With the 4th of July upon us I am reminded of my love for America and summer entertaining.
Today I’m sharing two of my favorite *just gorgeous* summer recipes that will be perfect for your holiday table. Add a little Italian flare alongside your BBQ.
This dreamy Sicilian no-cook pasta sauce can be eaten with hot or cold pasta and is supremely divine (just like you are).
Ingrrrrredients!
1 pound of busiate pasta
Sea salt, to taste
Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 tbsp minced fresh oregano
4 medium ripe tomatoes, quartered and deseeded
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 cup loosely packed fresh basil
2 ounces pecorino romano cheese, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup fresh ricotta
serves 4
Recently, I loved learning about the New England tradition of eating salmon and peas on the 4th of July celebration. As legend has it, since sweet peas reached their peak in late June and salmon made their annual migration in the summer months, this made the dish the perfect choice for July 4th. This seasonal love story reminded me of my Crunchy Salmon Pesto. Though different in ingredients, it’s similar in that it celebrates the sweetness of summer by combining freshly picked basil with salmon infused in thyme-kissed butter.
2 cups fresh basil leaves, plus more fresh leaves for garnish
2 garlic cloves
2 ounces finely grated Pecorino Romano
2 ounces finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 ounce shelled pistachios
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs, for garnish
1 pound linguine
Sea salt, to taste
3 tablespoons butter
2-3 sprigs of thyme, stems discarded
½ pound salmon filet, skin discard, cut into 2 inch pieces
Scrunch of black pepper
½ cup heavy cream
Pasta Queen Tip: To make the toasted breadcrumbs, add 1 tablespoon olive oil to a wide, heavy skillet and heat over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and toast until they are golden brown and smell divine.