There are as many pasta dishes in Italy as there are cooks. Bold, subtle, herb-laced, or creamy, the sauces vary from city to city and region to region. The pasta shapes too change: there are long pastas, stout pastas, tubular pastas, pastas with pronounced ridges, others with nooks and crannies... I love the endless possibilities of pasta, the way something so simple can be so satisfying. I invite you to explore this page and enjoy my favorite pasta recipes. You'll also find a step-by-step recipe for fresh lasagna, a how-to of homemade cannelloni, and dozens of useful pasta cooking tips.

Step 1

Amatriciana is a classic pasta sauce from central Italy (originally from the region of Abruzzo, and now from Latium). It is made by sauteing Pancetta with onions and a hint of chili pepper in olive oil, adding a bit of tomato, and letting the sauce bubble and simmer for about 20 minutes. Here I substitute scallions and garlic for the onions, and add a handful of mussels to the sauce for a rich seafood taste. For this dish, you will need:

• 32 mussels
• 1/3 cup plus 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound Pancetta, excess fat removed, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil
• 2 large beefsteak tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 pound spaghetti

Step 2

Pick through the mussels, discarding any opened ones; mussels should be closed when they are raw, and open when they are cooked. If mussels are gaping open before cooking, tap gently on a counter and see if they close; if they do close, they can be cooked (the closing action means they are alive and responsive) but if they remain open, discard them as they are likely dead.

Place the closed mussels in a large bowl and pull off any beard with your fingers. Cover with cool water. Add 1/4 cup of the salt and set aside at room temperature to purge for 30 minutes; the salt will draw out any impurities from the mussels.

Carefully remove the mussels from the salt water without disturbing the sediment at the bottom of the bowl and rinse the mussels repeatedly in a colander. Discard the salt water.

Step 3

Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.

Cook the spaghetti with 2 tablespoons of the salt until al dente, about 8 minutes, stirring often; drain, reserving 2 cups of the pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat, and add the Pancetta and chili flakes.

Cook 5 minutes, stirring often, or until the Pancetta browns lightly around the edges.

Step 4

Add the garlic, scallions, parsley, and basil to the skillet, and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes, or just until the scallions soften and lose their raw scent. Do not cook too long at this point or the garlic may burn and give the finished sauce a bitter taste.

You can replace 1 small minced yellow onion for the scallions and garlic, or you can add 1/4 cup of chopped pitted black olives (such as Gaeta or Taggiasche) to the skillet at this point.

Alternately, if you are unable to find Pancetta at your market, use bacon instead (bacon is smoked, whereas Pancetta is not, therefore the latter has a more delicate taste and is more suitable for seafood sauces).

Step 5

Add the tomatoes and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of the salt to the scallion mixture in the skillet and stir to incorporate.

Cover with a lid and cook 5 minutes, or until the tomatoes start to break down into a sauce. The sauce will not be smooth, but rather, chunky.

Add the mussels to the skillet and cover again with the lid. Cook until the mussels open, about 8 minutes, shaking the skillet once in a while. Remove the lid and discard any unopened mussels from the sauce; any mussels that fail to open in the skillet were surely dead before they hit the skillet and are unsafe to eat.

Toss the drained spaghetti with the sauce in the skillet and add as much of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to achieve a fluid coating consistency.

The sauce will be chunky and rather pale, but it should cling to the spaghetti. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, adjust the salt, and serve hot. Serves 4

If you've always wanted to make fresh pasta dough but felt unsure of the correct technique, here's a primer to get you comfortable kneading, rolling out, and cooking your own fresh pasta.

Below is a versatile, all-purpose recipe for fresh lasagna made with flour and eggs. Once the lasagna sheets are cut into squares, the lasagna can be dried, frozen, or cooked immediately (see Step 9). The lasagna can be used in a a bubbling gratin with ragu and besciamella, or rolled around a savory filling to make cannelloni...

Or, as below, it can be boiled and sauced simply with room-temperature basil pesto to make an authentic Ligurian specialty: Lasagne al Pesto Ligurian-Style.

Lasagne al Pesto Ligurian-Style are unlike the more common lasagna we are accustomed to: the lasagna rarely gets layered in a baking dish and baked. Rather, the lasagna sheets are cooked until al dente, immediately divided among serving bowls, fresh pesto is spooned over the top, and there you have it: an impressive--and relatively easy-to-make--first course. (Some cooks prefer to bake the assembled lasagna until the top is golden, of course, and you can try that too if you like; just assemble 4 or 5 layers of boiled lasagna sheets in a buttered baking dish, sprinkling each layer with basil pesto and freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, then pop into a preheated 450 oven for 10 minutes.)

So if you thought making fresh pasta was difficult and lasagna had to be baked--you're in for a double surprise!

Step 1

The raw ingredients for fresh egg lasagna are: Unbleached all-purpose flour; sea salt; and eggs.

The standard formula used by most Italian cooks is 3 and 1/2 ounces of flour per egg. However, some recipes call for more or less eggs; no eggs at all; only egg yolks; a hint of white wine; or olive oil to be added to the dough instead.

All of these variations yield different lasagna; the fun is in experimenting once you have mastered the basic technique of combining wet and dry ingredients and rolling out and cutting the resulting dough.

Step 2

To make enough lasagna for 4 people, you will need:

• 1 and 1/2 cups of unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 extra-large eggs

Place the flour on a counter and add the salt; combine with a fork.

Make a well in the center and add the eggs to the well.

Step 3

Using a fork at first, draw the flour into the eggs.

When almost all of the flour has been incorporated into the eggs, begin kneading the dough by hand.

Step 4

Begin to knead the dough with the palms and heels of your hands.

If the dough is dry, add a touch of water; if it is moist, add a touch of flour.

Alternately, place the flour in a bowl, mix it with the salt, and stir in the eggs, then turn the resulting dough out onto the counter and knead it as above; this method is easier for beginners.

Step 5

Knead the dough until it is smooth and supple with your hands; it will take about 5 to 10 minutes.

The aim is not to develop the gluten in the dough, as in bread-making, but rather to produce a dough that is homogenous and workable.

The dough will change from ragged and rough to smooth and elastic as you work it.

Step 6

To roll out and cut using a pasta machine: Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces, keeping the other pieces of dough covered to prevent them from drying out and forming a skin.

Working with 1 piece at a time and keeping the others covered, dust 1 piece with flour, shape it into a flat rectangle, and roll through the machine set on the widest setting.

Step 7

Fold the resulting sheet in thirds, dust with flour, and roll through the machine on the same setting. Repeat one more time, folding the sheet over itself, dusting with flour, and rolling through on the same setting. You will have rolled the rectagle through three times on the widest setting.

This repeated rolling through the widest setting serves to knead the dough and makes it perfectly smooth. Switch to the next-thinner setting; dust the sheet with flour and roll through the machine, without folding the sheet over itself. (From this point on, you will not fold the dough over itself.)

Switch to the next-thinner setting; dust the sheet with flour and roll through the machine, without folding the sheet over itself. Repeat the process until you reach the second-to-thinnest setting on your pasta machine. The sheet should be thin enough to be nearly transparent; if needed, roll through on the thinnest setting to obtain a sheet that is sufficiently thin.

The thinner the lasagna sheets, the better they will taste. It is very important that you remember to dust the sheets with flour before rolling through the machine, or they may stick or tear.

Repeat with the remaining 3 pieces of dough.

Step 8

When you have rolled out all of the dough, lay the resulting lasagna sheets out on a lightly floured counter and cut into squares using a fluted pastry wheel.

This is the lasagna. It is now ready to boil and top with the pesto (see below, Step 10). You can also sauce the lasagna with tomato sauce, a seafood sauce, or a light white-meat ragu--in short, any sauce that is light yet flavorful, preferably not cream-based..

To dry lasagna and reserve it for future use, lay the squares out on a lightly floured counter in a single layer until thoroughly dry, then stack in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 weeks.

To freeze lasagna, lay the squares out on lightly floured trays in a single layer and freeze until solid; wrap in wax paper and then in a double thickness of freezer-safe plastic bags. When you are ready to cook frozen lasagna, drop directly into boiling water without defrosting first. Frozen lasagna keeps up to 1 month.

To turn your fresh lasagna into cannelloni, see above.

