Pancetta

This is a lovely first course or side dish.

Serve this hearty stew over noodles. Market Tip: It's best to buy pork shoulder from the Boston butt: This less-tender but well-marbled cut produces succulent results when braised.

Fresh herbs and pancetta (Italian cured bacon) blanket the pork before it goes into the oven. Ask the butcher to tie the two loins to hold their shape. Begin marinating the meat one day before serving. What to drink: Open a few bottles of spicy Zinfandel or hearty Bordeaux to place on the buffet table.

What to drink: Delicate blanc de blancs Champagne pairs well with these hors d'oeuvres.

Using the fresh-tasting canned diced tomatoes eliminates the chopping step. Serve with: Arugula and radicchio salad.

In Alba, and throughout the region of Piedmont, a pumpkin-like squash called zucca is found on many fall menus. Butternut squash substitutes nicely here.

Red onions, sweetest in the summer, are caramelized and combined with pancetta to top toasted country-style bread for a sensational starter.

If you can't find pancetta, you can substitute regular bacon.

"The tagliatelle with parsnips and pancetta at Babbo is a wonder," says Aleksandra Crapanzano of New York, New York. " I would be thrilled to have the recipe." A good substitute for the homemade tagliatelle used at Babbo is dried egg fettuccine or taglierini—we particularly like the Cipriani brand. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

This recipe is an accompaniment for Pappardelle Bolognese .

Lane Crowther, A contributing editor at Bon Appétit, says that "For twenty-five years our family endured side dishes of canned creamed corn and sweetened baked squash—simply for the sake of tradition. With this soup, I was finally able to convince everyone that a few classic Thanksgiving ingredients (like corn and squash) could be combined in a delicious new way."

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.