Pasta

If there isn't a salumi plate, it can't be a modern Italian restaurant. Chef Frank Bonanno at the Osteria Marco in Denver takes the trend one step further, adding house-made relish and fluffy fried dough.

This creamy fettuccine Alfredo is truly luxurious and yet so simple. You'll be rewarded for using the very best pasta and Parmesan.

Oatmeal lovers, be warned: This warm couscous topped with fragrant fruit compote is an incredibly easy way to start the day with real panache.

Cremini mushrooms give added meaty depth to flavorful (yet inexpensive) chicken thighs in a rustic but light ragù.

Cauliflower is a nice surprise and crème fraîche adds some tanginess to this inventive version of macaroni and cheese.

This satisfying vegetarian combo—a black-eyed-pea salad with tomatoes; orzo tossed with olives, red onion, and cucumber; and salty crumbles of feta cheese—sings of the Aegean sun.

Attention, dill: Please step away from the salmon. Here, the herb gets to show its versatility—and its Greek side.

Ripe juices from plump late-summer tomatoes permeate this quick, flavorful pasta—and make you wish it could be August all year long.

The light citrus flavor in this refreshing side complements the Grilled Tuna with Provençal Vegetables and Easy Aioli .

Small pasta like acini di pepe and orzo make wonderful room-temperature salads, since they mix so thoroughly with the other ingredients and never go stiff. Garlic, olives, and chile flakes lend a lot of zip to this quick side dish you'll come back to all summer.

Our take on this dish, famously named for the fact that Italy's "ladies of the evening" quickly made it between clients, is just as fast and easy as the original and requires nothing more than some everyday items you probably have in your pantry already.

This classic meat sauce gets some oomph from peppery arugula. A real crowd-pleaser.

The pasta is extra flavorful because it's cooked in the herb broth. Serve with warm rustic bread.

This pasta is loaded with appealing flavors: sweet onions and tomatoes, tangy goat cheese, earthy spinach.

In this Asian take on summer pasta, noodles are tossed with a lovely orange-peanut dressing and tons of fresh vegetables.

Fresh ricotta cheese (available at some supermarkets and at Italian markets) and good-quality olive oil are the keys to this great salty-sweet dish.