Stone Fruit Caprese

A standout caprese starts with great fruit. You need ripe tomatoes to weep juices, which then mingle with grassy olive oil and milky cheese to make your dressing. Basil adds freshness, black pepper and flakes of sea salt add crunch, and that’s it, a perfect combination. But if the stone fruit options are looking better than the tomatoes at the market, you can use them instead. They’re similar in flavor to tomatoes, but need cajoling to relinquish their juices. By letting sliced fruit macerate with salt, sugar and lemon juice, their fruitiness becomes more electric and their juices pool on the plate. Start with fruit you can smell and pair it with equally quality ingredients. Caprese is more about shopping than cooking.

20 min

Greek Salad

While diner-style Greek salads made with chopped romaine, crumbled feta and often grilled chicken have become ubiquitous in American restaurants, a traditional Greek salad, or horiatiki salata, is a simpler affair. An assembled salad of large-diced vegetables with Kalamata olives and sometimes capers, this salad has no greens at all, and the feta is served sliced on top of the salad rather than crumbled and tossed into it. A traditional Greek salad dressing usually consists of olive oil and red wine vinegar; this recipe adds garlic and oregano. To make the salad into a satisfying vegetarian main course, throw in a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas.

15 min

Fruit Salad

A bit of sugar and lime makes a standout fruit salad: The duo accentuates fruit’s flavors and sweetness while creating a syrup to gloss the fruit. Massage lime zest into the sugar so its oils release, then stir mixed fruit with the lime sugar and some lime juice. Taste and tweak until the result is electric. You could also add chopped mint or basil, ground cinnamon or coriander, vanilla bean seeds, chile flakes or grated fresh ginger.

20 min

Polpette di melanzane – aubergine fritters

This Calabrian polpette (meatball) recipe doesn't actually contain any meat, containing a simple mix of aubergines, bread and pecorino cheese instead.

Penne all'arrabbiata

A quick and simple classic, this penne all'arrabbitata recipe is a great go-to pasta dish.

Pansotti

Pansotti is Liguria's answer to ravioli, featuring a filling of ricotta, spinach, herbs and greens. The triangular pasta is traditionally dressed in a walnut sauce, resulting in a creamy, hearty dish that's a joy to eat.

Quick Chana Masala

This easy chana masala recipe has a clever trick: boiling the canned chickpeas with their liquid helps match the texture you'd get from soaking dried ones.

Molten Chocolate Mug Cake

This warm, rich chocolate cake with a molten center can be yours in a mere five minutes. It requires little more than a mug and a microwave to make.

5 min

Chocolate Mousse Cake

A rich, mousse-like chocolate cake baked in a 20 cm (8-inch) round pan. The edges set while the center stays soft and slightly trembling for a creamy, mousse texture once cooled. Simple one-bowl method yields an elegant dessert in under an hour.

Smoked Salmon Pasta

Creamy, tangy, and bright, this one-pot pasta with hot-smoked salmon, lemon, capers, and dill is weeknight comfort and easy elegance all rolled into one.

Tomato Aguachile

Tomato aguachile is a punchy, plant-based variation of traditional seafood aguachile or ceviche. A refreshing side to serve on a hot day.

Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze