Fried zucchini flowers

16 zucchini flowers

125 g flour

2 eggs

2 tablespoons olive oil

200 g sparkling mineral water (or beer)

Peanut oil for frying

salt

In a bowl mix the flour with the eggs, salt, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the sparkling water or beer. Mix well and form a batter that you will let stand in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Meanwhile, wash the zucchini flowers, discarding the stem and the pistil and let them dry on kitchen paper. Heat the oil in a pan  over medium heat. Dredge the flowers in the batter until they are completely coated  and, when the oil is hot, fry a few at a time, turning them a couple of times. When they are golden, drain and let them dry on absorbent paper. Sprinkle with a little salt, put them on a serving dish and serve immediately.

Vegetable sauce for short pasta

Ingredients for 4 people:

1 carrot

1 stalk celery

1 small onion

1 small eggplant

1 zucchini

4 ripe plum tomatoes

4 tablespoons olive oil

Salt

Basil leaves

Peel the carrot and the onion and chop finely along with the celery. Wash and trim the zucchini, then cut into small cubes. Do the same thing with the eggplant.  Blanch the tomatoes for 10 seconds in boiling water. Peel them, cut them into 4, remove the seeds and water and cut roughly. If you prefer, you can use ready made tomato puree. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Fry for a few minutes the chopped carrot, celery and onion, stirring frequently. Add the eggplant and let it brown,  turning often. Then add the zucchini and stir again. Let the vegetables brown, then add the chopped tomatoes and lower the heat. Add salt, cook over low heat for about 20 minutes and then add  some fresh basil leaves.

Eggplant and mozzarella towers

Ingredients for 4 people:

2 round violet eggplants

200 g mozzarella

200 g  tomato puree

1 clove garlic

Some fresh basil leaves

Olive oil

Dry oregano

Salt, pepper

Cut the garlic in half, remove the core and fry it gently in a pan with a few tablespoons of olive oil.   Add the tomato puree, salt, pepper, and let thicken on low/medium heat. Turn off the heat and add the basil leaves, torn by hand. Cut the eggplant horizontally into slices about 1 cm thick. Brush some olive oil on both sides of the eggplant slices, grill them in a pan or skillet and season  with some salt.  Cut the mozzarella into slices and let them dry on paper towels. Now you can start layering the tower,  alternating in a baking sheet covered with parchment paper a slice of eggplant, a spoonful of tomato sauce, a sprinkling of oregano and a slice of mozzarella and repeat the layers. Drizzle with some olive oil, add a few basil leaves and bake in a preheated oven at 200 ° C for about 10 minutes, until the mozzarella begins to melt.

Omelette roll with zucchini and mozzarella

6 eggs

3 medium zucchini

150 grams of firm mozzarella

Olive oil

2 tablespoons Parmesan

½  tablespoon chopped parsley

1 shallot

salt and pepper

Beat the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat a large (28 cm diameter) frying pan with a little oil. Divide the egg mixture into two equal parts and cook two thin omelettes, over low heat. Finely chop the shallot and sauté gently in another large frying pan with two tablespoons of oil. Cut the zucchini into julienne strips, using the julienne peeler or grater, add them to the shallot and cook for 5 minutes until they become soft. Season with salt, add the parsley, stir to flavor and cook for another few minutes. Cut the mozzarella into small cubes and add it to the still warm zucchini. Place one omelette on a tin foil sheet, spread half of the zucchini mixture over it and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, cover with the other omelette and spread  the rest of the zucchini and parmesan cheese. Roll the omelette making sure that the filling does not leak out. Wrap in foil  and wait for it to cool, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Serve the omelette cut into slices of about 2 cm.

Potato and bell pepper casserole

Ingredients for 4 people:

2 bell peppers (1 red and 1 yellow)

2 medium potatoes

1 large red onion

10 g of dried oregano

½ cup dry white wine

Olive oil

Salt, pepper

Wash the peppers, open them in half and remove the seeds and the white ribs; then cut them into small pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut into slices, then into strips. Slice the onion. In a large non-stick pan, heat a little olive oil and add  all the vegetables. Add salt and pepper and cook over high/medium heat, stirring often. After twenty minutes of cooking, add the wine and let it evaporate a little; Season with the oregano and cook for another 5 minutes.

Bruschetta with cherry tomatoes

Ingredients:

10 cherry tomatoes

½ tablespoon sugar

4 basil leaves

4 slices of rustic bread 

1 clove garlic

Olive oil

Oregano

Salt

Cut  the  tomatoes in half, salt them and arrange them – cut side down – in a non stick pan. Season with a little oil, oregano, basil leaves and a sprinkling of sugar. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes and then set aside. In the meantime toast the bread in the oven or on a flat pan until lightly browned on both sides. Rub the slices on one side with the cut clove of garlic, brush a little olive oil on the slices and season with salt and oregano. Top with the cherry tomatoes. 

Pasta "au gratin"

Ingredients for 4 people:

300 g  short pasta

2 dl tomato puree

1 large eggplant

1 clove garlic

4 basil leaves

150 g mozzarella

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

salt

Fry the garlic in a pan with a tablespoon of oil, then discard  it. Pour the tomato puree, cook for 10 minutes and then add the basil. Cut the eggplant into slices half a centimeter and then into strips. Heat the remaining oil in another pan and brown the eggplant on all sides, stirring frequently. Drain on paper towels. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water till very “al dente” and pour it into a large bowl. Add the tomato sauce and the Parmesan and stir. Add the eggplant and mozzarella, cut into strips. Pour into a baking dish greased with oil and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, at 180/200°C.