Colavita Italian Summer Grilling Menu

Let's kick off this summer grilling season with these colorful, fresh and wholesome Italian dishes

Post sponsored by Colavita, in collaboration with Honest Cooking. 

THANK YOU Colavita for all the delicious and amazing products!

Happy Memorial Day! I hope you are enjoying your long holiday weekend as much as I am.
Today is the perfect day to kick off this summer grilling season. Maybe with a fun outdoor party by the pool, with a bunch of friends, and of course, lots of delicious food and icy-cold drinks.
Ready to fire up your grill and run for your spatula and tongs?!?
I am so ready for this summer barbecuing! And you will too, when you see the amazing Italian menu that I put together for you. A beautiful, colorful, summer table, filled with wholesome, grilled handcraft goodness. A menu that will impress your friends, and make them think you spend your whole day around the grill to pull off such an amazing combination of ingredients and flavors. But when you look at these recipes, you will see how quick and easy they are.

I made these recipes using many Colavita ingredients. I received a huge box filled with lots of their amazing Italian products. From great quality extra virgin olive oil, to a large selection of tasty balsamic vinegar. From pasta and rice to polenta and bread flour. Many delicious ingredients that I used in today's menu.



As appetizer, I prepared a perfectly crispy-on-the-outside, grilled bruschetta topped with Colavita pesto sauce, cherry tomatoes and grilled zucchini. All drizzled with Colavita garlic infused olive oil.
The secret to an amazing bruschetta  is in the ingredients. You really need high quality olive oil, flavorful tomatoes, and delicious bread with a crunchy crust and soft interior (like a French, Italian or Pugliese loaf). And the thick bread slices need to be brushed with garlicky olive oil, and grilled to perfection: just enough so that only the outer part is crunchy and golden.

This appetizer is followed by a healthy, quick and delicious pasta salad with colorful grilled peppers, savory capers and fruity green olives.
This pasta is quite easy to make and, even better, you can prepare it ahead of time if you like. All you need to do is cook the pasta, grill the peppers, and toss all the ingredients together to make this incredible combination of Italian flavors.

Last on the menu (but not least!) a super quick grilled calamari steak over a thick slice of grilled polenta, served with a tasty parsley sauce made with Colavita extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Grilling a calamari steak is super easy. A few minute each side, and the job is done.
The polenta is as easy,  but you need to prepare it ahead of time and let it cool down on a baking sheet. When cold, you cut the polenta in squares and grill. Remember not to try to flip it on the grill too soon. It will break and it will be messy. So make sure to wait until the dark grilling lines appear, and the polenta will easily peel off the grill.

Here are the links to all these recipes:

Tomato and Grilled Zucchini Bruschetta

Pasta Salad with Grilled Peppers, Capers and Green Olives

Grilled Calamari Steak Over Grilled Polenta