Italian Inspired Summer Grilling Guide

The heat is on! And so is the time to fire up your grill with these Italian summer dishes for your next cookout

The “dog days” of summer —a nickname that dates back to ancient Rome and refers to the “dog star” (canis major) in the Orion constellation that appeared in the morning sky with the sun in August —is all about managing the heat. Romans of yore, who didn’t have grills, lit bonfires and sacrificed small animals and fish to please their Roman God of Fire, named Vulcan, in exchange for protecting their dry grains and people from the deadly fires ignited by summer heat. No dramatic sacrifices here, just a list of some of our favorite Italian-inspired eats we love to cook on the grill.

SPIEDINI (ITALIAN SKEWERS)

We love cubes of tender beef, chicken, or shrimp layered with the peak of season summer produce. In Abbruzzo, skewered pieces of tender lamb are called arrosticini. To make them, use a cut of lamb shoulder roast, cut into cubes, and season with salt and pepper then thread them onto skewers. Fire up these beauties to enjoy with a spread of cheeses and fresh summer tomatoes. Or thread dark, juicy chicken thighs, plumps of sausage or shrimp, with alternating wedges of yellow and green zucchini, cherry tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Do not combine different types of meat and fish. Keep your spiedini to one kind, as each protein has a different internal cook time.

SVIZZERA (ITALIAN BURGERS)

Hamburgers are called Svizzera in Italian and are sold in Italian stores pre-made and seasoned. You can grind your own at home, using a 70%/30% blend of a leaner chuck and rich short rib, and season with a mix of kosher salt, dried oregano, fresh chopped parsley, and minced onion. Set these beauties aflame, and top with fontina, or provolone, both good melting cheeses, and serve on sliced Focaccia instead of a bun. Fries? Don’t fuggedaboutit. But call them patate fritte, and you’re all good.  

GRILLED WHOLE FISH

If you have an aversion to cooking fish indoors, there’s no better time than summer to enjoy fresh-caught whole fish on the grill. Prepare a whole locally caught fish, such as red snapper, or porgy, or Mediterranean fish, such as orata or branzino, by filling the cavity with lemon slices and fresh herbs, such as tarragon, parsley, and chives. The key to grilling is to sufficiently oil your grill grates (or use oil spray) and slather oil on the fish to ensure that it doesn’t stick. While a whole grilled fish makes a gorgeous presentation, thick-cut filets, such as swordfish, halibut, and mahi-mahi, are great for grilling too. Serve it with a Panzanella salad, full of crusty bread and summer tomatoes.

CAPONATA DI VERDURE ALLA GRIGLIAI (GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLE CAPONATA)

Caponata is a traditional Sicilian sweet and tangy relish of sautéed summer vegetables. Instead, get out of the kitchen and drizzle cubes of firm eggplant, sweet red and yellow peppers, tender yellow and green zucchini, crunchy celery, red onions, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill them. The grill offers pleasing char and deepens the sweetness of the veggies as their natural sugars caramelize over the grill’s higher heat. Toss the vegetables with a bit of sherry vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil, adding raisins and pine nuts, alla’ Siciliana.

FRUTTA ALLA GRIGLIA (GRILLED PEACHES AND STONE FRUIT)

Grilling peaches, nectarines, and plums are a great way to incorporate summer produce into your diet. Cut thick wedges, leaving the skin on, drizzle with olive oil, and grill them cut side down, 2-3 minutes on each side. Add them to a classic Caprese Salad or wrap them in slices of prosciutto or bresaola for a deliciously salty and sweet antipasto.