To turn your fresh lasagna into oven-baked lasagna, see the recipe for Vincisgrassi (a truffled lasagna from the Marches) in my cookbook, RUSTICO: REGIONAL ITALIAN COUNTRY COOKING.

Step 9

To cook the lasagna, bring a large pot of water to a boil (allow 4 quarts of water for 4 servings).

Add a generous dose of salt and drop in 4 lasagna squares at a time. Cook until al dente, about 1 minute, then remove with a slotted spoon to serving bowls.

Toss each serving of lasagna with room-temperature pesto (see Step 10) as you remove the lasagna from the boiling water, or it will stick together.

Continue to cook and sauce the remaining lasagna in the same manner. Serve the lasagna immediately--do not wait for all servings to be cooked or the lasagna will cool down.

Step 10

To make Lasagne al Pesto the traditional Ligurian way, prepare a basil pesto.

For Basil Pesto, in a food processor or blender, combine:

• 2 and 1/2 cups tightly packed basil leaves
• 1 peeled garlic clove
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Turn out into a bowl and fold in

• 2/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
• 2/3 cup freshly grated grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Make sure the pesto is at room temperature before serving.

Here's a Ligurian trick: dilute your basil pesto with 1/2 cup (or more, as needed) of the pasta cooking water before topping the boiled lasagna with it... The texture will be creamier, the flavor will be less sharp, and your Lasagne al Pesto will be authentically Ligurian. Serves 4

Cannelloni are one of the easiest filled pastas to prepare, as well as one of the most versatile. The filling can be as simple as fresh Ricotta and grated Parmigiano--or it can be embellished with chopped herbs, spinach, or finely diced Prosciutto Cotto. The sauce can be a hearty ragu, a creamy besciamella, or a basil-scented tomato sauce...

Once you've mastered the proper filling, rolling, and baking technique, experiment with the filling and sauce--and while I encourage you to make your own lasagna sheets (see below), you can certainly save time by buying them ready-made. Of course, you can make spinach lasagna (just add a bit of boiled and pureed spinach along with the eggs in step 2 below) for a more colorful dish...

Cannelloni are an ideal choice for dinner parties, since they can be assembled up to 12 hours before baking and refrigerated. When your guests arrive, simply pop them in the oven for 30 minutes and enjoy!

Step 1

Make the tomato sauce. You will need:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 small yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 12 basil leaves, torn
• 3 pounds plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cubed, or 3 cups canned chopped Italian plum tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil in an 8-inch sauté pan over a medium flame.

Add the onion, garlic, and basil, and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring often.

Stir in the tomatoes, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil, and cook for 30 minutes over medium-low heat, covered. Taste for salt and adjust if needed.

The tomato sauce can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated; it can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Step 2

Make the Ricotta filling. In a bowl, combine until smooth:

• 1/4 pound finely diced Prosciutto Cotto
• 3/4 pound fresh Ricotta
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Step 3

For the cannelloni, you will need eight 5-inch lasagna squares. You can cut fresh lasagna sheets with a fluted pastry wheel for a prettier presentation (see Step 9 below).

To cook the lasagna squares, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil.

Add 2 tablespoons of salt. Drop in 4 of the lasagna squares and cook for 2 minutes, or until al dente.

Step 4

Remove the lasagna squares to a bowl of cool water with a slotted spoon.

Step 5

Blot the cooked lasagna squares dry on kitchen towels.

Cook the remaining 4 lasagna squares the same way and blot dry as above.

Step 6

Divide the Ricotta filling evenly among the lasagna squares.

Shape the filling into a log along the bottom of each lasagna square and roll into tight bundles. These are the cannelloni.

Step 7

Spread 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce in a baking dish.

Arrange the cennelloni in a single layer, seam side down, in the prepared baking dish.

Step 8

Top with the remaining tomato sauce and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

Step 9

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. If the sauce dries out during baking, cover the baking dish loosely with aluminum foil.

Serve the cannelloni hot, as a first course. Serves 4

To Rinse or Not to Rinse

One of the cardinal rules of pasta cookery is to NEVER rinse cooked pasta once you've drained it. Why? Because rinsing pasta would strip it of some of its lovely starchy outer coat, which in turn would make it slippery rather than velvety and would lessen its ability to cling to sauce. The starch on the pasta is essential for the proper binding of sauce to pasta.

