Italian

Rubbed all over with a mixture of garlic, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper, then grilled, these chops are so good that you might imagine they need no further embellishment—until you try them with a dab of the pungent porcini mustard. For tips on how to cut a rack of lamb into chops.

The salads of shaved raw porcini mushrooms that are served throughout Italy are the inspiration here. A big squeeze of lemon and a scattering of herbaceous celery leaves contribute brightness. Speedy yet luxurious, it just may become your new party dish.

It's the possibilities in that blank crust that make pizza so much fun. Lately, we've been obsessed with white pizza. Brush the dough with olive oil, sprinkle with mozzarella, and then let the fun begin. Without the acidity of the tomato sauce to contend with, you can really experiment. In this version, asparagus adds freshness and a hit of color, goat cheese brings a creamy tang, and fingerling potatoes (yes, potatoes) round out the pie with their richness.

Use one crust to make the pizza here. Chill the extra dough for up to four days or freeze for up to a month.

Beef Shank and Sausage Ragù with Whole Grain Spaghetti* As much as we love eating at old-school red-sauce joints, we're craving the updated regional Italian cuisine we’re seeing at restaurants across the country. In this dish, instead of marinara, we've got a rich, meaty ragù (a staple in Bologna) made with flavorful bone-in beef shanks and hot Italian sausage. Hearty whole grain pasta is the perfect vehicle for the sauce (and it's a great way to add nutritional value). The long-cooked sauce is the ideal thing to make on a lazy weekend and fills the house with delicious aromas.

This risotto is mellow yet full-flavored.

The Sicilian-style tomato sauce has tons of Mediterranean flavor, thanks to the orange peel, olives, and oregano.

This recipe was shared with Epicurious by Chef Joseph W. DiPerri of The Culinary Institute of America.

No need to call your local pizza joint. Thanks to prepared dough and bottled roasted red peppers, making your own calzones can be easy and far more satisfying.

This salsa verde, which balances a meal full of spiced dishes, would also complement anything from grilled steak to steamed vegetables.

Tortellini are often served in broth, but a quick sauce and some tender asparagus make them more substantial.

As a harbinger of spring, artichokes have a special place on the Passover table and in our hearts. One of Roberts's favorite ways to enjoy them is this elegant Roman preparation. (Rome is home to the oldest Jewish community in the Western world—the first Jews arrived in 161 b.c.e. as ambassadors from Judah Maccabee in Jerusalem.) The trimmed artichokes are braised in a lemony broth zinging with garlic and mint, which is later reduced to a satiny sauce.

Luisa Marelli Valazza's interpretation of a classic Italian peasant soup at her three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Al Sorriso in Piedmont, is hands-down stunning. It's a hearty and rustic showstopper: thick and creamy fresh pea soup with tiny gnocchetti made from raisin pumpernickel bread. Great on a cold and rainy spring evening (fresh pea season). Luisa said it was three simple steps, but it's a little more than that . . .

The dough gets its slightly tangy flavor from a "sponge" (a mixture of warm water, yeast, and flour that’s allowed to ferment). Timing note: The sponge needs to rest overnight; the dough needs to rise for about eight hours.

This sauce goes with almost any topping. Three to try: slices of fresh mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, and roasted eggplant. This recipe originally accompanied the <epi:recipelink id="352109">Overnight Pizza Dough recipe</epi:recipelink>

Spread the pesto over the dough , then add toppings. Roasted asparagus, well-drained cooked spinach, and crumbled feta would be delicious.

An Italian tomato-based sauce for steak, pizzaiola gets amped up with fennel seeds and crushed red pepper. Serve this dish over soft polenta.

Sweet sausage will workin this springtime risotto, too; the final result just won't taste spicy.

The pasta cooking liquid helps turn the cheese, cream, and sautéed vegetables into an incredible sauce.