The Italian Foods of July

To bring Italy closer, while you are there, and Italy is here, some of my favorite Italian foods of July.

Spaghetti alle vongole is not only a July food, but how delicious enjoyed on a July evening, with a cool Vermentino, by the sea.

The eggplants (aubergine) of mid summer, here ready to be made into melanzane alla parmigiana, melanzane al funghetto, caponata.  Note the three colors.

Pizza a taglio, Roman very thin pizza, is a year-round treat of course, but this July version is made with fresh tomatoes and just-picked oregano, and is perfumed beyond belief.

The Italian midsummer evening delight, cocomero, or watermelon, ready to dribble and drool all over yourself as you wander around the garden with slices in your hand and listen to the swallows and swifts as they dart through the sky.

Roman water is icy cold, even in July. It is is the best water in the world, and in July is invaluable to quench thirst and rinse sticky hands after a gelato.

The leaves and stems (tenerumi) of the outstanding cocuzza, a Sicilian squash plant, wonderful prepared with spaghetti for a July lunch.

Fresh borlotto beans, all ready for boiling with sage, and then anointing with olive oil.

Carnivores will eat this perfect melon with paper thin slices of prosciutto, but I love it just as it is.

On a July summer day, little is more beckoning at lunch time than the classic insalata caprese of excellent mozzarella, basil and sweet tomatoes. I never tire of it.

Note this round zucchini, the tondo chiaro di Nizza, perfect for stuffing with bread crumbs, onion and parsley and then baking. Note the zucchino’s elegant flowers, divine when fried Roman style with a frugal filling of anchovy and mozzarella.

All across Italy, gelaterie beckon like light houses on July nights.  This particular one has a specialty flavor of zabaglione.

Ah, the peperoni of July, sweet and piquant !  The price is 1.50 Euro per kilogram.

Before the basil turns minty in August, I make my best pesto.  Friends from Liguria provided the plants of traditional basilico genovese and have given me instructions on when in July it will be best, coordinating with the lunar calendar.

My terrace sage is at its most beautiful in July.  I fry it, I use it with beans, I cut it for potpourri and bouquets.

Before they become too large in August, the still tender fagiolini (string beans) of July are trimmed and cooked al dente, to be enjoyed room temperature with olive oil and lemon.

The pine nut, or pinolo, with its distinctive and evocative odor, is surely a food, and in Italy begins to fall from umbrella trees in July.

All across Italy, caper plants are in July fulsome and lovely and spring from crevices and walls.

These are one of the several varieties of my terrace grapes, not ready yet, but so beautiful.

Negroni time, dreaming of what I will cook tomorrow.

Are you too dreaming of Italian food  ? Take your imagination to https://www.insidersitaly.com/food-wine.

And visit our new website at www.insidersitaly.com.

Here’s to wonderful eating in Italy for you soon too.

Cari saluti

Marjorie

www.insidersitaly.com