Italian

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Crusty bread and a salad complete the meal.

A variation of this recipe is made by adding 4 to 6 anchovy fillets to the topping. In Rome, it is called pizza alla napoletana. In Naples, where all pizza is alla napoletana, it is called alla romana.

Northern Italian cooks use peas often; in this side dish, the vegetable gets a boost from the Italian bacon called pancetta. If it is unavailable in your area, finely chopped regular bacon can be substituted.

"Mi Piaci, a local restaurant, serves a pasta entrée with wild mushrooms called Fusilli alla Boscaiola," says Karen Mungioli, of Dallas, Texas. "Its flavors reminded me of a dish I had in Italy recently. I’d love to try my hand at preparing this authentic-tasting recipe in my home kitchen."

For his pizza, Geoffrey Selling broils the eggplant instead of frying it in a lot of oil to lower the fat. But he coats the eggplant with commercial olive-oil spray, and we are reluctant users. How much different is spraying from lightly brushing with oil? To find out, we tested this two ways, spraying the eggplant one time and brushing it the other, and did not find a difference in oiliness. But after tasting the spray, right from the can, and then the bottled oil, we prefer the old-fashioned way.

Serve with: Steamed broccoli and roasted potatoes. Dessert: Baked apples.

Agnello di Latte Arrosto I always had mixed emotions about this dish as a little girl. Traditionally, it was served at the first meal after Lent, a joyous occasion to which everyone looked forward, including me. Still, there was an element of personal sadness: My pet was being eaten. At Busoler I spent long hours playing in the fields with lambs and young goats, and always found sentiment struggling with appetite at Easter. When the appearance of the first peas of the season coincided with Easter, they'd be shelled and added to the dish at the last moment.

There will be about 3/4 cup of parsley pesto left over after making this lasagne.

Offer with artichoke hearts, olives, and salami.

Sheila Stein of Woodbury, New York, New York, writes: "We've eaten several times at La Viola of Syosset. Their chicken française is excellent. Could you get the recipe for me?"

We tested this recipe with Lindt, Valrhona, Ghirardelli, and Callebaut bittersweet chocolates, all of which worked equally well. Our favorite, however, was Valrhona, which made for an especially rich-flavored gianduia. For this recipe you will need heavy-duty foil (thicker and wider than regular foil) to waterproof the springform pan.