Che Buono! 7 Italian Recipes Your Kids Will Love

Little Potato, Cheese, and Bacon Boats

For the kid in all of us, food is meant to be a pleasurable experience. To make these adorable snacks, boil the potatoes with the skin on them and cut them in half lengthwise. Scoop out some of the potatoes in each, crush in a bowl, and fold in some butter. Add Parmesan cheese, chopped pan-seared bacon, and little pieces of Fontina cheese mixed together. Spoon the filling back inside the potato boats and bake in the oven “au gratin” for 10 minutes. While you wait, cut the remaining fried bacon into 1-inch pieces. When the potatoes are done, insert a toothpick in the center of each boat and pierce with a piece of bacon to make a sail.

Authentic Italian Focaccia

Your kids will adore authentic homemade Italian Focaccia that’s easy and quick to make - a perfect recipe for beginners. Focaccia is very versatile. It can be eaten plain, with different toppings, as a pre-dinner nibble, or used for delicious sandwiches. We recommend trying Focaccia Genoese. Your ingredients include 2 pounds of all-purpose flour, 1 ounce of salt, a glass of water for dissolving the yeast, 10 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, a half ounce of malt extract, and 2 ounces of. brewer’s yeast.

First, dissolve the yeast in cool water. Add the malt and then knead with the flour and let it rest for 15 minutes. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin and press it into a cookie sheet. Let it rest for another 15 minutes. Use your fingers to form craters on the surface and sprinkle with salt. Let it rise for another hour or so in a warm and humid place, away from open drafts or windows. Mix the oil with a half cup of water and distribute it on the surface of the focaccia, letting it settle in the previously formed craters. Bake for 6 minutes at 550° F.

Pasta al Ragù

Forget the myth that eating pasta every day means gaining weight. The truth is that serving pasta in small quantities and being mindful of preparing it with healthier ingredients will give you and your kids the pleasure to eat pasta without problems.

The Italian version of spaghetti and meatballs is Pasta al Ragù. Kids love it and it’s a healthy, protein-rich, easy-to-make recipe. This one will be a crowd-pleaser. Fry one pound of lean minced beef in oil, together with a finely chopped carrot, onion, and celery (they must be chopped very finely so it's unrecognizable in the sauce). Add a 10.5-ounce can of tomato sauce and 3 or 4 whole basil leaves, cover and cook over very low heat for a generous hour or two. The longer the sauce simmers, the better. Add a bit of salt at the end of the cooking. Serve with your favorite pasta - rigatoni, tagliatelle, or spaghetti - whatever you like. A healthy serving is about 2 ounces of dry pasta, which cooks to about a half cup.

Baked Pumpkin Gnocchi

Pumpkin gnocchi is simple to cook and very light. The beautiful orange color is enticing for all ages. They are prepared with flour and pumpkin pulp, which is obtained by simply cooking a cut and peeled pumpkin at 200° in a static oven for 40 minutes or an hour, depending on the size of the pieces or the whole pumpkin. Mix the cooked pumpkin with flour and add a pinch of salt. About 3-1/4 cups of cooked pumpkin pulp and 2-1/3 cups of flour will serve 4 medium portions. Spread the kneaded mixture into “snakes” cut them into pieces and boil them in salted water for 1 minute. Enjoy your fresh, homemade gnocchi with a tasty topping of extra-virgin-olive oil or butter, sage, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Cod with Greens

The recipe is as uncomplicated as it is refreshing - perfect for the nights you don’t want to spend too much time in front of the stove. This exquisite recipe will satisfy the kids’ and adults’ taste buds. Cut potatoes, zucchini, pumpkin, carrots, peppers, and green beans into very small cubes and place them in a pan with oil and garlic with a cup of frozen peas, sautéing them together. Once nearly cooked, add the fresh (or thawed) cod to the pan, cover with the lid, and cook for about 25 minutes. You can add salt to taste.

Savory Ricotta Cheese and Spinach Pie

Spinach or greens in general may not be your kids’ favorite food. However, this typical Italian savory pie will inspire everyone in the family.  Thaw 5-6 frozen spinach cubes in the microwave. Once cold, squeeze them very well to get rid of the moisture. Chop the spinach and place in the food processor with a cup of fresh milk, about 9 ounces of ricotta cheese, 4 ounces of grated Parmigiano cheese, 2 eggs, and salt to taste. Transfer the mixture to a puff pastry base and bake in the oven on a baking tray at 350° for 50 minutes.

Honey Muffins

Honey is a gem of Italian cuisine. Since there are many varieties from each Italian region, you’ll never get bored of using this ingredient! Honey combined with other fixings blends together for a light and healthy dessert your kids will love. You will need flour, sugar, honey, milk, yogurt, egg, and baking powder. Mix egg, sugar, butter, yogurt, and milk. Stir together the flour and baking powder in a small bowl and blend in with the egg mixture. Pour into kitchen molds and bake them in the oven at 356 F° for 25-30 minutes. 

Buon appetito!