Enjoy These Easy Recipes From Casa Santa Marta's Summer Menu

As we know and have written about several times, Pope Francis is always frugal at the table—and the menu of Casa Santa Marta’s kitchen reflects this. Lolo Kiko’s hot-weather menu includes these very simple and healthy recipes that use fresh ingredients that we can all easily prepare.

PASTA WITH VEGETABLES

Cook around 100 grams of pasta per person (fusilli, pictured above, is a good choice). Once drained, add seared tomatoes, peeled and cut into cubes, and basil. Should you wish, you may add mozzarella cheese cut in cubes and a clove of garlic per person. Season with a little extra virgin olive oil, and, if you want, a sprinkle of oregano. The dish may be prepared using hot or cold pasta. (In the latter case, place under running water right after you drain it.)

CHICKEN SALAD

We suggest a version that is so easy to prepare with a quirky combination of flavors. Allot about one chicken breast per person, then beat the chicken and grill it until it is completely cooked inside. (Before cooking, put some salt on the grill.) Slice the chicken into strips, and add a few cubes of melon (around half a cantaloupe per person). Finally, place everything on a bed of lettuce. Dress with extra virgin olive oil and, should you wish, some drops of balsamic vinegar.

GRILLED VEGETABLES

Eggplant, zucchini, and bell peppers are perfect vegetables for the grill. Here is the simplest preparation: Rinse and clean the vegetables, cut the bell peppers in strips, the eggplant in slices of 1 cm thickness, the zucchini about ½ cm.

Brush them with some extra virgin olive oil and place them on a hot grill: first the bell peppers (they cook in 10 to 15 minutes; turn them over in order to cook them evenly), to be peeled after; then the zucchini (10 minutes); finally, the eggplants (7 to 8 minutes). Season with extra virgin olive oil, parsley and, should you wish, a pinch of pepper.

FILLET OF CODFISH