The 20 best easy Mediterranean recipes

Fried courgette and tomatoes with garlic vinegar. Food and prop styling: Polly Webb-Wilson. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

Dishes that read like poetry: pomegranate fattoush, burrata on bruschetta, huevos a la flamenca, strawberries in moscatel with sandcakes. Twenty delicious and easy recipes from the north and south of the Mediterranean. We have Richard Olney’s fabled fennel baked with white wine, Claudia Roden’s chicken with olives and boiled lemons, Imad Alarnab’s baked halibut. Simple lunches and dinners to be eaten inside or out. Pasta con le sarde from Giorgio Locatelli, black figs, feta and red wine from Selin Kiazim. Summery food for friends or family, or a near-effortless treat on your own.

Fried courgette and tomatoes with garlic vinegar by Meedu Saad (pictured above)

Perfect for eating on a summer evening with some grilled fish, or simply with some warm bread

Fava bean puree, boiled egg, red onion, olives and parsley with crispbread by Marianna Leivaditaki

Fava bean puree, boiled egg, red onion, olives and parsley with crispbread. Photograph: David Loftus/The Observer

Hot, cold, in a sandwich, as part of a sharing meal – this Greek dish is as versatile as it is delicious

Claudia Roden’s chicken tray bake with olives and boiled lemon

Chicken tray bake with olives and boiled lemon. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

The sharp lemony flavours and enticing ginger aromas of one of the most famous Moroccan tagines work marvellously in this bake

Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich’s prawn, pea and potato tagine

Prawn, pea and potato tagine. Photograph: Patricia Niven

The summer flavours of new potatoes and fresh peas with Middle Eastern spices is a winning combination

Huevos a la flamenca by José Pizarro

Huevos a la flamenca. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

There are many different versions of this simple Andalusian dish, but good bread and a glass of wine on the side are essential

Yasmin Khan’s fish kebabs with skordalia

Fish kebabs with skordalia. Photograph: Matt Russell

This dish brings together flavours of a garlicky Greek potato sauce and a spiced Turkish fish marinade

Cold almond, melon and pastis soup (with bits of crispy ham) by Alex Jackson

Cold almond, melon and pastis soup (with bits of crispy ham). Photograph: Matt Russell

Adding melon and pastis to this classic Andalusian soup makes it a go-to dish on a hot summer day

Giorgio Locatelli’s pasta con le sarde – pasta with sardines, anchovies, fennel, raisins and pine nuts

Pasta con le sarde – pasta with sardines, anchovies, fennel, raisins and pine nuts. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

With Arab flavourings like saffron, plus fennel and anchovies from the island itself, this dish sums up Sicily

Sami Tamimi and Tara Wigley’s roasted cod with a coriander crust – samak mashew bil cozbara w al limon

Roasted cod with a coriander crust– samak mashew bil cozbara w al limon. Photograph: Jenny Zarins

Fish and tahini is an irresistible combination, but to make this a speedy midweek meal it works well without too

Pomegranate fattoush by Georgina Hayden

Pomegranate fattoush. Photograph: Kristin Perers

There are few things better than dunking bread into the tangy dressing at the bottom of this crunchy sweet salad

Ben Tish’s burrata on bruschetta with stewed courgettes and fennel with marjoram

Burrata on bruschetta with stewed courgettes and fennel with marjoram. Photograph: Kris Kirkham Photography Ltd/Kris Kirkham

Filled with creamy stracciatella, burrata is deliciously enticing and best eaten very simply with seasonal vegetables

Tuna ftira by Nicole Pisani

Tuna ftira. Photograph: Regula Ysewijn

With its smashed tomato and olive oil, this sandwich is a taste of every Maltese person’s childhood

Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich’s stuffed aubergine boats

Stuffed aubergine boats. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

Gently spiced with Lebanese flavours, plus the sharp tang of feta, this dish is perfect to share among lots of guests

Buttered halibut by Imad Alarnab

Buttered halibut. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

A traditional summer dish in Syria, this recipe is simple, fresh and packed with lemony, buttery flavours

Claudia Roden’s bean stew with chorizo and bacon

Bean stew with chorizo and bacon. Photograph: Susan Bell

A mouthwatering, gently spiced Spanish dish that will fill your home with delicious aromas

Fennel baked with white wine – fenouil au four by Richard Olney

Fennel baked with white wine – fenouil au four. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

This seasonal summer vegetable is sweet and succulent, and fragrant with the wine its cooked in

Georgina Hayden’s cherry and rose sharlotta

Cherry and rose sharlotta. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

A retro Greek-Cypriot pudding usually made with leftover cake, here a little fancier with poached cherries and rose petals

Black figs, feta and red wine ​​by Selin Kiazim

Black figs, feta and red wine. Photograph: Chris Terry

Combined with a salty cheese and a sweet syrup, the flavour of this quintessential Mediterranean fruit shines through

Fresas en moscatel con mantecados – strawberries in moscatel with sandcakes by Sam Clark and Sam Clark

Strawberries in moscatel with sandcakes – fresas en moscatel con mantecados. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

This quintessential summer fruit cooked in a sweet wine from Málaga is made even better by serving with sandcakes

Claudia Roden’s rice pudding with apricot compote – roz bi halib wal mish mish

Rice pudding with apricot compote – roz bi halib wal mish mish. Photograph: Romas Foord/The Observer

This homely pudding is transformed into elegant dinner-party fare with its topping of fruit compote