Vegetarian

Leftover caponata will keep, covered in the refrigerator, for up to a week. Toss with warm pasta; serve on top of meat, chicken, or fish; or simply serve it with some toasted bread or crostini.

Golden brown on the outside, melting and sweet on the inside, these are best hot, right out of the pan, but they hold up even after they have cooled. It’s fine to use frozen blueberries for the filling, but be sure to thaw and drain them first or they will turn the cheese filling an unappealing gray.

If your only impression of a zeppole was formed at a street fair, where they are served hot out of the oil and dusted with powdered sugar, prepare to have your socks knocked off. With these you get your doughnut and coffee all in one delectable bite.

This salad looks like tricolore papardelle pasta, with vibrant ribbons of pink, green, and orange melon. If you don’t want to bother to make the melon shavings, just use a melon baller or cut the fruit in cubes; the salad will still be beautiful. This is one that both children and adults go nuts for, and the mint gives it an extra burst of freshness.

The combination of strawberry jam and piney rosemary may sound strange, but together they add up to the perfect blend of sweet and savory—and these scones, which are a bit lighter in texture than regular ones, smell incredible as they bake. I think using a heart-shaped biscuit cutter makes them even prettier.

Brunch is a funny meal; many of the main dishes are sweet enough to make dessert seem almost redundant. That’s why I like to serve this dish, which is bright and fresh from the citrus with a hint of licorice from the fennel. It bridges the gap between salad and dessert, ending the meal on a sweet but not heavy note.

Caffè latte is classic Italian, and for a Sunday brunch it would be the obvious choice over a regular pot of coffee. And while vanilla whipped cream is a small departure from the way you would find it served in any Italian café, it’s a nice way to make the jolt of caffeine a little richer and more special.

This brunch dish brings together sweet and savory flavors in a way that is insanely good. The cheese melts into the raspberry jam and, combined with the brown sugar, makes this surprisingly addictive.

Iced tea mixed with lemonade—also called an Arnold Palmer—is incredibly refreshing. This version is made with a hit of spicy ginger syrup and basil so it tastes a bit more complex, but it’s still really simple to make. You’ll want to drink this all summer long.

Limoncello is a tart and refreshing lemon liqueur reminiscent of hot summer days on the island of Capri. The bright yellow and deep blue colors make this cooler lovely to serve at a summer party; make it by the pitcherful and serve over ice in tall, skinny glasses so you can see the buoyant blueberries float.

Like raspberries and chocolate, pomegranate and chocolate make a very sexy couple, and they give this sorbet a little more body and interest than your basic fruit flavors. Its sweet-tart flavor is refreshing on a hot day, and the mint syrup has a real cooling effect.

I love desserts that transform just a few simple ingredients into a show-stopping confection. Honey gives this rich tart an intriguing, elusive flavor and floral aroma. Serve the tart in small wedges, as it is extremely rich, or cut it into little triangles to pack along on a picnic.

Mascarpone cheese gives this dessert a smooth, creamy texture, making it more like a sherbet than an ordinary granita. Best of all, you don’t need to scrape it as it freezes to create icy granules, so it’s truly a snap to make. Serve it with tiny glasses of limoncello for a perfect summer dessert.

Arborio rice is essentially risotto rice. I use these short grains to make classic risottos but also for this most decadent dessert. It’s rich, creamy, and, most important, absolutely loaded with chocolate! When I serve this I make a very light meal so everyone has room to indulge and the pudding is the star of the show. It’s a good choice if you need to make dessert ahead of time, as it keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.

Only the mascarpone and the ladyfingers in this lemony dessert give a nod to a traditional tiramisù, but my California spin on this beloved dessert is just as addictive. I think lemon makes everything taste a bit lighter (so I can eat more without feeling weighed down!), and the hazelnuts add a delicate flavor and lots of crunch. So while no one will mistake this for the original, I promise it will make anyone you serve it to very, very happy.