True Taste of Italy

Strawberries with Sugar and Lemon (Fragole Dolci) is delightfully sweet and can be prepared ahead of time and kept chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Another variation enjoyed by Italians is to use balsamic vinegar instead of freshly squeezed lemon and orange juice.

Ingredients for Strawberries with Sugar and Lemon:

• 1 pound fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
• 1/2 orange, freshly squeezed

Directions for Strawberries with Sugar and Lemon:

• Wash strawberries thoroughly and slice strawberries in medium bowl.
• Sprinkle sugar, lemon juice, and orange juice over strawberries and mix well.  Serve chilled.

This Strawberries with Sugar and Lemon recipe serves 4 to 6.

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Sauteéd Asparagus (Asparagi al Burro) is a perfect companion for any main course and is quickly prepared.  Legend has it that Emperor Caesar Augustus would demand that tasks be done velocius quam asparagi conquantur, meaning “quicker than you can cook asparagus.”

Ingredients for Sauteéd Asparagus:

• 1 pound fresh asparagus
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup grated parmigiano cheese

Directions for Sauteéd Asparagus:

• Wash and break off ends of asparagus. Steam about 3 to 4 minutes until tender when pierced with fork. (Asparagus should be tender, but not mushy.)
• Melt butter in skillet. Add asparagus and parmigiano cheese. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

This Sauteéd Asparagus recipe serves 4.

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Pasta with Tuna (Pasta con Tonno)  is a very popular dish in Italy despite the odd combination of ingredients.  This recipe is very easy to prepare and we often enjoy it on Christmas Eve along many other delicious foods.

ngredients for Pasta with Tuna:

• 1 (28 ounce) can whole peeled or crushed tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 (6 ounce) can tuna fish, drained
• 4 fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon rock salt
• 1 (16 ounce) box spaghetti pasta

Directions for Pasta with Tuna:

• Blend tomatoes until smooth.  In large pot, add olive oil and chopped onion.  Sauté onion until translucent.  Add tuna and 1 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.
• Add tomatoes and basil leaves.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for about 1½ hours.
• When sauce is ready, fill large pot with water and rock salt.  Bring water to boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
• Drain pasta and add desired amount of sauce.  Mix well and serve hot.

This Pasta with Tuna recipe serves 4 to 6.

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Sauteéd Dover Sole (Sogliola alla Mugnaia) is a delicious recipe and an easy way to prepare this delicate, tender fish.  It can be paired with any one of our vegetable side dishes to make a complete meal.  If you like your sole prepared this way, consider trying our Oven-Baked Sole recipe.

Ingredients for Sauteéd Dover Sole:

• Flour for dredging
• 4 fillets Dover Sole
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup white wine
• lemon juice
• 4 leaves fresh sage, chopped
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions for Sauteéd Dover Sole:

• In large bowl, dredge fillets in flour and coat well on both sides.
• Melt butter in skillet over medium heat.  Add fillets and brown on both sides.
• Add wine, lemon juice, sage, salt and pepper to taste.
• Remove from skillet to serving platter and garnish with lemon wedges.

This Sauteéd Dover Sole recipe serves 4.

Tip:  Because sole is a very tender fish, it cooks very fast.  Depending on the thickness, cooking time will likely be no longer than 7 minutes.

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This Oven-Baked Dover Sole recipe is a lighter version of our sauteéd dover sole recipe.  Try it both ways and decide which version you like best.

Ingredients for Oven-Baked Dover Sole:

• 3 cups milk
• flour for dredging
• 6 fillets Dover sole
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Directions for Oven-Baked Dover Sole:

• Preheat oven to 375° F.
• In a large bowl, combine milk and salt to taste.  Add fillets and coat well on both sides.
• In a small bowl, add flour for dredging.  Coat milk-covered fillets with flour on both sides.
• In oven-safe dish, coat bottom with olive oil and add fillets.  Place dish in oven, cook about 15 to 20 minutes and turn once.

This Oven-Baked Dover Sole recipe serves 6.