It's hard to fathom the idea that it's been more than a year and a half since our family was hiking Cinque Terre and baking bread with the De Blasi family in Tuscany. Not a month goes by that we aren't reminiscing about our donkey trek or devising a plan to get back to its iconic rolling hills. Until then, we'll have to soothe our Italy desires by the warm hearth of Italian-inspired cuisine.

Everyone knows that making a traditional Italian marinara sauce takes hours and hours to perfect, but when you're strapped for time and want to give your family taste without compromising on quality, try Bertolli Riserva Marinara pasta sauce. I love this sauce for so many reasons, and top on that list is, compared to most other jarred pasta sauces, Bertolli Riserva is very low in sugar, with only four grams of sugar per serving.

This sauce is made with artisanal ingredients like extra-virgin olive oil, freshly crushed garlic, vine-ripened, freshly crushed tomatoes, and imported Parmigiano-Reggiano. And at $5.99 a jar you can create exciting dishes to entertain a gathering of any size with even the most discerning of palettes without breaking the bank.

Buon appetito!

Mussels Marinara

Ingredients

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 large brown onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons parsley
1 teaspoon thyme
4 pounds live mussels (about 4 dozen), well scrubbed, rinsed, and de-bearded
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup Bertolli Risvera Marinara pasta sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Remember that an open mussel that closes when pressed is good; if the mussel stays open after being pressed, it is bad and should be discarded. In a deeppot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the onions are soft, about 1 minute. Add the wine, Bertolli Risvera Marinara pasta sauce, thyme, parsley, pepper, and salt and bring to a boil. Add the mussels, cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the mussels are opened, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and discard any mussels that have not opened. Transfer the mussels and their liquid to a large, deep serving bowl and devour with fresh French bread.

Minestrone Soup

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 large celery stalk, diced
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 jar Bertolli Riserva Marinara pasta sauce
1 medium potato, peeled and diced
1/4 head Savoy or green cabbage (1/2 pound), cored and thinly sliced
1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
3 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, plus torn leaves for serving (optional)
3/4 cup grated Parmesan, for serving

In a large pot, heat oil over medium. Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, rosemary, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion begins to turn golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Add Bertolli Riserva Marinara pasta sauce; cook until some of the liquid evaporates, 1 minute. Add potato, cabbage, cannellini beans, and 7 cups water; bring to a boil. Stir in green beans. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until all the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with basil and Parmesan.

Italian Meatloaf

Ingredients

1 tablespoon good olive oil
3 cups chopped brown onions
1 tablespoon ground mustard
1 tablespoon oregano
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Bertolli Riserva Marinara pasta sauce
2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
1 cup dry Italian bread crumbs
2 extra-large eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, garlic, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce and Bertolli Riserva Marinara pasta sauce. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meat loaf will be dense. Shape the mixture into a rectangular loaf in a baking dish. Bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F and the meat loaf is cooked through. Serve hot.

Vodka Penne

Ingredients

Kosher salt
12 ounces whole-wheat penne
1 jar Bertolli Riserva Marinara pasta sauce
2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 brown onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/4 cup starchy cooking water, then drain the pasta. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the vodka, Bertolli Riserva Marinara pasta sauce and salt to taste. Return the skillet to medium heat and simmer, stirring often, until the alcohol cooks off, about 10 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and simmer on very low heat until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and basil. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine, adding some of the reserved cooking water to loosen, if needed. Season with salt. Serve topped with more Parmesan and basil.

Eggplant Rolls with Ricotta

Ingredients

6 small Japanese eggplants (about 1 3/4 pounds), cut lengthwise into 1/4 inch thick slices
Salt and pepper
4 large eggs
3/4 cup store-bought pesto
2 1/2 cups bread crumbs
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup grated pecorino-romano cheese
1 cup Bertolli Riserva Marinara pasta sauce

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Season the eggplant with salt and pepper. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and 4 tablespoons pesto. Pour the bread crumbs onto a large plate. Dip each eggplant slice into the egg mixture, then coat with the bread crumbs. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the eggplant until golden, 2 minutes on each side, using the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer the eggplant to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta and 3 tablespoons pecorino-romano; season with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon of the remaining pesto on each eggplant slice and top with about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture. Roll up each slice. Bake until the eggplant is tender when pierced with a toothpick, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the Bertolli Riserva Marinara pasta sauce to a simmer. Serve the roll-ups with the sauce and remaining pecorino. If you liked these recipes, check out 150 MORE ways you can bring Tuscany to the table!