/ Our magazine / Summer appetizers and quick recipes, how to survive in the kitchen in the heat
/ Our magazine / Summer appetizers and quick recipes, how to survive in the kitchen in the heat
Are you looking for summer appetizers and quick recipes? We understand you. With the extreme heat of the summer's peak weeks, there are days when the thought of turning on the stove and spending hours in the kitchen makes you break into a cold sweat. The desire to cook is minimal, and it's definitely preferable to eat light, focusing on vegetables, fruits, and fresh fish.
So, don't worry: let’s go with our ideas!
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about quick summer recipes is definitely bruschetta. This all-Italian finger food is the summer appetizer par excellence and is made with the king of summer fruits, the tomato: undoubtedly one of the most popular dishes due to its genuineness and flavor. Bruschetta is suitable for any occasion: as an appetizer, as a snack, as an aperitif, or as a single dish if you’re not very hungry… In short, always perfect. There are many variants of bruschetta, but we decided to propose the classic recipe, super easy and very economical, ideal for "recycling" any leftover bread.
To make six pieces, you will need:
- 6 slices of homemade bread (if a bit old, even better)
- 250g of tomatoes
- One clove of garlic
- A few fresh basil leaves (oregano is fine too)
- EVO oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper
Start by chopping the tomatoes into pieces. You can choose your favorite variety: cherry, datterino, yellow tomato, or Piennolo… You decide! The important thing is that it’s a good tomato, ripe, sweet, and fragrant. After all, it will be the star of our bruschetta, so it’s important that your tomatoes are flavorful. Transfer them to a bowl and season with oil, salt, a pinch of pepper, and the clove of garlic. Let it rest in the fridge for about half an hour, so the salad can soak up the flavors.
At this point, you can focus on the bread. Cut it into fairly thick slices (about two centimeters, no more), then heat the grill and toast the bread on both sides. Don't make the mistake of walking away from the stove; just a moment of distraction can burn the slices! Take a clove of garlic and rub it lightly on the still-warm bread. Take the tomatoes again and add a few basil leaves, then place them on the slices of bread, drizzling with the delicious sauce that has formed. And there you have it! Your bruschetta is ready to be eaten.
Another very versatile idea is the feta and watermelon salad, not so well-known until recently, but now it's becoming a classic. The flavor of feta strangely pairs well with that of watermelon, whose sweetness is also balanced by a drop of lemon.
For your salad, for about 4 people, you will need:
-1 thick slice of watermelon
-200g of feta
-½ Tropea onion
-50g of pitted black olives
-1 cucumber
-fresh mint to taste
-One teaspoon of lemon juice
-Salt to taste
-Oil to taste
Start by cleaning and preparing the vegetables. Clean the cucumbers, wash them, and peel them, then cut them into not too thin slices. Peel the onion and slice it thinly. Take the olives and pit them, then combine everything. Cut the feta into cubes and do the same with your slice of watermelon, trying to remove all the seeds (ideally, choose a seedless variety to simplify your work). Combine the ingredients in a bowl, add the mint, EVO oil, a teaspoon of lemon, and adjust with salt. And there you go, your summer salad is ready to enjoy. It doesn't get more quick and fresh than this!
Now let’s move on to the first courses, which, even in summer, cannot be missing from Italian tables. Let’s focus on fish and vegetables in this case and get ready to see Bolognese sauce, with its long cooking time, in the fall.
The first of the quick summer recipes for first courses we want to propose is undoubtedly penne in boat, originating from the Island of Elba. This is a truly flavorful first course, ideal for pasta lovers and fish fans. Also, it’s really easy to make!
For 5 people you will need:
-400g of Penne Rigate
-400ml of cooking cream
-1kg of clams
-1 glass of white wine
-1 onion
-4 cloves of garlic
-1 red chili
-A bunch of parsley
-2 very fresh egg yolks
-EVO oil to taste
-Salt to taste
First, let the clams purge in plenty of cold water with salt, leaving them overnight, so there’s no more sand. Only after this step can you start making your pasta, which is very quick. Put a pot of salted water on the stove and cook the pasta, which should remain al dente. Meanwhile, put a spacious pan on the stove (it should be large because you will need to toss the pasta later) with a drizzle of EVO oil and sauté the garlic and onion (the latter should be finely chopped) over low heat. When the garlic is golden, remove it, then add the well-rinsed clams and chopped chili, deglaze with white wine, and let it cook for about ten minutes, until you see the clams opened. Meanwhile, drain the pasta and toss it in the pan with the clams for a couple of minutes. Add the cream and chopped parsley, then mix and adjust with salt; then add the yolks, all over low heat. The yolks shouldn’t cook, so stir for about a minute and then turn off the heat. And there you have it! An absolutely delicious dish, perfect for a nice summer lunch, perhaps enjoyed with a good bottle of white wine.
