Italian

One summer this was the recipe of the season. I had a guest and we ate this beautifully simple pasta for dinner three nights in a row. I could have gone for a fourth, but we went out to dinner instead. What could possibly be bad about the trio of fresh golden pasta, lemons from the tree, and rosemary from right outside the kitchen door? A touch of Parmesan, a sip of wine, and the celebration has begun!

This quick-to-make Sicilian side dish can accompany chicken, fish or meats.

The parts of Corsica that are not cultivated or forested are covered with a thick underbrush called the Maquis. It consists of diverse aromatic herbs that make the hillsides white with little flowers in the spring and inspire one of the island's nicknames, "the Scented Isle." A blend of these herbs, called herbes de maquis, is a flavoring for many seafood specialties, including this rich pasta and lobster dish. Many say that the most flavorful lobsters in the Mediterranean come from the waters off Corsica. For reasons of food safety, it is essential to make the sauce and finish cooking the lobster immediately after the lobster has been boiled.

Roasting the tomatoes concentrates their sweetness. What to drink: A dry Italian white, such as Pinot Grigio or Soave.

This bread uses a yeast starter, which enriches its flavor and texture. Be sure to prepare the starter one day ahead. Humidity makes the crust crisper, so the recipe calls for spritzing the oven with water; simply use a standard spray bottle and tap water.

Italians call these irresistible treats frico, or "little trifles." Served on their own, they make nice cocktail snacks.

Fennel Braised with Garlic Many Jews of Ashkenazic descent do not consume legumes during Passover, and, of this group, there are those who consider fennel a legume.

Gianduia, a ground hazelnut and chocolate confection from the Piedmont, inspired this spectacular terrine.

The cake layers are brushed with Strega, an Italian liqueur flavored with herbs and flowers. Removing the torte from the freezer an hour before serving allows the whipped-cream frosting to soften, while the filling remains frozen.

Pancetta, the salty Italian bacon, forms a crust around the chicken. Offer a bottle of Pinot Grigio, a crisp Italian white wine, with this entrée. For dessert, try spumoni and sugar cookies.

Start this meal with garlicky potato soup; serve the pizzas with marinated beets and red onions; and end with orange slices drizzled with Marsala, and biscotti.

The Italian combination of chocolate and hazelnuts, called gianduia, is used here in a sumptuous, dense cake. The torte's lustrous chocolate glaze makes this a perfect dessert for holiday entertaining.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Italian fruitcakes with Frangelico chocolate sauce If you don't have the mini Bundt molds called for, oversize muffin cups (about one-cup capacity) can be used instead. Begin preparing this at least a week ahead.