Italian

(Pollo Arrosto All'Arancia, Limone, e Zenzero) Ginger arrived in Italy with Arabic traders or North African Jewish immigrants, so it's likely that this is a Sicilian or Livornese recipe. Most Italians would use ground ginger, but since fresh ginger is so plentiful at our markets, why not use it?

"No one wants to eat this kind of food in a restaurant," Franco Ricatti, owner of the Ristorante Bacco in Barletta, Puglia, told me, "but we make it all the time at home." As he described the following, one-pot preparation of pasta boiled with diced zucchini and potatoes, dressed with olive oil and grated Parmesan, I begged him to make it for me. Franco breaks the spaghetti into 2-inch pieces, but I don't bother. And he doesn't use any herbs — unusual behavior in Italy — but I like to add a little basil or parsley. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

(Grain and Tomato Salad) One summer my husband, Massimo, and I vacationed with our son, Max, near Lucca, about an hour from Florence. There we discovered a local specialty, farro, an ancient grain (emmer, often called spelt, in English) similar to barley, traditionally used in bean soup there. We bought lots of it, and Massimo then made a salad based on panzanella but substituting the boiled farro, for soaked and squeezed bread — a terrific idea that has become a warm-weather favorite.

This playful take on classic Italian rum babà soaks a giant, plush brioche loaf in a fiery rum syrup infused with plenty of citrus.

Creamy panna cotta imbued with mascarpone, espresso, cocoa, and booze is everything you love about classic Italian tiramisu in a lusciously wobbly package.

This sheetcake version of Italian cassata houses a booze-soaked spongecake and sweet ricotta under a blanket of green marzipan dotted with candied fruit.

This laid-back Italian tart is made with a tender, buttery shortbread crust, filled with apricot jam, and blanketed in a layer of sliced almonds.

A light, frothy Italian dessert made from egg yolks, sugar, and Prosecco, this easy zabaglione recipe is perfect served warm with fruit and biscotti.

This classic carbonara traps crispy pancetta and all that silky sauce in big tubes of rigatoni.

This is what I call a fridge-eater recipe. The key here is getting a nice sear on the sausage and cooking the tomato down until it coats the sausage and vegetables well.

Everything good about the classic dessert with the warming notes of a pumpkin spice latte.

Hot pickled cherry peppers add acidity and heat to this beloved regional pasta.

Shrimp, fennel, and mushrooms make for an impeccable version of this light and crispy Italian starter.

This no-knead knockout gets its punch from tomatoes in two different ways.

The summer salad stalwart gets a makeover.

A bowl of comfort with ricotta “meatballs,” tiny pasta, and lots of greens.

A handful of pantry staples and fresh calamari pieces make this quick weeknight dinner taste like a sunny, seaside Italian vacation—any time of year.

A crisp, gluten-free snack that pairs well especially well with drinks, these cheesy panisse have the perfect custardy texture and buttery flavor.

Impart the flavors of a smoker into this fully stovetop pasta sauce with a trio of ingredients: smoked bacon, smoked paprika, and spicy chipotles in adobo.