Pasta

Pasta chi Civa is traditionally served during Carnilivari (Mardi Gras) in Polizzi Generosa to fortify the revelers.

Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Spaghetti a Cacio e Pepe This is the simplest and one of the tastiest pasta dishes in the Roman repertoire, served at home and at every trattoria offering cucina romana or cucina povera (poor folks' cooking).... The trick to making this recipe work is to dilute the cheese and pepper with 1 tablespoon of pasta water per serving, and to amalgamate the ingredients in the pot the pasta water was boiled in, a technique called mantecare, meaning to mix and meld.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Pick up a rotisserie chicken at the market, or use leftovers to keep the preparation easy.

For variety, try adding black olives or roasted red peppers to this dish.

Soupe au Pistou During Marion Cunningham’s last visit with Richard Olney, he made a version of this recipe, which comes from Simple French Food. As he made it, he told her that he thought the trick to cooking is tasting — in the case of the soup that day, adding the right amount of salt and pepper, then cheese, then a little olive oil, and finally some macaroni. After making the soup in our own kitchens, following the recipe from the book (it's highly adaptable to seasonal produce or the contents of your larder), we can understand why this recipe is so loved among Olney’s fans.

The hearty sauce is also great over couscous.

Pasta, a recent addition to the Irish culinary repertoire, is fast becoming a favorite. At Longueville House in Mallow, Ireland, ravioli is taken to refined heights in this dish, which is served as an appetizer. They make it with large rounds of homemade pasta, but store-bought gyoza wrappers are a good substitute.

The pasta and sauce cook simultaneously (so two cooks can divide and conquer), for a total of about ten minutes, start to finish. Serve with your best bottle of bubbly.

Here's a summer salad with robust flavors.

Freezing the steak for about 30 minutes makes it much easier to slice; using a grill pan is the simplest way to cook the slices.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This new version of spaghetti and meatballs still goes well with the usual accompaniments: green salad, crusty garlic bread and some red wine. End with spumoni ice cream.

Light, refreshing and beautiful.