Leafy Greens

Vinaigrette is the French word for oil and vinegar dressing. At the restaurant they have an olive oil tasting every year to decide which kinds to buy, because each year's crop of olives tastes a little different. Olive oils come from Spain, France, Greece, Italy, Mexico, and California. The dark green "extra virgin" oils taste the most like olives. The cooks use extra virgin olive oil for salad dressing, not to cook with. The paler, yellow oils labled "pure olive oil" taste milder, and those get used for cooking.

Pasta with Pecorino and Black Pepper This is an old Roman recipe in the tradition of la cucina povera that has always been a favorite of poor and rich alike. (Cacio is a word for "cheese" in Southern Italy.) It is incredibly simple and quick to prepare, but depends on having good-quality Pecorino Romano and pasta, and fragrant peppercorns in your larder. Make it with long or short pasta, whichever you prefer. The arugula is our addition; it brings fresh flavor and color to the dish.

Because the vinegar is simply drizzled over the radicchio at the end, try to find an artisan-quality balsamic, such as one labeled condimento, if not a premium balsamico tradizionale. Radicchio is also good when grilled on a barbecue or in a stovetop grill pan. Oil the grill or grill pan and cook until wilted and slightly charred, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes.

Ravioli al Radicchio Rosso Stuffed pasta shows up less frequently in Florence than it does in the nearby Emilia-Romagna region. But when it does appear on menus, it's usually dressed simply, like the ravioli here, with a little butter and a bit of grated Parmesan.

Puntarelle are the inner hearts of cicoria catalogna, a kind of chicory — and one of the greatest treats of springtime in Rome. The hearts are trimmed out of the large heads and cut into thin shreds that curl up when immersed in ice water. Since puntarelle are not easy to find in this country, a mix of Belgian endive and celery serves as a wonderful substitute: Together, they have the same addictive bittersweet-crisp quality.

Sformato di Cavolfiore e Broccolo con Balsamella di Spinaci In typical trattoria fashion, this dish serves as the meal's antipasto, which is followed by the pasta course. What to drink: A light, dry red from Carmignano, a Tuscan wine district known for its blends of Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Try: Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano.

Anchovy and red pepper flakes balance the bitterness of the escarole, giving it a sweetness that goes well with the robust flavors of the Veal Involtini.

This Sicilian-style salad is more heavily dressed than other green salads, so that there's extra oil and vinegar to soak up with bread.

Try this alongside roast chicken, spoon it over toasted baguette slices as an appetizer, or top it with poached eggs for brunch.

Baby spinach can stand in for the mâche.

Add more color to this dish by using a mix of red, yellow, and orange tomatoes.

Joe Dion of North Charleston, South Carolina, writes: "Because I work in a restaurant (I'm a chef at a place called Slightly North of Broad in Charleston), I don't let my cooking at home get too complicated. I'm at the restaurant five days a week and often work on weekends, but whenever I have the chance I enjoy getting together with friends and cooking for them." Fresh raspberries flavor the dressing and give this light salad its sweet tang; the pine nuts add crunch.

Acini di pepe, the Italian term for "peppercorns," also refers to tiny pearls of pasta. This dish goes well with lamb chops or grilled chicken.