Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez

Adapted from a recipe by chef Chris Bianco, of Pizzeria Bianco, in Phoenix, this dough bakes up crisp and chewy.

The words pea soup usually bring hearty dried split peas to mind, but this one—made with basil pesto and frozen green peas—has a fresh herbal sweetness.

Remember those sun-dried tomatoes lurking in the back of your refrigerator? Their punch gives pasta an instant boost.

There are lots of meatless burgers in the world, but this Latin American-inspired recipe is especially satisfying without being stodgy. It's pantry-friendly to boot.

Sizzling with fresh ingredients, this lively Asian stir-fry keeps prep time to a bare minimum without sacrificing flavor.

We added nuggets of steak to a restorative soup of egg noodles and vegetables, turning it into hot, hearty magic that would warm up Old Man Winter himself.

Crisp-skinned duck breast really pops with the nutty, buttery flavor of tawny Port. Any leftover meat makes a terrific sandwich.

Despite her pride in her cultural heritage, Miraglia Eriquez says: "I gotta be honest, some Italians are known for cooking vegetables to death, and I like to keep my greens green." So she boils chicory for only a few minutes to tame its bitterness, then sautés it briefly, keeping the leaves fresh and slightly crisp. This simple, light side dish is great with the hearty ragù -coated pasta.

This recipe was passed down to food editor Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez via in-laws and aunts from Calabria, Italy, to Brooklyn. In this savory starter, sticks of eggplant readily soak up a garlicky oil- and-vinegar marinade and soften, making them an ideal topping for crusty bread. Although her great-aunt used to make and jar vats of this antipasto, Miraglia Eriquez now prepares and refrigerates smaller batches. You'll always be glad to have some on hand.

This is a true Italian feast: Little meatballs served with the antipasti come just before big meatballs in the ragù. Miraglia Eriquez's grandmother used to fry these snacks while her sauce simmered. As the meatballs spattered in the pan, the family would crowd into the kitchen to eat them hot. Your guests will do the same, whetting their appetites for the food to come.

The kitchen was the domain of Miraglia Eriquez's grandmother, but this recipe was her grandfather's specialty. Sitting at the dining table, Poppy, as he was known, would peel and cut oranges, toss the pieces into glasses, and cover them with red wine. After the oranges soaked up and sweetened the wine, he would eat forkfuls of the fruit, then down the drink. It was—and is—the perfect prelude to dessert.

Although this flour, semolina, and egg mixture begins as a stiff dough, it cooks into beautiful, velvety noodles that are as smooth as butter. A pasta machine makes this recipe easy and foolproof. Store-bought fettuccine simply can't compare to homemade.

Miraglia Eriquez's Aunt Dottie loved this indulgent appetizer, which was served at her favorite Italian-American restaurants. A talented, ambitious home cook, Dottie tinkered in her kitchen until she came up with her own version. We're glad she did. The lemon and capers in the anchovy-butter sauce cut through the richness of soft, stretchy mozzarella in a pocket of crisp fried bread.

Spumoni trumps all others as the ideal frozen treat: It's richer than gelato, lighter than ice cream, and smoother than frozen custard. The inspiration for this classic flavor combination came from L & B Spumoni Gardens, in Brooklyn, a favorite spot for this tricolor treat.

In the waste-not mentality of Italian cucina povera, panfried patties made with eggs and bread crumbs are a great use for leftover eggplant parmigiana ingredients. In fact, the patties are so incredibly delicious that we made them the crisp showstoppers in this fun reconstruction.

Jazz up your winter repertoire with a tangy, colorful pomegranate dressing that melds fennel and oranges with salty Pecorino

A tender, short crust is filled with a creamy orange-scented ricotta custard. Served with hot espresso, these little pastries are a wonderful way to end a big meal.

This bottomless bowl of meat sauce is the stuff of dreams—the American Dream, in particular. In Italy, ragù would have been flavored with a small piece of pork, but because meat was so readily available in the United States, immigrants included beef braciole, meatballs, sweet and hot sausage, and pork shoulder and ribs. This dish requires hours on the stovetop to make the meat tender and juicy and the sauce thick and intense, but it's well worth waiting for.

Fresh mint and sliced cucumbers give this American-style salad a lightness that leaves you feeling satisfied, not stuffed.

Lemon-tahini dressing unexpectedly emboldens kale and cheesy potatoes with its creaminess and tart richness. We went back for seconds and thirds.