Oh summer…. We love you, but you don’t last nearly as long as we’d like. With it, you bring your bounty of tomatoes, zucchini, eggplants, green beans, and lots and lots of basil. But fall is almost here and with it comes an entire new line of ingredients that we adore just as much. Italians love to enjoy products at their peak of season, and why not, that is when they are the healthiest, tastiest and most readily available. Adopting the Italian mentality of eating in season, below you will find a list of seasonal ingredients often enjoyed in Italian dishes, that are perfect for this time of year. Enjoy them liberally for they all carry lots of vitamins and minerals. 
 
Vegetables 
Swiss Chard and Spinach  
Swiss chard and spinach are autumn vegetables that are also excellent antioxidants. They also have the advantage of cooking very quickly. Which makes them even that much more appealing. Great in salads, in pasta dishes or simply sautéed as a side dish, these leafy greens are a must in my kitchen. 
 
Cabbage
Thanks to its anti-inflammatory properties, cabbage is also great for your health. It also contains vitamin A and vitamin C and has an intense and characteristic flavor. I enjoy it in soups, with lots of carrots, onions, parsley and diced potatoes. 
 
Mushrooms
Be it fresh, dry or frozen, mushrooms are the ideal fall ingredient. Their growth is facilitated by the autumn rains, and they are considered a good source of mineral salts such as potassium, phosphorus, copper and selenium. Did you know that mushrooms are famous for their power to strengthen the immune system? I love mushrooms in risottos or in chicken and turkey recipes. 
 
Artichokes
Another typical autumn vegetable is the artichoke. Considered to be the protector of the liver, the artichoke with its characteristic bitter-sweet taste has a low-calorie content and is rich in minerals. After cleaning them out, I steam baby artichokes, then sauté them with lots of garlic and herbs, then top them with fresh breadcrumbs and grated Parmigiano cheese. 
 
Fennel
Often added to salads, or roasted in the oven as a side dish to chicken or seafood, fennel is rich in water, low in calories, and known for its aromatic and digestive properties. Its liquorish flavor is refreshing and light. 
 
Potatoes
Rich in complex carbohydrates, potatoes are a vegetable that gives life to many recipes in the kitchen and has many beneficial properties. I love potatoes any which way they’re cooked, but one of my favorites method is diced small, seasoned with lots of great olive oil and fresh herbs, than placed in one layer on a baking sheet. After that, I top them with a healthy dusting of fresh breadcrumbs and roast them for 25 – 30 minutes. They’re the perfect side dish to roasted chicken. 
 
Fruits 
Apples and Pears
Typical fruits of the autumn season are apples, pears. There are several varieties and all have a unique flavor. They are great in fall salads, enjoyed with chicken or pork and eaten as dessert. I also love baking with apples and pears as they are a great addition to coffee cakes or bundts.  
 
Grapes
Typically harvested in September or October for wine production, grapes are a great way of ending your meal. With their sweet flavor, they are deceptively addictive!  
 
Chestnuts
There are countless varieties of chestnuts, a very nutritious food that can be used for many dishes in the kitchen. In addition, chestnuts are rich in vitamins and minerals. I enjoy them simply roasted in the oven. Be sure to score them with an X or they will burst in the oven! 
 
Oranges and Mandarins      
Sweet citrus fruits rich in vitamin C, oranges and mandarins are highly hydrating fruits, that contain few calories and many vitamins. They’re in peak season in the late fall, all the way into winter. 
 
Add these or any other seasonal ingredient to your fall menu, and not only will you be eating like an Italian, you’ll be eating healthy too! 

Sunday means one thing in an Italian household: food and family, and lots of both. Growing up in southern Italy, Sunday meant Mass, followed by a large family meal that was usually prepared, or at least started, before Mass. Mom would get up early to prepare the sauce, along with whatever else we were having that day. Pasta al Forno, or baked ziti was served pretty regularly in my household, usually with a second course of fried cutlets and peas with pearl onions. It was a traditional Sunday meal, a frequent go-to when you wanted to eat something a little more elaborate, but couldn’t think of anything else! Generally, mom would get everything ready beforehand, including breading the cutlets, making the sauce and dicing up all the ingredients. Then upon returning from church, we’d prep the pasta for the oven, and fry the pre-breaded cutlets. The peas required little attention, thus the perfect side dish! This dish is sure to bring many Italians and Italian-Americans to their youth! 
 