Cooking Pasta the Right Way

Cooking pasta the right way... We could do a whole class just on this subject. After all, if your pasta isn't properly cooked, no sauce can mask its shortcomings. So here are ten things to keep in mind when cooking pasta...

1. First of all, start with a big pot. None of those squat pans, and no need for nonstick unless you happen to have only a nonstick stockpot.
2. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil for every 3 and 1/2 ounces of pasta you intend to cook. The water should be at a rolling boil when you add the pasta.
3. Add about 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water when the water comes to a boil (if you add it earlier, it will simply make the water come to a boil more slowly).
4. Don't add oil! The pasta won't stick together unless you don't stir it often enough as it cooks. (Adding oil to the water will create a slippery surface on the pasta; the sauce will adhere poorly to the pasta when it's time to combine the two.)
5. Add the pasta all at once, and stir with a long-handled tool. If you are making long pasta, keep stirring until it becomes supple, loses rigidity, and is entirely submerged in the water.
6. Keep the water boiling the whole time as the pasta cooks: to do this, cover the pot with a lid. (If the pasta water is not boiling, the outside of the pasta will be overcooked by the time the inside is al dente.)
7. Stir the pasta every minute or so. This is crucial to prevent sticking and to ensure even cooking.
8. Check often to see how the pasta is coming along, and drain it when it's al dente (meaning to the tooth, because it should offer a little bite when it's drained): there should still be a thin white dot at the center. (Pasta drained when it is al dente has been shown to be more easily digested by the human organism... So it's not just a matter of taste!)
9. Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water before you drain the pasta. Use as much of this reserved pasta cooking water as needed to thin out your sauce (this allows you to cut down on olive oil or butter). Also, because the pasta cooking water is so rich in starch, it helps the sauce bind to the pasta--making for pasta with a lovely, velvety quality. And, the residual heat in the reserved pasta cooking water will help your pasta stay hot for longer...
10. NEVER rinse pasta after you drain it, even if you plan to serve the pasta cold: it will wash out the starch and much of the flavor. (To cool drained pasta for use in cold dishes, toss it with a touch of olive oil and spread it out on a large tray until it reaches room temperature--about 15 minutes.)

Your pasta is now ready to toss with sauce in a heated bowl or large skillet... Buon appetito!

Spaghetti all'Arrabbiata

Spaghetti in "Angry" Tomato Sauce

Keep in mind that even when Italians call a dish "spicy," it is rarely truly hot; an authentic arrabbiata is lightly spicy, not searingly hot.

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 teaspoon minced Italian parsley
• 4 cups canned chopped Italian plum tomatoes (San Marzano are best)
• 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chili, and parsley, and cook 30 seconds, or until aromatic.

Fold in the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Cook over medium heat 20 minutes, covered, stirring once in a while.

Meanwhile, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt. Cook until al dente, then drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Add the spaghetti, Pecorino, and the reserved pasta cooking water to the sauce in the skillet. Cook 1 minute, stirring; the sauce should coat the spaghetti; cook a few seconds longer if it does not. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and serve hot. Serves 4

Stracci ai Funghi

Mushroom "Rags"

Fresh pasta is best here, but short dried pasta such as farfalle (bowties) works well too.

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 large leek, white part only, halved lengthwise, rinsed, and thinly sliced
• 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps scrubbed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
• 1 tablespoon minced thyme
• 1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced (canned San Marzano fine)
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1 pound fresh pasta sheets, cut into long, uneven strips
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (optional)

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 14-inch skillet over a medium flame. Add the garlic, leek, mushrooms, parsley, and thyme, and cook 10 minutes, or until the leek and mushrooms are soft. Stir in the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, and the wine. Bring to a gentle boil and cook 3 minutes, then cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes have formed a rich sauce and the liquid in the pan has reduced a bit.

