Explore every region of Italy with this roundup of our favorite Suvie Italian recipes. From the rich and hearty risottos of northern Italy to the sweet and sour caponatas of Sicily, this list gives you a little taste of all that Italy has to offer. Bust out the barolo and uncork the pinot grigio, because you’ll want to prepare a feast of epic proportions once you read through this list.
1) Pasta alla Norma
Pasta alla Norma is a classic Sicilian dish consisting of eggplant, tomatoes, pasta, ricotta salata, and basil. Broiling the eggplant and then slowly cooking it with the tomato for two hours transforms it into a rich and supple sauce that is packed with flavor. Paired with perfectly al dente rigatoni, pasta alla norma will transport you to Sicily, no passport required.
2) Minestrone
Minestrone is a vegetable-based Italian soup with a myriad of variations. Minestrone is an ideal choice when you have an assemblage of vegetables in the refrigerator that need using up. Like the vegetables, your choice of pasta is broad too: any small pasta will do. In this recipe we undercook the pasta so that when it is incorporated with the hot vegetables it will be the ideal texture.
3) Pasta alla Norcina
The ancient town of Norcia in Umbria, Italy is known for its wild boar, pork, and mushrooms. Pasta alla Norcina is a creamy and comforting dish that highlights the long history of sausage making in the region. We add finely chopped crimini mushrooms to give a nod to the wild mushrooms often used in Norcian cuisine and to amplify the savory umami flavors in the dish.
4) Chicken Saltimbocca
Saltimbocca translates to “jump in the mouth” and our Suvie version is no exception. Succulent chicken breasts are topped with a fragrant sage leaf and then wrapped up in a blanket of salty, savory, sliced prosciutto. Cooking the chicken sous vide means we concentrate the flavor of the prosciutto and sage without having to worry about dry chicken. A final broil step crisps up the prosciutto, and we whip up a simple lemon and wine sauce while you wait.
5) Porchetta Inspired Meatloaf
Porchetta is a culinary tradition in Italy. It is made by heartily seasoning boneless pork roast, wrapping it in pork belly, and slow roasting it. The resulting porchetta is tender and juicy on the inside, and magnificently crackling crisp on the outside. We wanted to create a meatloaf variation of the iconic porchetta recipe, utilizing many of the same savory ingredients. Our porchetta-inspired meatloaf is rich and garlicky with just the right balance of smoke, fennel, and spice.
6) Ligurian Chicken Salad with Peaches
Liguria is a region in the northwest part of Italy. One of Liguria’s biggest culinary contributions comes from this area’s passion for basil and penchant for pesto, which are the inspiration for this hearty salad. Two elements of this recipe use this Ligurian specialty: the roasted chicken breasts and the vinaigrette, which infuses all the fruits and vegetables with an herbaceous pop.
7) Pollo alla Romana
Pollo alla Romana (or Roman-Style Chicken) features slowly braised chicken flavored with sweet bell peppers and tomato. This dish bears many similarities to the well known chicken cacciatore, but be sure to use red and orange peppers to mimic the colors of the local soccer club in Rome – AS Roma.
8) Risotto Milanese
Creamy, rich risotto hails from the north of Italy where it is traditionally served a first course. Milan has its own unique version flavored with saffron which can be served with osso bucco as a main course, or served without meat as a starter. Fragrant saffron imparts not only a sweet, grassy flavor to the risotto, but also its signature vibrant yellow hue.
9) Carciofi alla Romana
Carciofi alla Romana, Roman-style artichokes, are a labor of love. There is no getting around the cutting, trimming, and stemming necessary with raw artichokes, but Suvie can help you out with the cooking. A long, low, and slow braise turns this thorny thistles into tender, sweet morsels. Bring Rome into your home with this classic dish.
10) Caponata
Caponata is a sweet and sour dish from Sicily consisting of eggplant, celery, and capers. In addition to these three main ingredients, caponata often contains a mix of other vegetables. We added chopped red bell pepper to our recipe for color and texture as well as tomato paste for its concentrated flavor. Cooking the caponata for over two hours allows all the ingredients to meld together for a highly flavorful dish.
