Red, White and Green: Italian Beyond Spaghetti.

Travelers to Italy remember the flavors and colors of fresh produce, and an over-abundance of food served to them. Home refrigerators were scarce until a few years ago, which made daily grocery shopping necessary. But street carts of glorious fruits, vegetables, breads, and cheeses were at the ready.

Every region in Italy has its own specialties, such as minestrone (a thick vegetable soup). Northern Italians use fresh egg pasta and rice, while those in the south prefer tubular pastas such as macaroni and a myriad of other shapes. Sauces are creamier in the north, as opposed to the tomato-based sauces of the south. Cooks in the northern part use butter in recipes, while the southerners use olive oil.

Questions often arise regarding which olive oil to purchase at the supermarket: The finest grade is "extra virgin," made from high-quality, ripe, undamaged olives; it is the oil from the first mechanical pressing. Typically it is a light green-gold color that is slightly cloudy, indicating low acid and high quality. It has a fruity flavor like ripe olives--often preferred for dressing salads. "Fine virgin" olive oil may be used in cooking. It comes from the first pressing of less-than-perfect olives, not as ripe or unblemished. Further pressing of the pulp from virgin olives yields "ordinary" olive oil. "Pure" olive oil, an even lower grade of oil, is a mixture of virgin and refined olive oils. It is a clear gold color with the acid, color, and odor removed. This is an oil used for ordinary cooking. Refined oils are made by extracting oil using a solvent. In areas famous for their oils, olives may be pressed by hand-drawn or mule-drawn Roman presses.

These recipes are favorites of my aunt, Beverly McMahon, who spent a year in Italy. We relished her version of Italian recipes one summer not long ago at her lake cabin in Minnesota. Thus, two sets of taste buds (hers and mine) raised on lutefiske and lefse discovered, tried, accepted, and incorporated delightful new flavors into our family menus. May you, too!

Crostini

1 loaf baguette bread
2 garlic cloves
1/3 cup olive oil
4 medium-sized tomatoes, sliced

Heat bread. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Rub with garlic clove. Top with olive oil and a slice of tomato. Serves 16. Calories per serving: 143; protein: 4 grams; fat: 6 grams; carbohydrate: 19 grams.

Baked Mushrooms

1 pound or 12-15 large mushrooms
1 T. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 T. fresh parsley, chopped
1/8 t. salt
1/8 t. each thyme and oregano
1/4 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Wash mushrooms. Remove stems and chop fine. In medium frying pan coated with olive oil, saute stems and garlic until lightly browned. Add parsley, salt, thyme, oregano, and bread crumbs. Remove from heat. Spoon mixture into mushroom caps. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Place in a shallow, oiled baking pan. Bake uncovered at 400 [degrees] F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Yield: 12-15 appetizers, 6 servings. Calories per serving: 50; protein: 2 grams; fat: 4 grams; carbohydrate: 3 grams.

Stuffed Artichokes

3 steamed artichokes
1 cup soft small bread cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
3 T. olive oil

Clean, trim, and steam artichokes until a leaf may be pulled easily (approximately 45 minutes, or 10 minutes in a pressure cooker). Remove from hot water; set in casserole. In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Spoon mixture between leaves. Bake at 350 [degrees] F for 30 minutes. Serve warm. Serves: 6. Calories per serving: 126; protein: 4 grams; fat: 8 grams; carbohydrate: 10 grams.

A variation on the theme would be to use mushrooms instead of artichokes.

Citrus and Green Salad

1 head Romaine lettuce (washed,
drained and chilled)
1 can (2 1/4-ounce) sliced ripe olives
2 oranges (peeled, thinly sliced
crosswise)
1/4 cup orange juice
2 t. lemon juice
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. paprika
1/4 cup olive oil

Break Romaine leaves into bite-sized pieces (7-8 cups) and place in salad bowl. Top with olives and orange slices. In small bowl, mix orange juice, lemon juice, salt, paprika, and oil. Pour over salad and gently toss. Serves: 8. Calories per serving: 92; protein: 1 gram; fat: 8 grams; carbohydrate: 6 grams.

Risotto 

2 T. margarine
2 T. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup short-grain rice
4 cups vegetarian broth (from G.
Washington Broth or McKay's
Seasoning)
1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan
cheese
salt, to taste

Melt 1 tablespoon margarine with oil in heavy 2-quart kettle. Add onion and saute until soft. Add garlic and rice and stir until rice appears milky and opaque (approximately 3 minutes). Mix in broth and bring to a boil. Gently boil uncovered until rice is tender and moisture is absorbed (approximately 25-30 minutes). Stir occasionally to keep from sticking. Remove from heat and add remaining margarine and 1/4-cup Parmesan cheese. Serve in warm bowl topped with remaining Parmesan cheese. Serves: 6. Calories per serving: 233; protein: 6 grams; fat: 11 grams; carbohydrate: 27 grams.

For variety: replace 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese with t cup of pumpkin, or 1/2 pound of fresh asparagus cut into 1/2-inch lengths, or 1/2 pound of sliced mushrooms. Add vegetables to minutes before rice is done.

Eggplant Relish

1/3 cup olive oil
2 cups diced celery
1 large eggplant (unpeeled), cut
into 3/4-inch cubes
1 large onion, chopped
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 t. sugar
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup water
1/4 cup sliced pimento-stuffed olives
1 can (2 1/4-ounce) sliced black
olives, drained
2 T. minced fresh parsley
salt, to taste

In frying pan, heat oil and saute celery until tender. Remove from pan. Place eggplant in pan; saute until lightly browned. Add onion and saute until clear. Remove from pan and add to celery. In pan, cook lemon juice, sugar, tomatoes, and water for 5 minutes. Return all vegetables to pan. Stir in olives and parsley. Simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Add salt to taste. Refrigerate until needed. Serve at room temperature on bread, crackers, or lettuce leaves. Yield: 16 servings. Calories per serving: 57; protein: 1 gram; fat: 5 grams; carbohydrate: 3 grams.