Meanwhile, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Drop in the pasta and the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt. Cook until al dente, about 2 minutes, then drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Toss the pasta with the sauce in the skillet. Dilute with some or all of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to achieve a coating consistency. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with the Parmigiano and serve immediately. Serves 6

Trofie al Pesto

Tiny Gnocchi in Pesto Sauce

Trofie are short, curled strands of pasta typical of the Ligurian Riviera; if you can’t find them, use linguine or trenette instead. This first course is embellished in classic Ligurian style, by cooking potatoes and haricots verts (thin string beans) in the boiling water along with the trofie.

• 1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup pine nuts
• 2 and 1/2 cups tightly packed young basil leaves (2 large bunches)
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 2/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
• 1 pound trofie
• 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
• ½ pound haricots verts, tipped

Heat a 6-inch skillet over a medium flame. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and the pine nuts and cook 5 minutes, or until the pine nuts are golden, stirring often.

Process the toasted pine nuts to a paste in a food processor with the basil, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Gradually pour in the remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil with the motor running; the mixture will emulsify.

Transfer the pesto to a serving bowl and stir in the Parmigiano and Pecorino with a fork. (The pesto keeps in the refrigerator up to 1 week as long as it is topped with a thin layer of olive oil; it can also be frozen for up to 1 month if the Parmigiano and Pecorino have not been stirred in.)

When you are ready to serve, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the trofie, potatoes, haricots verts, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt and cook until the trofie are al dente; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Fold 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water into the pesto in the serving bowl. Add the drained trofie and stir to coat; dilute with additional reserved pasta cooking water if needed. Adjust the salt if necessary and serve hot. Serves 4

Garganelli al Sugo di Porri Stufati

Garganelli Pasta in Wilted Leek Sauce

Scallions make a perfect, if slightly more pungent, alternative to the leeks; use 1 and 1/2 pounds of scallions (about 6 bunches) instead. If you can't find garganelli (a lovely quill-shaped pasta from Emilia-Romagna), use penne rigate or another short, tubular pasta.

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 3 large or 6 small leeks, white part only, halved lengthwise, washed thoroughly, and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus extra for passing at the table
• 1 pound garganelli or other short, tubular pasta

Melt the butter in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add the leeks and 1/4 cup of water, cover, and cook 15 minutes, stirring once in a while; check to make certain that the leeks do not brown (if they start to take on any color, lower the heat to medium-low).

Uncover, season with ½ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, add 1/2 cup of water, and cover again; cook 10 more minutes. Add the cream and Parmigiano, bring to a boil, uncovered, and cook 1 minute, or until the sauce reduces enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Meanwhile, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the garganelli and the remaining 2 tablespoons salt; cook until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Stir the garganelli into the sauce in the sauté pan, diluting with as much of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to achieve a coating consistency; cook 30 seconds over medium-high heat to mingle the flavors and serve hot. Serves 6

Penne Rigate con Peperoni Arrostiti e Pancetta

Penne Rigate with Roasted Peppers and Pancetta

You can add 1/2 cup of pitted and chopped black olives to the sauce for a deeper, saltier flavor; be sure to buy olives at an Italian or specialty foods market and avoid canned olives, which have a tinny, flat taste. Gaeta olives work especially well in this recipe.

• 2 yellow peppers, halved, seeded, stems and membranes removed
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound Pancetta, defatted and diced
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 20 basil leaves, torn
• 3 cups canned chopped Italian plum tomatoes (San Marzano are best)
• 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound penne rigate
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Ricotta Salata (salted, dried Ricotta; use Pecorino Romano if unavailable)

Preheat the broiler.

Line an 11-inch x 17-inch baking sheet with aluminum foil; place the peppers on it, cut side down, and broil in the preheated oven until they are blistered and black, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven; wrap in the aluminum foil that lined the baking sheet and set aside for 15 to 30 minutes; the steam in the foil packet will loosen the skin of the peppers, making them easier to peel. Unwrap the peppers, then peel and remove the seeds; cut into strips (this can be done up to 4 days ahead and refrigerated).

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Pancetta, garlic, chili, and basil, and cook 5 minutes, or until the Pancetta is golden but not browned, stirring often.

Fold in the tomatoes, roasted pepper strips, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Cook over medium heat 20 minutes, covered, stirring once in a while.

