This pasta is a simple recipe, with just a few ingredients, but overflows with flavor. Grape or cherry tomatoes are roasted in the oven until their tomato flavor is intensified into sweet caramelized little jewels. When you bite into them, they just explode with flavor. It takes a little bit of cooking time to achieve this, but it’s so worth it. They can be cooked in advance, and then added to the sauce at serving time. In the summer time, I roast them often and keep them on hand to sprinkle in other dishes to give them a pop of that tangy, intensely sweet tomato goodness! The sauce is so simple: the roasted tomatoes, onions, basil, my favorite cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano and a little of the pasta cooking water coat the pasta and turn it into a sublimely delicious dish that is light, but so packed with flavor.

“Saltimbocca” translates into “jump in the mouth”. This classic dish is traditionally made with meat, such as veal or pork, but I thought it would be fun to try with fish. The fish is topped with sage leaves and wrapped in prosciutto. The whole dish came together in 15 minutes, quick and easy for a weeknight meal, but a great dish for entertaining because the fish-wraps can be prepared in advance and just popped into the oven before serving. 

“Semifreddo” translates into “slightly soft”. Semifreddos can be made with a variety of ingredients that span a wide range of flavor profiles. In this menu, we are making an Orange Pistachio Semifreddo. When you cut into it, there’s a soft, pillowy texture that is just dreamy. The combination of orange and Cointreau adds a sweet tartness. The pistachios add the perfect blend of crunchy saltiness that completely balances the pasta and fish courses, and is the perfect way to end a meal.