Noodles Primavera 

1/2 pound asparagus
2 T. olive oil
pound mushrooms, sliced
1 medium-sized carrot, sliced
1 medium-sized zucchini, sliced
3 green onions, sliced
1 cup frozen tiny peas
1 t. dry basil
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 pound linguini noodles
1/4 cup freshly-grated Parmesan
cheese
1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely snipped

Snap off fibrous ends of asparagus; cut into one-inch lengths. Heat olive oil in large frying pan. Saute asparagus, mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, onions, and tiny peas until just crispy tender. Add basil and cream and heat until cream is mostly evaporated. While vegetables are sauteing, prepare noodles according to package directions. Drain noodles and combine with vegetable mixture. Lift noodles with fork to combine. Add Parmesan cheese and gently lift again to combine. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve at once with additional cheese, if desired. Serves 10. Calories per serving: 254; protein: 9 grams; fat: 9 grams; carbohydrate: 35 grams.

The word "pesto" means pounded. Genoese people used a mortar and pestle to make the original smooth sauce of basil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and garlic.

Pesto

3 cups lightly packed fresh basil
leaves, washed and dried
1/2 cup (3 ounces) freshly-grated
Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup walnuts or pine nuts
1/2 t. salt

Place all ingredients in blender or food processor. Process until basil is finely chopped. Use pesto at once or place in small jars and add a thin layer of olive oil to each jar to keep pesto from darkening. May be refrigerated for up to one week or frozen for longer storage. Yield: 1 1/2 cups. Calories per 1 1/2 tablespoons: 31; protein: 1 gram; fat: 3 grams; carbohydrate: 1 gram.

Try this sauce on pasta, hot vegetables (artichokes, green beans, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, potatoes, peas, spinach, tomatoes, or zuchinni). Add to tomato-based sauces, mayonnaise, or soups for a flavor treat.

Pesto With Pasta

4 cups hot drained pasta bows
6 T. Pesto (see above)
1/2 cup freshly-grated Parmesan
cheese

Cook pasta bows according to package directions. To drained bows, add pesto and cheese. Toss gently. Serve with additional pesto and Parmesan to taste. Serves: 4. Calories per serving: 273; protein: 13 grams; fat: 8 grams; carbohydrate: 40 grams.

A staple of Roman soldiers, polenta was made from millet and wheat until corn was introduced from the New World. It remains a staple in the northern regions of Italy around Florence and Venice. Traditionally it is cut into slices with a tautly held string. Serve fresh and hot, or if cool, slices may be grilled. Either way, it may be topped with butter (margarine) and cheese or a sauce.

Polenta

6 cups water (salted)
2 cups polenta (cornmeal)
1 t. salt
3 T. margarine
1/2 pound Provolone cheese, sliced

In a large deep pan, bring water and salt to a boil. Gradually stir in polenta. Reduce heat and simmer gently. Stir to prevent sticking. Cook about 30 minutes until very thick. Stir in salt and margarine. Spray a bowl with cooking spray. Pour polenta into bowl while hot. Let cool for 10 minutes. Invert onto plate; polenta will hold its shape. Cut into thick slices. Serve hot with more margarine and cheese. Provolone cheese is especially good; broil to melt on sliced polenta. Serves 8. Calories per serving: 246; protein: 10 grams; fat: 13 grams; carbohydrate: 23 grams.

Roasted Peppers and Eggplant Salad

6 large green, yellow, or red
roasted(*) bell peppers
1 small eggplant
4 T. olive oil
3 onions
2 T. lemon juice
1/2 t. salt
2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges

Cut roasted peppers lengthwise into 1/2-inch strips; place in large bowl and set aside. Slice eggplant into 1/2-inch thick slices. Using 2 T. olive oil, brush slices. Cut into 1/2-inch thick strips. Lay strips on baking sheet; broil 4 inches from heat. Turn frequently until soft and browned on all sides. Add eggplant to peppers. Slice onions. Heat remaining oil in frying pan; saute onions until clear. Add to pepper mixture. Add lemon juice and salt; mix lightly. Garnish with tomato wedges. Serves: 8. Calories per serving: 87; protein: 1 gram; fat: 7 grams; carbohydrate: 6 grams.

(*) To roast peppers, place them on a baking sheet and broil one inch from heat. Turn frequently until peppers are blistered and charred on all sides. Place in paper bag and let them sweat for 15 minutes. Pull off skin. Cut peppers in half to remove and discard stems and seeds. Wrap to store in refrigerator for one to two days. May be frozen longer.

Roasted Garlic

4 heads garlic
2 T. olive oil
5 sprigs fresh rosemary (2 T.
dried)
1 T. fresh basil (3/4 t. dried)

(1) Remove outer paper from heads of garlic. (2) Cut off tops. (3) Place in baking dish. (4) Sprinkle with oil and herbs. (5) Bake uncovered in a 300 [degrees] F oven for 1 hour. (6) Squeeze soft paste onto fresh crusty bread, steamed vegetables, or baked potatoes. Serves: 8-10. Calories per serving: 49; protein: 1 gram; fat: 3 grams; carbohydrate: 6 grams.

Georgia E. Hodgkin, E.D., R.D., F.A.D.A, is an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics in the School of Allied Health Professions at Loma Linda University, Loma Linda, California.