The celebrated chef of Nostrana plans a Dolce Vita summer.
Cathy Whims never really liked zucchini until one late spring in Oregon when she came across some perfect specimens at the Portland Farmers Market. “They were tiny, beautiful, and firm, and tasted like the freshest-possible thing,” said the chef and owner of the beloved Italian bistro Nostrana, known for its simple, regional dishes made with in-season produce. Whims worked eight zucchini recipes into her new cookbook The Italian Summer Kitchen: Timeless Recipes for La Dolce Vita, which pairs summer-perfect Italian recipes with evocative watercolor illustrations by Kate Lewis. “I wanted readers to feel like they were on a dream trip,” Whims says. “In summer, people want to live like they do on vacation in Italy.” Here, Whims shares a full meal of dishes she loves to enjoy in her backyard.
Zucchini Fritters
Makes 8 Fritters
Ingredients:
• 8 ounces medium zucchini (2 to 4 zucchini), grated (to yield 2 cups)
• Sea salt
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, 2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, or a combination, chopped
• ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
• 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Extra-virgin olive oil for frying
Preparation:
Toss the grated zucchini with a generous pinch of salt in a colander. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then squeeze the zucchini to remove the excess water until it is as dry as possible (you should end up with about 1 cup of zucchini).
Whisk the egg in a medium bowl. Add the zucchini, herbs, flour, cheese, 1 teaspoon of salt, and several grindings of pepper. Stir until well combined.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels to drain the fritters after frying and place near the stove.
Heat ½ inch of olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350°F. Drop heaping tablespoon portions of the batter into the skillet, gently flatten with a spatula, and fry until golden brown, 2 minutes. Turn them over and repeat on the other side. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with salt while still hot. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Serve warm.
Pollo alla Romana (Chicken with Tomatoes and Red Peppers)
Serves 4
Ingredients:
• 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken hindquarters, or 4 drumsticks and 4 thighs, or 8 thighs
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
• 4 cloves garlic, lightly smashed
• 2 ounces pancetta or bacon, chopped (optional)
• 3 red bell peppers, skin peeled with a U-shaped peeler using a sideways sawing motion; cut out and discard the stem and seeds, then cut into 2-inch wedges
• ½ cup dry white wine, preferably Frascati
• 1 ½ cups tomato puree
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried, crushed marjoram
Preparation:
Season the chicken all over with salt. Arrange in a single layer on a plate and refrigerate uncovered overnight. (This is a technique called dry-brining and will ensure moist, flavorful meat.)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pat the chicken dry and season with black pepper.
Heat the oil in a large, 12-inch saute pan with a lid or a Dutch oven. Working in batches, place the chicken skin-side down in the pan and brown until golden, about 10 minutes. Turn over, add the garlic, and brown the chicken on the other side, turning the garlic as needed to lightly brown and keep it from burning. Remove the chicken and garlic and repeat with the remaining chicken. If using pancetta, add it to the pan and gently cook until the fat renders and the meat is crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add pepper wedges to the pan. Saute over medium heat until peppers begin to wilt slightly, about 10-15 minutes.
Return all the chicken to the pan skin-side up, along with the garlic and white wine. Cook over low heat until two-thirds of the wine has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
Add the tomato puree and marjoram. (The liquid should just come up to the skin of the chicken. If necessary, add a little water.) Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and place in the oven. Bake for 1 hour until the meat is tender. Check every 15 minutes and add water (¼ cup at a time) if it looks like the mixture is drying out too much.
When the chicken is tender, add the pancetta if using. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring a few times.
Serve the chicken hot or at room temperature, along with crusty bread or polenta. If the skin did not crisp and you prefer crispy skin, transfer the chicken pieces to a baking sheet and set under the broiler for a few minutes until crisp, watching carefully to make sure it doesn’t burn.
Italian Roasted Potatoes
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
• 2½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1½-inch chunks or wedges
• Sea salt
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 fresh sage leaves, minced
• 4 parsley sprigs, minced
• Leaves from 2 rosemary sprigs, minced
• Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat and salt generously. Lower the heat to medium and cook until just tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Drain in a colander and let steam until dry, about 5 minutes. Transfer the potatoes to a large bowl and toss with the olive oil, garlic, sage, parsley, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy on the bottom.
Piedmontese Baked Peaches With Amaretti and Cacao
Serves 4 to 8
Ingredients:
• 4 large, ripe, sweet, freestone peaches
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Eight 2-inch amaretti cookies, crushed
• 2½ tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for buttering the dish
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder, preferably Valrhona brand
• Crème fraîche, mascarpone, or ice cream for serving (optional)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Cut the peaches in half around the equator and twist to separate; wiggle the pit to loosen and discard. Carve out the center of each peach to make a slightly larger hollow (about the diameter of a golf ball), and finely chop the removed flesh.
Combine the chopped peach with the sugar, half of the amaretti cookie crumbs, butter, egg yolk, and cocoa powder in a small bowl.
Place the peach halves in the baking dish and fill each with a mound of the amaretti mixture. Sprinkle the remaining amaretti on top.
Bake until the peaches are soft, about 45 minutes. Serve warm alone or topped with crème fraîche, mascarpone, or ice cream (vanilla or almond would complement nicely).
Recipes courtesy of The Italian Summer Kitchen: Timeless Recipes for La Dolce Vita by Cathy Whims, Countryman Press, 2025.
