Edina's Best Italian Summer Dishes

Light Italian Favorites Will Have You Saying “Buon Appetito!”

By: Tammy Sproule Kaplan | From the issue: June 2012

Photo: Emily J. Davis

The summery tagliatelle di pollo at Arezzo Ristorante will transport you to Italy.

From garden fresh tomatoes to gelato, the Italians have it right when it comes to summer fare. Braised meats and heavy pasta dishes yield to Caprese salad, bruschetta or a simple linguini with pesto, tomato or zucchini. The sweetest place to enjoy these bursts of summer flavor is, of course, in the open air. It’s not difficult to replicate the mood of an outdoor Italian terrace here at home, with cobblestone patios like the one in the alley at 50^th and France, sidewalk terraces like Arezzo’s, and a serene oasis set off the street at Ciao Bella.

Panzanella Salad

Mozza Mia

If you think you know the panzanella salad at Mozza Mia, think again. The restaurant recently changed its formula by using arugula tossed with pieces of Tuscan bread, amarena cherries, hazelnuts and gorgonzola in a dressing made with saba balsamic (aged longer, and sweeter than other varieties of balsamic); $14. The classic Italian salad sounds just right on days when the sweltering heat kills the mood for pasta. Another new dish that customers crave is the brick-pressed rosemary lemon chicken—a half-chicken from Kadejan Farms that’s wood-roasted with the juices sealed inside, served with baby potatoes, escarole and a lemon wedge. Priced at $17, the dish works well for sharing. And, since we brought up pasta, there’s something you should know if you are afraid a noodle-based dish is going to get heavy. All of the pastas at Mozza Mia are now available in two sizes—small ($12) and large ($17), like the new artichoke pesto orecchiette, tossed with Swiss chard, kalamata olives, garlic and feta in an artichoke pesto. The restaurant features two outdoor patios, a smaller one on 50^th Street, and a quieter, more romantic patio in the alley behind the building.

Tagliatelle di Pollo e Pinoli

Arezzo Ristorante

Complete with flowers and Italian music, the sidewalk café on the 51^st Street side of Arezzo Ristorante will transport you right back to the homeland, as will the summery Italian dishes being offered this season. The tagliatelle di pollo e pinoli, is served with tagliatelle, shaped like wide ribbons (and house made, like many of the pastas here), tossed with chicken, tomatoes and pine nuts in a white wine sauce, topped with a dollop of tangy goat cheese ($18.95). A can’t-miss salad for summer is the insalata primaverile, with mixed greens, fresh strawberries, pears, avocado and goat cheese dressed in fresh strawberry vinaigrette ($7.95). Seafood is another route well-trodden when the weather turns balmy, and the salamone al forno, baked Norwegian salmon, with mashed potatoes, summery vegetables and a fresh dill cream sauce, presents truly satisfying flavors ($21.95).