Italian American

Leaving the skin on chicken cutlets allows them to develop fantastic savory crunch without the need for dredging through flour.

Pork loin is a lean, mild cut of meat. I like to add flavor and keep it moist by stuffing it with a mixture of chopped herbs and garlic. Simply make a small channel in the center of the loin with a knife, then poke the stuffing in. The meat will be flavored and basted from within while it roasts.

Bubbling cheeses and tender spinach elevate store-bought gnocchi (look for it in the dried-pasta section).

Want to show someone you really care? Make them our ultimate spaghetti and meatballs.

Bolognese is a hearty sauce that needs a toothy, wide noodle like fresh pappardelle, or a sturdy dried shape like rigatoni.—Mike Easton

Smoked mozzarella flavors these chops from the inside; an easy cherry tomato pan sauce and creamy polenta round things out.

This is what I'd call the quintessential American pizza dough, inspired by New York-style pizza: medium thin, satisfyingly chewy, and the ideal companion to mozzarella, tomato sauce, and the pizza toppings Americans love best, from pepperoni and sausage to olives, mushrooms, and other vegetables. It's the dough I teach first to new students, and the one I recommend experimenting with because it's so versatile and user-friendly.

Here are the two starters I use most frequently in this book and in my restaurants. Tiga is my slightly more hydrated version of a classic biga starter, which is usually between 50 and 60 percent water. This "Tony's biga," which I call "Tiga," has 70 percent hydration. My poolish follows the traditional proportions of equal parts water and flour, so its hydration is much higher at 100 percent. In general, unless I specify otherwise, use the same flour in your starter that you will be using in your dough. I always make starters with cold water to slow down the fermentation process for greater flavor complexity. It's helpful to use a clear glass bowl so you can see how well your starter is fermenting.

Easy enough for a weeknight, but special enough for a dinner party.

This old-school, rectangular pizza bakes right in a sheet tray. The flavorful, doughy crust is thicker than the more standard thin-crusted Neapolitan-style pies.

I have such fond memories of helping my mom make lasagna as a kid. I was in charge of layering the noodles, sauce, ricotta and mozzarella. Today, my lasagna is a bit lighter than my mom's. Rather than making it as a large tray, I prefer to make them into rolls—which I load up with vegetables—for better portion control. And here I swap tomato sauce for a wonderfully savory Butternut squash sauce with shallots, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.

The thinly sliced zucchini ribbons replace pasta in this delicious, low-carb, noodle-less dish. This lasagna totally satisfies my cravings for cheesy and indulgent Italian comfort food. It's perfect in the summer when I have tons of garden-fresh zucchini and herbs, but I also love making it during the colder months when I want something hot and comforting. Although it takes a little longer than most of my recipes, it's totally worth it!