Bon Appétit

Turbot or sole would also be delicious in this crispy fish dish.

In Venice, this salad would most likely be made with local crab from the lagoon.

Puntarelle are the inner hearts of cicoria catalogna, a kind of chicory — and one of the greatest treats of springtime in Rome. The hearts are trimmed out of the large heads and cut into thin shreds that curl up when immersed in ice water. Since puntarelle are not easy to find in this country, a mix of Belgian endive and celery serves as a wonderful substitute: Together, they have the same addictive bittersweet-crisp quality.

Pasta and ChickPea Soup with Clams Roman osterias served this dish every Tuesday. It's an unusual way to combine ingredients from land and sea in one recipe. Follow with a green salad for an easy lunch or dinner.

Velvety risotto shows off the flavors and textures of young spring produce.

Begin any informal dinner party with these fun Roman-style crostini.

Sformato di Cavolfiore e Broccolo con Balsamella di Spinaci In typical trattoria fashion, this dish serves as the meal's antipasto, which is followed by the pasta course. What to drink: A light, dry red from Carmignano, a Tuscan wine district known for its blends of Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Try: Capezzana Barco Reale di Carmignano.

Fried artichokes have long been associated with the Jewish Ghetto in Rome. Briefly blanching the artichokes makes it easier to bend the leaves outward into the shape of a flower.

The citrus-scented sugar syrup will make more than enough for eight drinks. Use the extra for seconds, or save it for sweetening other citrus cocktails. Freshly ground nutmeg is more aromatic than the pre-ground spice. Buy whole nutmeg (often sold in jars in the supermarket spice section) and scrape against the finest holes on a box grater.

This sauce adds a bright piquancy to almost any seafood. Try it with poached salmon, seared tuna, or sautéed shrimp.

Mint-chocolate truffles frozen in vanilla ice cream create a polka-dot dessert.

An alternative to traditional gefilte fish, this cold, oven-steamed halibut makes an elegant fish course. Conveniently, it should be prepared one day ahead.

You can make the lavender syrup and slice the berries ahead of time, but toss them together at the last minute. Any remaining lemon sugar can be used to sweeten espresso or tea.

You'll need an instant-read thermometer and a heavy-duty stand mixer with paddle attachment to make this brioche-like sweet bread.

Pea tendrils taste like a cross between peas and spinach and are used in Chinese cooking, where they are called dau miu. Find them at farmers' markets and Asian markets. Spinach or watercress can be substituted for pea tendrils in this lovely green dish.