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Make a summery Italian feast with panzanella salad, spicy pasta and more

Celebrate summer Italian style with watermelon panzanella salad, spicy shrimp pasta, seared tuna salad and more.
/ Source: TODAY

Anthony Scotto, of New York City’s Fresco by Scotto restaurant, joins TODAY Food to share a few of his favorite fresh and easy Italian recipes that are perfect for summertime. He shows us how to make panzanella salad with fresh watermelon, spicy shrimp pasta, Tuscan-style seared tuna and pasta tossed with fried eggplant and topped with creamy burrata cheese.

His family is also treating us to a virtual 360° tour of the Scotto's family kitchen in the Hamptons (see below!) to give us a behind-the-scenes view of where the culinary magic happens — and you can find the recipes in there, too!

Watermelon Panzanella Salad

The sweetness of the watermelon is an excellent foil to salty feta cheese. The crunch of the toasted bread and the fresh cucumber add a wonderful, satisfying texture to this summery salad.

The spicy tomato sauce is what makes this recipe really special. The heat brings out the flavors of all the other ingredients, making this an especially tasty meal.

It's all about the Tuscan spices on this tuna. The coriander, fennel seed and Herbs de Provence enhance the fresh ocean flavor of the fish.

I love this recipe because it's a quick, summery dish that requires very little prep, and keeps kitchen mess to a minimum.

If you like those Italian recipes, you should also try these:

Rollatino Raviolo
Shaved Raw Artichoke Salad