Italian

These gorgeous, grown-up treats feature crunchy almond cookies, icy coffee granita, and creamy orange ice cream. Amaretti cookies vary in size—you'll need eight to twelve cookies for the parfaits.

Bright, fresh, and vinegary-tart, this is a fun play on Sicilian caponata, a dish made with eggplant, tomatoes, onions, and olives. For a twist on the classic, I like to serve slices of eggplant topped with chunky tomato salsa. The dish can be a first course or part of an easy buffet lunch.

A perfect introduction to the allure of chiles, this Italian classic balances the cherry peppers' piquancy with roasted bell peppers, lemon, and parsley. It's a bright, summery dish that you'll hanker for all year long.

Editor's note: This recipe is reprinted with permission from Brown Celebrates: Simple and Spectacular Parties All Year Round. This recipe originally appeared with Brown's <epi:recipelink id="“350623”">Warm Blackberry Chutney</epi:recipelink>. __ Don't be intimidated by crostini: it's just toast in a tuxedo! This recipe is quick, portable, and requires only a few ingredients. __

This pressed sandwich creates an appetizing balance between sweet and savory with the addition of prosciutto and dried figs.

True to its name, this rustic salad calls for a flavorful mix of sweet and savory ingredients, such as fresh and dried fruit, cured meat, and assorted greens. Serve this colorful salad as a side to a savory main course, or have it for lunch.

If possible, use flat no-cook lasagna noodles: They look and taste more like homemade than the curly kind.

Until quite recently, Italian restaurants in the U.S. served just one version of gnocchi: the potato kind. But gnocchi made from semolina (such as this one from the James Beard Award-nominated, industrial-chic Osteria in Philadelphia) is equally authentic.

A Sicilian combination—artichokes and beans—becomes another creative variation on crostini at Cinghiale.

David Burke, of David Burke at Bloomingdale’s in New York City, subs flavor for fat in every melty mouthful.

This creamy fettuccine Alfredo is truly luxurious and yet so simple. You'll be rewarded for using the very best pasta and Parmesan.

Known as arancini, or "little oranges," in Italian, these little balls, with their surprise melted cheese filling, are an excellent way to turn leftover risotto into a delectable hors d'oeuvre. They're so good, you might be inspired to make a batch of risotto just to enjoy in this form.

Garlic Herb Bread When buttering the bread, gently spread the slices without pulling them apart.

Avoid the temptation to add too many toppings; a pizza should be more bread than topping. In fact, the basic dough in this recipe may be used to prepare a delicious grilled bread as well as the base for pizza. Shape the dough as you would for individual pizzas, and then grill it over hot coals for about 2 minutes on each side, until it is blistered and browned. After the dough is turned, drizzle with olive oil and scatter it with fresh herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme, or rosemary.

This satisfying dish, with its great Italian flavors, makes the most of the last-of-the-season eggplant and tomatoes. In place of polenta, the vegetables and lamb can be served over penne, ziti, or rigatoni.

Here's a great recipe for a large group, as it can be made in quantity without much fuss. This berry tiramisù has become one of my favorite ways to show off the fresh berries of the season. If you wish, serve sliced strawberries or a compote of blueberries and raspberries on the side.

Forget about chicken pieces. You can grill these two chickens— flavored (Sicilian-style) with lemon, parsley, and garlic—whole.

Our take on this dish, famously named for the fact that Italy's "ladies of the evening" quickly made it between clients, is just as fast and easy as the original and requires nothing more than some everyday items you probably have in your pantry already.