Another first course idea is pasta with zucchini and Philadelphia, now a classic summer dish that’s perfect to be eaten either hot or cold.
For five people you will need:
-450g of fusilli
-200g of Philadelphia or a similar cheese
-2 large zucchini
-2 generous tablespoons of Parmigiano Reggiano
-Salt to taste
-1 clove of garlic
-EVO oil
This recipe is super simple. Put a pot of salted water on the stove. Meanwhile, wash the zucchini and cut them into small pieces.
Heat a large pan with a drizzle of oil, then sauté the garlic. When it’s golden, remove the clove and add the zucchini. If the water is boiling, put the pasta to cook. Let the zucchini cook for about five minutes, or until they are soft. At this point, you can either keep the zucchini in pieces or blend them to have a creamier sauce and a more colorful pasta. We decided to keep the zucchini in pieces.
Add the Philadelphia and Parmesan to the pan with two tablespoons of cooking water, then mix and combine well. Add the pasta and voilà, you’re done!
If you’re looking for quick summer recipes for a light and satisfying dinner, we have some suggestions for you.
The first one is the chicken salad.
For 5 people you will need:
-500g of chicken breast
-1 zucchini
-A handful of taggiasche olives
-1 carrot julienne
-1 red Tropea onion
-One tablespoon of chives
-to taste Olive oil
-to taste Fine salt
Cut the chicken into pieces, then cook it in a pan with salt and a drizzle of oil. Meanwhile, grate the zucchini and carrot. Slice the onion into very thin slices and chop the chives. Pit the olives. At this point, when the chicken has cooled, incorporate the ingredients and season with salt and oil. Delicious.
For fish lovers, we propose a nice swordfish steak with a mint dressing.
For five people you will need:
-Half a cup of EVO oil
-A bunch of finely chopped fresh mint
-1 freshly squeezed lemon
-1 clove of finely chopped garlic
-Salt to taste
-Pepper to taste
-5 slices of swordfish
Prepare the dressing by mixing oil, mint, lemon, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Let the marinade rest for an hour. When it’s time to cook, heat a grill and meanwhile brush the swordfish slices with the marinade and then grill them on each side until they are well cooked even inside. Then plate and drizzle with the remaining marinade. Add a bit of salad and here’s one of the freshest quick summer recipes you can find!
Quick summer recipes for desserts? Clearly, we can’t forget about mousse! For a delicious pistachio mousse, you will need very few ingredients:
-200 ml of whipping cream
-100g of sweetened Pistachio Cream
-Pistachio granules for decoration
-One tablespoon of white chocolate shavings
Whip the cream (be careful, it needs to be very cold to whip properly), then add the pistachio cream and gently fold it in. And there you go! Serve the mousse in simple coffee cups and decorate with a bit of pistachio granules and a few white chocolate shavings. Before serving, let the mousse rest in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Among the most popular quick summer recipes, there’s also the ice cream, which is incredibly simple.
For a 500g tub you will need:
-250g of frozen fruit (it's best to choose seasonal ones, like melon and peaches)
-250g of unsweetened Greek yogurt
-If the sugars from the fruit aren’t enough for your taste, honey or powdered sugar to sweeten
Wash the fruit, then cut it into pieces and freeze it for at least eight hours. Then pour the fruit into a blender, add the yogurt and the chosen sweetener. Blend for a few seconds until you have a creamy consistency. And there you have it! A delicious totally natural homemade ice cream. Before serving, let it soften a bit. It will be delightful!
As you may have noticed, there are really many proposals for quick summer recipes, from appetizers to desserts. So yes, you can eat well even in the heat! Which recipe will you try first?
Maria Nardone
S&M
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