Is #tomatoverload giving you Italian vacation ideas? Us too. And you know what? We’re just going to roll with it and indulge that fantasy all weekend long.
FRIDAY NIGHT: Antipasto and Spritz
Let the Italian tradition of small bites and prosecco before dinner be your whole dinner. Make a whole slew of Italian-inspired appetizers, or stick with a no-cooking-required spread of cheeses, meats, olives, and bread. Another good option: Pizzette—mini pizzas—with store-bought dough and some of those insanely sweet cherry tomatoes you picked up at the farmers’ market.
Saturday Breakfast: Cake and Coffee
Because if you were in Italy, you’d just have a cappuccino and a pastry for breakfast, right? At home, how about making a whole cake instead that you can keep nibbling on throughout the weekend?
Saturday Lunch: Tomatoes and Bread
Panzanella—a hearty salad of stale bread and tomatoes—is a classic simple Italian lunch. And this craveable toast, which puts the tomato salad on the bread, gives it a new twist.
Panzanella Tomato Toast with Crispy Capers and Basil LeavesGet This Recipe
Saturday Dinner: Saltimbocca
“Saltimbocca” translates to “jumps in the mouth,” and that’s precisely what this classic combo of prosciutto and sage does. For a 20-minute dinner, put the prosciutto and sage inside a pork chop, give it a sear, and serve with spinach. Add a bottle of Italian red and you’re basically in Florence.
Pork Chops Saltimbocca with Sautéed SpinachGet This Recipe
Sunday Brunch: Eggs
A flurry of Parmigiano-Reggiano and dried oregano instantly transform your usual fried eggs into a dreamy Italian breakfast. For bonus points, ddd some sliced ripe tomatoes and crusty bread.
Oregano Eggs (Uova all’Origano)Get This Recipe
Sunday Supper: Sunday Sauce
Every Italian weekend requires a low- and slow-cooked Sunday sauce.
The Ultimate Bolognese SauceGet This Recipe
Dessert: Polenta Cake and Plums
More cake! This time, with the season’s best plums. Save some leftovers and you’ll have memories of Italy all week.
Orange Polenta Cake with Vanilla-Scented Plums and Blackberries and Buttermilk Ice CreamGet This Recipe
Dining and Cooking