Here you find a creative idea to celebrate the beloved Italian-American heritage! During the Columbus Day national holiday, release your inner chef and enjoy these recipes inspired by the national colors and to the culinary traditions of Italy. Celebrate with an Italian themed menu. Here for you are three easy and delicious ideas!
GREEN, WHITE AND RED
It is Columbus Day! It means green, white and red flags everywhere, along with picturesque parades. As you may know, the Italian flag is known as “il Tricolore,” for its three vertical colors: fern green, bright white, flame scarlet. Traditionally green represents the Italian land with fertile plains and magnificent hills; white is a symbol of the majestic snow-covered Alps mountains; red is a solemn representation of the patriots’ sacrifice in the battles for the country’s independence and unification. These recipes are a tribute to the Italian colors!
PASTA TRICOLORE
The ingredients for this easy and simple pasta dish are fresh green basil, red cherry tomatoes and white aged ricotta cheese. You can use the excellent Cuomo Penne a Triangolo, a premium durum wheat semolina pasta, slow dried and extruded with bronze dies. Cook your penne rigorously “al dente,” following the directions on the packaging. You will need 400 grams for 4 people. Slice 25 cherry tomatoes, while your penne are cooking. Season the tomatoes with salt and extra virgin olive oil. And now…scola la pasta! That is, drain the pasta. Put your warm penne in a large bowl, add the cherry tomatoes and toss. Sprinkle with aged ricotta and top it with some leaves of basil.
SKEWER ITALIAN STYLE
How about some delicious skewer “all’italiana?” You will need fresh and organic watermelon, fresh pecorino cheese, mint, salt, and extra virgin olive oil. Cube the watermelon and pecorino. Alternate watermelon, mint, and pecorino. Sprinkle your tricolore skewers with salt and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
CAPRESE AL PESTO
Celebrate with us Cristoforo Colombo – the most famous explorer and navigator from the Italian city of Genova – with a pesto themed Caprese; a traditional salad with a tasty twist! You will need sliced large tomatoes, sliced fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and pesto Genovese. We recommend Agromonte’s excellent pesto: ridiculously delicious and easy to use. Onto a large serving plate, layer and alternate your slices of tomato and mozzarella. Add some basil leaves between each slice.
Drizzle your caprese al pesto with extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and garnish – of course – with pesto.
