/ Our magazine / Summer appetizers and quick recipes to survive the heat.
/ Our magazine / Summer appetizers and quick recipes to survive the heat.
If you're looking for summer appetizers and quick recipes, we understand you. With the extreme heat of the late summer weeks, there are days when just the thought of turning on the stove and spending hours in the kitchen makes you break out in a cold sweat. The desire to cook is minimal, and you definitely prefer to eat light, favoring vegetables, fruits, and fresh fish.
So don't worry: let's go with our ideas!
The first thing that comes to mind when we talk about quick summer recipes (after a nice plate of summer cold cuts) is definitely the bruschetta. A quintessential Italian starter, bruschetta is prepared with the king of summer fruits, the tomato: surely one of the most popular dishes thanks to its genuineness and goodness. Bruschettas are great for any occasion: as an appetizer, as a snack, as an aperitif, or as a single dish if you're not too hungry… In short, always perfect. There are many variations of bruschetta, but we decided to propose the classic recipe, super easy and very economical, ideal for "recycling" any leftover bread.
For six pieces you will need:
- 6 slices of rustic bread (if a little old, even better)
- 250g of tomatoes
- One clove of garlic
- A few leaves of fresh basil (oregano is also fine)
- EVO oil
- Salt to taste
- Pepper
Start by chopping the tomatoes into chunks. You can choose your favorite variety: cherry, datterini, yellow or Piennolo tomatoes… It's up to you! The important thing is that they are good tomatoes, ripe, sweet, and fragrant. After all, they 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 a clove of garlic. Then, let it rest in the fridge for half an hour so the salad can marinate.
At this point, you can focus on the bread.
Cut it into thick slices (about two centimeters, no more), then heat the grill and toast the bread on both sides. Don't make the mistake of stepping away from the stove; just a moment of distraction can burn the slices! Take a clove of garlic and lightly rub it on the still-warm bread. Then, take the tomatoes again, add a few leaves of basil, and place them on the slices of bread, drizzling the delicious juices that have formed. And there you have it! Your bruschettas are ready to eat.
Another very versatile idea is feta and watermelon salad, which until recently was not very well known but is now becoming a classic. The flavor of the feta or other similar cheeses pairs strangely well with that of watermelon, and its sweetness is balanced by a splash of lemon juice.
For your salad, for about 4 people, you will need:
-1 thick slice of watermelon
-200g of feta
-1/2 Tropea onion
-50g of pitted black olives
-1 cucumber
-fresh mint to taste
-1 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 slice them not too thinly. Peel the onion and slice it thinly. Take the olives and pit them, then mix everything together. Cut the feta into cubes and do the same with your slice of watermelon, trying to remove all the seeds (the ideal would be to use a seedless variety to simplify the job). Combine the ingredients in a bowl, then add the mint, EVO oil, a teaspoon of lemon, and season with salt. There you go, your summer salad is ready to enjoy. It doesn’t get quicker and fresher than this!
Now let's move on to first courses, which cannot be missing on Italian tables even in summer. Go ahead with fish and vegetables in this case, and get ready to see the Bolognese ragù, with its long cooking time, in the fall.
The first of the quick summer first course recipes we want to propose is definitely the penne in barca, originating from the island of Elba. It is a truly tasty first course, ideal for pasta and fish lovers. Moreover, it is really easy to make!
For 5 people you will need:
-400g of Penne Rigate
-400ml of cream
-1kg of clams
-1 glass of white wine
-1 Onion
-4 cloves of Garlic
-1 red Chili
-1 bunch of Parsley
-2 very fresh egg yolks
-Olive oil to taste
-Salt to taste
First of all, let the clams purge in plenty of cold salted water, leaving them overnight so there is no sand. Only after this step can you start preparing your pasta, which is very quick.
Put a pot with plenty of salted water on the stove and cook the pasta, which should remain al dente. Meanwhile, put a skillet (it needs to be large because you will later need to toss the pasta) on the heat 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 rinsed clams and the chopped chili, deglaze with white wine, and let it cook for about ten minutes, until you see the clams open. Meanwhile, drain the pasta and toss it in the pan with the clams for a couple of minutes. Add the cream and the chopped parsley, then mix and adjust the seasoning with salt, then add the yolks, all over low heat. The yolks should not 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 lovely summer lunch, perhaps accompanied by a good bottle of white wine.
Another first course idea is pasta with zucchini and philadelphia, now a classic summer dish ideal for eating both hot and cold.
For five people you will need:
-450g of fusilli
-200g of Philadelphia or similar cheese
-2 large Zucchini
-2 heaping tablespoons of grated Parmigiano Reggiano
-Salt to taste
-1 clove of garlic
-Olive oil
This recipe is super simple. Put a pot of salted water on the stove. Meanwhile, wash the zucchinis and chop them into small pieces.
Put a large skillet on the heat with a drizzle of oil, then sauté the garlic. When it is golden, remove the clove and add the zucchinis. Meanwhile, if the water is boiling, cook the pasta. Let the zucchinis cook for five minutes or until they are soft. At this point, you can do two things: either leave the zucchinis in pieces or blend them to have a creamier sauce and a more colorful pasta. We decided to leave the zucchini in pieces.
Add the philadelphia and the parmesan with two tablespoons of cooking water to the pan, then mix and blend well. Add the pasta and voila, it’s done!
If you're looking for quick summer recipes for a light and filling dinner, we have some suggestions for you.
First among them is chicken salad.
For 5 people you will need:
-500g of chicken breast
-1 zucchini
-A handful of Taggiasca olives
-1 julienne carrot
-1 red Tropea onion
-A tablespoon of chives
-Olive oil to taste
-Fine salt to taste
Cut the chicken into pieces, then cook it in a pan with salt and a drizzle of oil. Meanwhile, grate the zucchini and the carrot. Slice the onion into very thin slices and chop the chives. Pit the olives. At this point, when the chicken is cool, mix the ingredients together and season with salt and oil. Delicious.
For fish lovers, we suggest a nice swordfish steak with mint seasoning.
For five people you will need:
-Half a cup of EVO oil
-A bunch of chopped fresh mint
-1 freshly squeezed lemon
-1 clove of minced garlic
-Salt to taste
-Pepper to taste
-5 pieces of swordfish
Prepare the seasoning by mixing oil, mint, lemon, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Let the sauce rest for an hour. When it’s time to cook, heat a grill and, meanwhile, brush the pieces of fish with the seasoning and then grill them on each side until well cooked inside. Then plate and drizzle with the remaining seasoning. Add some salad, and here’s one of the freshest quick summer recipes possible!
Quick summer recipes for desserts? Of course, we can't not talk 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 flakes
Whip the cream (make sure it’s very cold to whip properly), then add the pistachio cream and gently fold it in. There you go! Serve the mousse in simple coffee cups and decorate with some pistachio granules and a few flakes of white chocolate. Before serving, let the mousse rest in the fridge for a couple of hours.
Among the most popular quick summer recipes is also the ice cream, really very simple.
For a half-kilogram tub you will need:
-250g of frozen fruit (it's better to prefer seasonal fruits, like melon and peaches)
-250g of unsweetened Greek yogurt
-If the sugars from the fruit are not sweet enough for your taste, some honey or powdered sugar to sweeten
Wash the fruit, then chop it into pieces and freeze 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 a cream is formed. And there you go! A delicious, completely natural homemade ice cream. Before serving, let it soften a little. It will be delicious!
As you've noticed, the proposals for quick summer recipes are really plentiful, from appetizers to desserts. So yes, you can eat well even in the heat! What will be the first recipe you try?
Maria Nardone
S&M
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