Italian

The mushrooms that top this pizza are simmered in a white wine reduction, which gives them a zippy sweet and acidic bite.

Armandino Batali of Salumi in Seattle, writes: "My son, Mario Batali, may be the most recognizable foodie in the family, but the Batalis' interest in Italian cooking and culture goes back generations. My grandfather opened Seattle's first Italian-food import store in 1903. It was located just a few steps from where my restaurant, Salumi, is now, and it's one of the things that inspired me to get into the business. "The idea behind Salumi was to create a restaurant, deli, and meat factory in one place, just like the salumerias in Italy. We're known for homemade sausages and salami, but we also attract a large lunchtime crowd. Some of the specials, like the meat loaf and frittata, have been in our family for years. They're also easy to make at home." Here's a great way to use leftover pasta or any pasta or marinara sauce.

Loren uses a mortar and pestle to pound the ingredients for her pestolike sauce, but we found it much easier to blend them in a food processor.

This recipe sponsored by Black Swan Vineyards

This refreshing cocktail can be a dessert, but it is also a great brunch drink. In Italy, Lucia likes to use Italian sparkling wine (such as spumante) instead of Champagne.

Lemons have been cultivated on Capri for as long as anyone can remember. And as long as there have been lemons on Capri, there has been the lemon liquer known as Lemoncello. The bright yellow liquid tastes like sunshine in a glass, albeit with a kick. Most often sipped as a post-prandial digestif, it can also be savored as a late afternoon treat.

(Veal Cutlets with Prosciutto and Sage) Although chef Serge Dansereau of Kables at The Regent uses thin slices of veal from a boneless veal loin, he suggests making the dish at home with veal cutlets, which are less expensive and more widely available. If the cutlets you buy are too thick, use the smooth side of a meat pounder to pound them, between sheets of plastic wrap, to less than 1/8 inch thick.

(PASTA CAPRESE)

Serve the pesto with grilled or sautéed scallops, chicken, or fish. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(PASTA PICCANTE CON POMODORI E RUCOLA) Fresh-tasting, easy to make and perfect for weekday entertaining.

A flavorful filling in an elegant dessert.

Couscous, the basis of many North African dishes, is shaped like a grain but is actually a pasta made of semolina wheat. In fact couscous was incorporated into Italian cuisine when Arabs occupied Sicily six centuries ago. And so to flavor the following couscous we've used classic ingredients common to Sicily rather than North Africa-olives, peppers, capers, currants, and pine nuts.

(TORTA DI RISO CON COMPOSTA DI CILIEGE E ALBICOCCHE) This flourless dessert is popular, especially on the Po River plain. The texture is more like that of a rice pudding than that of a cake. The compote is a refreshing partner. For a treat, uncork a semisweet Lambrusco.