Meanwhile, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the penne rigate and the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt. Cook until al dente, then drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Add the penne rigate and the reserved pasta cooking water to the sauce in the skillet. Cook 1 minute, stirring; the sauce should coat the penne rigate; cook a few seconds longer if it does not. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the Ricotta Salata. Serve hot. Serves 4

Fettuccine con Piselli, Prosciutto e Panna

Fettuccine with Peas, Prosciutto, and Cream

The key to a delicate sauce is not to brown the onions in the butter, but rather to cook them down gently until meltingly tender.

• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 medium yellow onion, minced
• 1/2 pound shelled fresh peas
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 pound Prosciutto Cotto, diced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron pistils
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus extra for passing at the table
• 1 pound fresh egg fettuccine

Melt the butter in a 12-inch pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until barely golden and quite soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the peas and cook 10 more minutes, or until the peas lose their starchy texture and soften a bit. Pour in the broth and bring to a gentle boil; cook 10 more minutes, or until the peas are soft and the broth has evaporated. Stir in the Prosciutto and cook 1 minute. Add the cream; bring to a boil. Crumble in the saffron; stir to dissolve.

Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, stir in the Parmigiano until melted, and cook 1 more minute. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and salt and cook until al dente, about 2 minutes; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Toss the fettuccine with the sauce in the pan for 30 seconds to mingle the flavors, diluting with as much of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to achieve a coating consistency.

Serve hot, passing additional Parmigiano at the table. Serves 6

Spaghetti con Salsiccia Piccante

Spaghetti with Spicy Sausage Sauce

This is a very easy dish to put together: the sauce cooks in the time it takes the water for the pasta to come to a boil.

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
• 20 basil leaves, torn
• 3 cups canned chopped Italian plum tomatoes (San Marzano are best)
• 2 tablespoons plus ½ teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 3/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

Heat the olive oil in a 14-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook 5 minutes, or until browned all over, stirring often. Add the garlic, chili, and basil, and cook 30 seconds.

Stir in the tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper. Cook over medium heat 20 minutes, covered, stirring once in a while.

Meanwhile, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt. Cook until al dente, then drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Add the spaghetti, Pecorino, and the reserved pasta cooking water to the sausage sauce in the skillet. Cook 1 minute, stirring; the sauce should coat the spaghetti; cook a few seconds longer if it does not. Serve hot. Serves 4

Rigatoni al Gorgonzola

Baked Rigatoni with Gorgonzola Cream

Gorgonzola, a nutty, cow's milk cheese streaked with blue veins, is delicious both raw and cooked. This recipe, from my native region of Lombardy, was a favorite of mine when I was growing up... my mother often made it as a schoolday lunch.

• 1 pound rigatoni
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 3/4 pound mild Gorgonzola, crusts removed and crumbled
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing the baking dish
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and salt and cook until al dente; drain.

Meanwhile, melt the Gorgonzola with the heavy cream, butter, and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano in a 1-quart pot set over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and reduce slightly, about 5 minutes.

Toss the rigatoni with the sauce in a buttered 10- x 14-inch roasting pan, sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmigiano and the pepper, and bake in the preheated oven 20 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Be careful not to bake the pasta too long, or the sauce may separate. Serve hot. Serves 6

Gemelli con Granchio, Asparagi e Zafferano

Gemelli with Crab, Asparagus, and Saffron

Always dissolve saffron in boiling liquids (in this case, the cream sauce) to extract the maximum color and aroma from it. Gemelli are short, twirled pasta strands; penne rigate or fusilli are good substitutes.

• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 pound Jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
• 1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed, blanched, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron pistils
• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound gemelli
• 24 basil leaves, torn

In a 14-inch skillet over medium-low heat, cook the shallot and garlic in the butter until golden and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the crabmeat, asparagus, and cherry tomatoes, and cook 5 minutes over medium heat.

Add the cream; bring to a boil. Crumble in the saffron; stir to dissolve. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper, and cook 1 more minute.

Meanwhile, bring 5 quarts of water to a boil. Add the gemelli and the remaining 2 tablespoons of salt, and cook until al dente; drain, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Toss the gemelli with the sauce in the skillet for 30 seconds to mingle the flavors, diluting with as much of the reserved pasta cooking water as needed to achieve a coating consistency.

Fold in the basil and serve hot. Serves 6