Make Ahead

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Ginger, cumin, and black pepper add an exotic touch to this refreshing and colorful three-melon dessert. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Grissini, long, thin breadsticks, are found at Italian markets and some supermarkets.

Easy and delicious. Sautéed breadcrumbs top a mixture of spinach, cheese, and sour cream.

Cipolline in Agrodolce These onions — an homage to New York's Italian-American communities — are great as part of an antipasto or as a condiment for salty meats such as baked ham or duck confit. Although they are hard to resist as soon as they are cooked, the flavors continue to develop over a few days. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 2 hr (plus 1 day for flavors to develop)

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional unattended time.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

If the pencil-thin French green beans known as haricots verts are not available at your local super market, use the thinnest regular ones you can find.

These are made with an Italian sourdough starter known as a biga, which has to be prepared one day ahead. Note that before baking the breadsticks, you can give them amusing shapes by forming one end of each dough rope into a squiggle, a loop, or whatever strikes your fancy.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. This is a great way to use the liver from your Thanksgiving turkey. In this recipe simply substitute the turkey liver for some of the chicken livers.

Corn kernels and chili powder lend a southwestern accent to these muffins. They would also be nice alongside a bowl of chili.