stir in the breadcrumbs and Parmigiano. Season to taste with salt and pepper and let cool slightly.
3. Butter a shallow baking dish large enough to hold the mushrooms in one layer. Arrange the mushrooms in the dish and season the cavities with salt. Stuff each cavity with a rounded teaspoonful of the filling, or more as needed. The filling should form a tall mound. (You may have leftover filling; if you have extra mushrooms, keep stuffing until you run out of filling.) Drizzle the mushrooms with the olive oil and bake until the mushrooms are tender and the breadcrumbs are golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve warm.
4. Pear, cranberry & blood orange mostarda
Ingredients
*1 medium blood orange
*2 sprigs fresh rosemary
*1 fresh bay leaf or 1/2 dried
*1 cup dry white wine
*2 Tbs. mild honey, such as clover
*1 Tbs. brown mustard seeds
*1 Tbs. yellow mustard seeds
*Kosher salt
*2 medium firm-ripe pears (preferably Bosc), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
*1 cup fresh cranberries
*Crostini (recipe below)
Directions
1. Peel a 1x3-inch strip of zest from the orange. Trim off any white pith from the strip with a paring knife and put the zest in a 3-quart saucepan. Trim away the remaining orange peel and cut the segments free from the membranes, letting them fall into the saucepan. Squeeze the juice from the membranes into the saucepan.
2. Tie the rosemary and bay leaf into a cheesecloth bundle and add to the saucepan along with the wine, honey, mustard seeds, and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the honey dissolves and the flavors meld a bit, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the pears and cranberries and return to a gentle simmer over medium low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is tender and the liquid is syrupy, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, discard the herb bundle and zest, and let cool. Serve at room temperature. The mostarda will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.
5. Grilled goat cheese crostini with a tangle of marinated roasted peppers
Ingredients
*3 medium bell peppers (1 red, 1 orange, and 1 yellow)
*3 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
*2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
*11/2 tsp. fresh thyme
*1/4 tsp. kosher salt
*Freshly ground black pepper
*Grilled Garlic Bread (recipe on the facing page)
*1 41/2- to 51/2-oz. container of soft, spreadable goat cheese (such as Chavrie®), at room temperature
Directions
1. Prepare a medium-high grill fire. Grill the bell peppers, turning occasionally, until the skin chars all over, 15 to 20 minutes. Put the charred peppers in a heatproof bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit until cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, 1/2 tsp. of thyme, the salt, and about 5 grinds of pepper. Mix well.
3. Remove the pepper skins and seeds and cut the peppers into thin strips. Add the peppers to the vinegar mixture and let them marinate for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. (Refrigerate if making more than a few hours ahead and return to room temperature before assembling the crostini.)
4. Spread each slice of the grilled garlic bread with a generous layer of goat cheese, sprinkle with some of the remaining thyme, and top with a tangle of the peppers and a small grind of black pepper. Serve immediately.
