Veggie-Packed Italian Delights! Flavorful Recipes for Torta, Mezze Maniche and Tagliatelle

To many Americans, Italian food is a hearty lasagna, a rich Bolognese or a pile of spaghetti and meatballs. But that’s not all it is. “Italian food at its core is very much vegetable based, and the Italians have perfected the art of getting a huge amount of flavor out of just a handful of good-quality ingredients,” says chef Theo Randall , author of the new cookbook Verdura .

In it, you’ll find recipes packed with authentic Italian flavor and fresh vegetables that come together using approachable methods perfect for creating classics at home. Try one of these mouthwatering suppers tonight!

Mushroom, Onion and Spinach Torta

(Serves 4)

1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry
1 egg, plus 1 egg beaten with 1 tbsp. milk for egg wash
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. thyme
20 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 red onions, finely sliced
14 oz. spinach, blanched, water squeezed out and chopped
3 1⁄2 oz. crème fraiche
2 1⁄2 oz. Parmesan, grated

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Place puff pastry on a baking tray with flour underneath. Brush with egg wash. Bake 20 min., cool on a rack.
2. Add 2 tbsp. oil to a nonstick pan over medium. Add thyme, mushrooms and season. Cook 20 min.
3. Add remaining oil to a saucepan over medium. Add onions, season; cook 20 min.
4. Spread onions over pastry. Scatter mushrooms over top, then spinach. In a bowl, beat egg and stir in crème fraiche, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Drizzle over tart.
5. Bake 20 min. Cool on a wire rack 10 min. Cut and serve.

PER SERVING: 659 cal, 29g protein, 44g carbs, 8g fiber, 14g sugar, 43g fat.

Mezze Maniche With Eggplant

(Serves 4)

3 medium eggplants
6 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. penne rigate
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
2 mild green chilies, seeded and finely chopped
2 tbsp. miniature capers in vinegar, drained
2 tbsp. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
31⁄2 oz. ricotta salata or feta, grated

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Cut stems off eggplants and cut lengthways into quarters, then across into slices. Toss in a bowl with 4 tbsp. oil. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and scatter eggplant in a single layer. Roast 25 min. Remove and leave to cool.
2. Cook penne pasta in boiling salted water 3 min. less than instructions. Heat a large frying pan over medium, add remaining oil, garlic, chilies, capers and parsley; cook 2 min.
3. With a slotted spoon, remove pasta and add to pan with 2 ladlefuls of cooking water; cook 2 min., stirring. Stir in eggplant; cook 1 min. Serve in warm pasta bowls with the grated ricotta salata on top.

PER SERVING: 771 cal, 28g protein, 100g carbs, 9g fiber, 8g sugar, 31g fat.

Tagliatelle With Zucchini and Capers

(Serves 4)

3 medium zucchini
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely sliced
1 red chili, seeded and finely chopped
10 1⁄2 oz. plum tomatoes, quartered
1 oz. capers in vinegar, drained
9 oz. fresh tagliatelle
1 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Slice the zucchini into 1⁄2" rounds, stack 3 slices on top of each other, then cut into 4 so you end up with matchsticks, repeating with all zucchini.
2. Add oil to large non-stick frying pan over medium. Then add garlic, red chili, zucchini and a good pinch of salt. Cook 10 min. Add tomatoes and capers. Stir a moment to heat through, then take the pan off heat.
3. Add tagliatelle to a large pan of boiling salted water and cook 2 min. Remove with tongs and transfer to pan. Place back over medium and add 2 ladlefuls of pasta water and the parsley. Stir until pasta and sauce cook together. Season with pepper and serve.

PER SERVING: 377 cal, 13g protein, 57g carbs, 6g fiber, 12g sugar, 13g fat.