Southern Italian Style Pasta al Forno 
​Serves 6
Ingredients
For the sauce:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 – 3 crushed garlic cloves
½ small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 lb ground meat (beef, beef & veal combo, turkey)
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional for salting the pasta water
1 (28 ounces) can, plus an additional ½ (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
 
For the pasta: 
¾ - 1 lb ziti, penne or rigatoni pasta 
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided 
8 oz shredded mozzarella, divided
½ lb deli-style ham, diced, divided
¼ lb deli-style salami or soppresata, diced, divided
4 eggs, hardboiled and diced, divided
 
Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and parsley and sauté for 1 – 2 minutes. Add the ground meat, and break it down using a wooden spoon, sauté for 4 – 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, salt to taste, and 1 cup of plain water, stir and simmer on medium – low heat for 30 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, turn the heat on high and bring 4 quarts of salted water to a boil in a 6-quart pot. Add the pasta, stir, and cook 4 minutes less than the box instructs.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Scoop about approximately one and a quarter cups of the sauce and layer it on the bottom of a 9 x 11 (or 9 x 13) inch baking dish. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot it cooked in. With the heat off, add 2 – 3 cups of the sauce to the pasta and mix well. Add almost all of the following ingredients: grated cheese, mozzarella, ham, salami and diced eggs, reserving some for toppings. Mix well to combine all the ingredients. 
4. Add everything on the prepared baking dish. Top with the remaining sauce and spread evenly over the pasta. Top with the remaining toppings, also spreading evenly. Bake for 30 minutes, or until a crunchy topping develops. Serve hot or at room temperature. This dish is also wonderful reheated and served the next day.

If there is one dish that takes mere minutes to prepare, is ideal for week-night dinners, but worthy of guests, and is adored by adults and children alike, it would have to be veal saltimbocca. Enhanced by the flavor and saltiness of the prosciutto, this recipe is surprisingly simple to prepare. The term “saltimbocca” literally translates to “jump in your mouth,” and it is believed that the deliciousness of this dish is so extraordinary, that it will literally jump in your mouth! This dish is a favorite of Roman cuisine and is often found on restaurant menus, both here and in Italy. And talk about a kid friendly recipe, children adore the saltiness of the prosciutto in this dish. Because the veal is generally very thin, this dish takes a mere 20 – 25 minutes from start to finish. You could follow the recipe as is and substitute thin chicken breasts cutlets if you prefer. Adjust cooking time accordingly as even the thinnest chicken cutlets will be thicker than veal and require a few extra minutes of cooking time. 
 
Veal Saltimbocca
Ingredients
4 – 6 thin veal cutlets
Salt, to taste
4 thin slices of prosciutto 
8 large sage leaves
½ cup flour 
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons butter, dived 
¾ cup chicken stock 
 
Instructions

1. Lightly season the veal with salt. Lay a slice of prosciutto over the veal. Place 1 – 2 sage leaves on top of the prosciutto.  Stitch prosciutto and sage into the veal with a toothpick. 
2. Dredge the veal cutlets into flour, shaking off any excess. 
3. Add the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter to a large skilled set over low – medium heat. Add the veal, prosciutto side down and cook over medium heat until nearly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Turn veal and cook an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the veal to a clean plate. 
4. Add the remaining butter to the skillet. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes.  
5. Return all the veal to the skillet and simmer over moderate heat for an additional 2 minutes. Transfer the veal to plates, remove the toothpicks, and pour the sauce on top.

It’s that time of year! Is your garden bursting at the seams with fresh produce, like eggplants? Or perhaps, you’re like me, and your garden isn’t really thriving this year because of too much rain? That’s the case for me this year, so instead, I’m visiting my local farmers markets weekly. That’s what I have been doing since last month, and enjoying someone else’s hard work, while supporting these lovely small businesses instead. It’s a win-win! I can still enjoy fresh produce, and I’m supporting local farmers in the process! Plus, my dog loves to go to the farmers markets and get some social time with other pups. One item that I recently purchased are eggplants. They’re just wonderful this time of year and I cook them a variety of ways, including the ‘labor of love’ dish of parmigiana. It’s delicious, and if you’ve made it before, you know it’s a bit of work. Do you love the flavor of eggplant parmesan but not the work involved? Than I am here to propose to you an easier dish, with similar flavors: Eggplant Pizza! This dish takes all the flavors of the traditional Sicilian dish and diminishes the work completely. These lovely pizzette are perfect straight from the oven, but also wonderful served at room temperature or even cold. A great way to get the kids to eat more vegetables, this is a wonderful family recipe that’s perfect for a quick week-night supper, or even just as a snack! In addition to being quick, this dish is also vegetarian! Try it this summer with the bounty of fresh eggplants! 
 
Eggplant Pizza 
​Serves 3 - 4 
Ingredients 
¾ cups fresh breadcrumbs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 medium eggplants, sliced to ¼ inch slices
Sea salt to taste 
Olive oil for drizzling 
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1 cup shredded mozzarella or fresh mozzarella slices
 
Instructions 

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a standard baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 
2. Add the breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese to a medium bowl, mix and set aside. 
3. Season the eggplant slices with the desired amount of salt and dip them into the bread crumbs and cheese mixture, patting the coating to stick to the eggplant. Place on the prepared baking sheet. 
4. Lightly drizzle some olive oil on the eggplants and place them in the oven for 12 to 13, minutes, flip them mid-way until coating is slightly browned on both sides.  
5. Remove tray from the oven. Top each slice with 1 to 2 teaspoons of the tomatoes and sprinkle on some cheese. Return eggplants to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes, until cheese is bubbly and melted. Plate and serve.