The first bell rings and suddenly the evenings belong to homework, practice, and the scramble to get something good on the table before everyone scatters again. This is the season for dinners that feel like a gathering, not another task. Each of these Italian suppers comes together in about twenty-five minutes with a handful of pantry staples you likely already have on the shelf, so the hardest part of your evening is deciding who sets the table. Keep the good oil within reach, the pasta stocked, and a ball of burrata in the fridge, and back to school starts to taste a lot like back to the table.

RUSTIC PACCHERI WITH BUTTER BEANS & SUN-DRIED TOMATOES

A rustic one-pan Sicilian supper. Silky ancient grain paccheri, creamy butter beans, and jammy sundried tomatoes, all pulled together with our Sicilian extra virgin olive oil and aglio e oglio seasoning.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

▢ 1 lb Bona Furtuna Organic Paccheri
▢ 15 oz butter beans, drained and rinsed
▢ 1/2 cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
▢ 1/3 cup Bona Furtuna Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
▢ 2 1/2 tsp Bona Furtuna Organic Aglio e Oglio Seasoning
▢ 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
▢ 3 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
▢ 1/3 cup Pecorino or Parmesan, finely grated

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add sea salt. Drop in the paccheri and cook until just shy of al dente, about 10-12 minutes. Before draining, scoop out a full cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside.
2. While the pasta boils, warm the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and let sizzle gently until fragrant and just barely golden, about 1 minute. Do not let the garlic brown or it will turn bitter.
3.  Stir in the sundried tomatoes and aglio e oglio seasoning and cook for 2 minutes, letting the tomatoes soften and release their sweetness into the oil. Add the butter beans and warm them through gently, pressing a few against the pan with your spoon so they lend a little creaminess to the sauce.
4. Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with a splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss over medium heat for a minute or two, adding more pasta water a little at a time, until the sauce turns glossy and clings to every tube.
5. Turn off the heat, fold in most of the parsley and a generous drizzle of olive oil. Taste and adjust salt. Serve straight away in warm bowls, showered with Pecorino or Parmesan and the last of the parsley.

RECIPE NOTES

A few chef's notes. Butter beans are naturally creamy, so smashing just a handful of them into the oil gives you a silky sauce with no cream at all. If your sundried tomatoes are dry-packed rather than oil-packed, soak them in warm water for ten minutes first, then chop. Paccheri is a big, open tube meant to catch beans and bits of tomato inside, so resist the urge to break it up. And because the whole dish leans on the oil, this is the moment for your best finishing bottle, added at the end where its flavor really sings.

LINGUINE WITH SAUTÉED MUSHROOMS AND BURRATA

A cozy Sicilian pasta of herb-kissed sautéed mushrooms and silky linguine, crowned with a torn ball of creamy burrata and a scatter of basil.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

▢ 1 lb Bona Furtuna Organic Linguine
▢ 1 lb cremini or mixed mushrooms, sliced
▢ 1/3 cup Bona Furtuna Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
▢ 1 tbsp Bona Furtuna Organic Erbe di Sicilia Seasoning
▢ 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
▢ 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
▢ 8 oz burrata (1 ball)
▢ 1/2 cup Parmesan or Pecorino, finely grated
▢ 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
▢ 1/3 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add sea salt. Cook the linguine until just shy of al dente, about 11 minutes. Before draining, scoop out a full cup of the starchy pasta water and set it aside.
2. While the pasta cooks, warm half of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in an even layer and let them sear undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, then toss and continue cooking until deeply golden and tender, about 8 minutes total. Season with a pinch of salt.
3.  Lower the heat to medium. Push the mushrooms to one side and add the remaining olive oil, the garlic, and the red chili flakes. Let them sizzle gently until fragrant, about 1 minute, then stir in the erbe di Sicilia and toss everything together.
4. Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with a splash of the reserved pasta water and the Parmesan. Toss over medium heat for a minute or two, adding more pasta water a little at a time, until the linguine turns silky and glossy.
5. Twirl the linguine into warm bowls. Tear the burrata over the top so its creamy center spills out, tuck in a few fresh basil leaves, and finish with black pepper, a last pinch of red chili flakes, and a raw drizzle of olive oil.

BREAKFAST FOR DINNER: EGGS IN PURGATORY

Perfect for a quick light dinner, Eggs in Purgatory will satisfy your senses with bursts of sweetness from the tomatoes, a bit of heat from the chili flakes, and unctuous silkiness from the coddled eggs. Grab your favorite crusty bread and dig in!

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