Two Ways to Celebrate Italian National Sun-dried Tomato Day!
In Southern Italy, the end of summer is synonymous with finding delicious and nutritious ways to preserve fresh tomatoes for the winter months. In addition to making their own canned tomatoes and sauces for the pantry, many families also sun-dry their own plump, juicy tomatoes. It is out of that tradition that August 31st became the Giornata Nazionale dei Pomodori Secchi or “National Sun-dried Tomato Day in Italy.
It’s the perfect time to share some great ways to use my award-winning Amy Riolo Selections Sundried Tomato Pesto! I am proud to partner with the world-renown Anfosso brand to offer my privately-labelled Ligurian twist on classic basil pesto. This product is a winner of the 2019 SOFI Gold award for best pasta sauce, and I consider it to be the perfect pantry staple.
Pesto Genovese is the most famous pesto in all of Italy. Only pesto made in a precise manner with fresh Ligurian DOP basil can carry the DOP label. At the heart of this DOP Sun-dried Red Pesto are five ingredients: peeled sun-dried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil from Anfosso, fresh Ligurian DOP basil, Grana Padano cheese, and pine nuts.
When I was offered the opportunity to have my own privately labelled sauce with the Anfosso brand I was overjoyed! Their values, production methods, and ingredients represent the essence of what quality Italian products all over the world. I chose their Sun-dried Red Pesto for my Amy Riolo Selections product line because the intense aroma, bright, red color and sweet taste of this pesto are perfect for pairing with pasta, panini, risotto, pizza, easy appetizers, and even roasted vegetables and meats. It’s my go-to sauce for adding a touch of the glorious Ligurian seaside to my savory dishes.
Here are two of my favorite recipes to try….
Maccheroni Pugliesi with Sun-dried Red Pesto and Burrata
Let’s face it, even the most avid cooks among us need some quick-fix recipes sometimes. This artisan pasta dish which combines the flavors of Puglia and Liguria is one that I turn to all year long.
Amy Riolo Selections Maccheroni Pugliesi Italian pasta is made from 100% Senatore Cappelli grains which are known as the "chosen breed" of wheat in Puglia Italy where it is grown. This type of wheat was cultivated in the 1930s and 1940s in Puglia by Senatore Raffaele Cappelli after whom it is named. Senatore Cappelli wheat contains trace elements such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, and zinc as well as B vitamins and E that are not found in industrially manufactured pasta.
This pasta pairs well with meat sauces and simple tomato sauce, but my favorite way to enjoy it is with Amy Riolo Selections Sundried Red Pesto made from just five ingredients: peeled sun-dried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, fresh DOP Genovese basil, Grana Padano cheese, and pine nuts. The award-winning sauce coats and complements the pasta perfectly for an authentic and nutritious meal in minutes.
Ingredients:
1 teaspoon unrefined sea salt
1 package Amy Riolo Selections Maccheroni Pugliesi Pasta
1 jar Amy Riolo Selections Sundried Red Pesto
8 ounces burrata cheese, drained and shredded
¼ cup freshly chopped basil
¼ cup Amy Riolo Selections extra-virgin olive oil
Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese to serve
Preparation:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt and pasta, stir, and reduce heat to low. Cook for approximately 11-13 minutes or until al dente.
In the meantime, reserve ½ cup of cooking water.
When pasta is done, drain it into a colander and return it to the pot. With the heat off, quicky stir in the pasta water, ¾ of the pesto, the burrata cheese, and the basil. Stir well to allow the cheese to melt. Spoon into a serving bowl and drizzle with EVOO.
Top with Grana Padano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and serve immediately.
Polpette di melanzane/Eggplant Croquettes
When temperatures soar, a few nibbles and a glass of vino are all we need to celebrate the season. Italy’s 20 regions offer such diversity in terms of appetizer recipes that you can sample many of the world’s best flavors simply by taking a bite of a crunchy bruschetta or breaking apart a mozzarella-filled supplì (risotto croquette) to discover a stringy piece of fresh mozzarella oozing from the center.
In Calabria and other southern Italian regions, hosts show their hospitality to guests they are entertaining with dazzling displays of numerous mouthwatering appetizers.
My favorite way to start a meal in the summer is with Polpette di melanzane/Eggplant Croquettes, that are found on most Calabrian tables from May-October and as long as eggplant is in season. For the vegetarians among us, you can also shape these eggplant filled “meatballs” into larger patties for the ultimate Italian-influenced “veggie burger.” Although not traditional, shredded carrots and/or zucchini could also be used in this recipe.
Eggplant was introduced into Sicily in the 9th century when two different North African Muslim Caliphates (the Aghlabids and the Fatimids) ruled. It took a while for Italians to catch on to the flavor potential of the unknown fruit, but once they did, the rest is history. Eggplant gardens provide a huge bumper crop, and nowadays they are used in everything from preserved recipes as appetizers to pasta, risotto, seafood, and even dessert recipes. No matter where you are in the world, summertime is better with beloved Italian recipes like this one.
Recipe from Italian Recipes for Dummies by Amy Riolo.
PREP TIME: 10 MIN
COOK TIME: 10 MIN
YIELD: 4 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
* 2 slices (about 2 ounces) day-old Italian bread, cubed
* 1/2 cup milk
* 1 eggplant, unpeeled, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
* 1 3/4 cups plain bread crumbs, divided
* 1⁄3 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
* 3 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
* 2 tablespoons fresh basil, finely chopped
* 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
* 2 cups Amy Riolo Selections or other good-quality extra virgin olive oil, divided
* 4 tablespoons Amy Riolo Selections Sundried Red Pesto or your favorite tomato or pesto sauce
DIRECTIONS
Place bread in a small bowl, and cover with milk.
Place eggplant in a large saucepan, cover with water, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes.
Drain well, and place in a mixing bowl with 1 1/4 cups bread crumbs.
Squeeze milk out of bread, and add the bread to the bowl. Stir in cheese, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Mixture should be thick enough to form balls; if it’s too thin, add more bread crumbs until it holds together.
Pour remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs into a shallow dish, and form teaspoons of the mixture into 12 equal-size egg shapes.
Roll eggplant in bread crumbs to coat.
Heat the EVOO to 375 degrees in a large heavy skillet over medium heat.
Carefully lower the croquettes into the skillet, leaving spaces between them. Fry until golden, about 2–3 minutes per side.
With a slotted spoon, carefully remove the eggplant balls to a platter or tray lined with paper towels.
To serve, place croquettes on a platter, and drop 1/2 tablespoon of pesto on top of each one.
TIP:
If you’re opposed to deep frying, you can also pan-fry and bake these eggplant croquettes for great results.
Pair this dish with a bottle of Catarratto or similar. An almost forgotten Sicilian vine that is characterized by a typically floral scent with salty hints. In the mouth it is straight, savory, and dry with a delicate stringent note on the finish.
