Italian

Frittata di Ricotta The best ricotta is a farmer's jewel—thick, tangy, and, contrary to health regulations, unpasteurized. But we eat it anyway, at room temperature with a spoon, like kids skimming cream off the top of milk. Around Garfagnana, the mountain town where my mom grew up, this frittata is a staple, but is never served as an individual dish; the frittatas they made were huge and were sliced into single servings. You can't beat it for a buffet. It's also great with tomato sauce on top. Make sure to use the highest quality ricotta you can find.

Use the season's first wild mushrooms in this satisfying vegetarian pasta.

Farro is often said to be the Italian word for "spelt," but it is actually a different strain of wheat.

Jonathan Waxman makes his polenta using stone-ground grits because he prefers their coarser texture. You will, too.

Michele Verdi-Knapp of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, writes: "The best eggs I have ever tasted were at Seven Gables Inn in Pacific Grove, California. Thank you for the recipe."

This recipe was inspired by a dish that Italian chef Alessandro Giuntoli made when he was at Osteria del Circo, in New York City.

Most of us have a tough time saying no to the lure of a meatball. Well, here is a batch of meatballs ready for the test. These particular ones, a mixture of beef and sausage, are laid out in a pan, then smothered in crushed tomatoes and seasoned with grated Romano cheese. Then they're baked in a hot oven, which accomplishes two things. First, it saves the step of browning them on top of the stove. And second, the sauce is automatically seasoned with the savory meatball juices and zesty, salty Romano.

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from Sardinian chef Raffaele Solinas. Solinas also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. In this recipe, a simple fish broth enhances the flavor of the shrimp. Though head-on shrimp can be difficult to find, it's worth the extra effort to seek them out — they contribute depth and richness. The fregola should absorb enough broth to swell and soften, but the dish should retain a soupy consistency. This dish is traditionally served with carta da musica, a crisp Sardinian flatbread, and accompanied by a flavorful dry white wine such as Vermentino.

Editor's note: This recipe is adapted from Sardinian chef Raffaele Solinas. Solinas also shared some helpful cooking tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page. To read more about Solinas and Sardinian cuisine, click here. This pasta dish, similar to a ragù, features wild boar, a common Sardinian ingredient with a distinctively rich and gamy flavor. "A good butcher will carry wild boar," says Solinas. But in a pinch, the best alternative would be duck breast.

Good sausages are amazing but there just aren't enough occasions to eat them, so you've got to seize the opportunity when you can. Your living room tailgate is the perfect venue. Stick a fat sausage in a fresh long roll along with a healthy helping of peppers and juice, and you've got yourself a living room feast. The three different colors of peppers really make this dish a standout. Dave's Take: Pick up a very cheap, very clever splatter shield the next time you're in a dollar store. They look like a round piece of screening and have a plastic or metal handle. Set it over the skillet when you're frying or sautéing, and it'll keep the splattering (and cleanup) to a minimum.

A scoop of ice cream, a spoonful of whipped cream, or a dollop of crème fraîche would be great with this.

Chef Sal Passalacqua of Dimaio Cucina in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, writes: "My father's family is from Sicily and I spent my teenage years there, so that's where a lot of my culinary influences come from. At first glance, Sicilian cooking seems very simple, but that simplicity depends on using the freshest ingredients and often the combination of sweet and tart flavors. The anchovy pasta and the ricotta and mascarpone cream puffs here are perfect examples." These can be served for dessert, tea, or brunch. Mascarpone, an Italian cream cheese, is sold at many supermarkets and at Italian markets.

John Carey of Anchorage, Alaska, writes: "Whenever I see zabaglione on a dessert menu, I order it. The tangy pineapple version at Vetri in Philadelphia comes with a moist almond cake — divine."

Chef Michael Presnal of The Federal Restaurant in Agawam, Massachusett, writes: "The recipe here was featured on one of my first menus as a chef, before I got into the kind of complex cooking I do now at The Federal. That was over ten years ago, but I still love making this dish at home. It calls for just a few fresh ingredients and takes only a couple of steps." Serve as a side dish or first course.

Chef Sal Passalacqua of Dimaio Cucina in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, writes: "My father's family is from Sicily and I spent my teenage years there, so that's where a lot of my culinary influences come from. At first glance, Sicilian cooking seems very simple, but that simplicity depends on using the freshest ingredients and often the combination of sweet and tart flavors. The anchovy pasta is a perfect example." This dish is a variation on the traditional Sicilian pasta made with sardines. Anchovies have replaced the sardines, but the flavors are still very authentic.

A fun idea: Paper-thin slices of white vegetables are dressed with an Italian blue cheese vinaigrette.

This sophisticated dessert makes the most of contrasting textures. The subtle floral flavor of wildflower honey connects all of the components.

Use any combination of ripe melons that you can find. Charentais (or Cavaillon), delicious French melons with orange flesh, are at farmers' markets now, while Galia (sweet and aromatic, similar to honeydew) and Sharlyn (a white-fleshed variety that tastes like a combination of honeydew and cantaloupe) are increasingly available at supermarkets.