Italian

Braising pork shoulder produces a fall-apart tender roast. And when milk is the braising liquid, what results is a sauce that is reminiscent of flavorfully infused ricotta.

Juicy chicken cutlets with all the bright, briny flavors of classic piccata are possible without a stove—all you need is a microwave.

This classic pasta has only a few ingredients, but they transform into a surprisingly velvety, flavorful dish.

This is spectacularly easy, quite mouthwatering, and works as both a first course before an entrée or as a side dish. Escarole is part of the chicory family and has a pleasant bitterness to it. Note that while the outer leaves of the escarole are not used in this preparation, they should not be discarded.

All your favorite classic Italian flavors plus a hit of fresh mint make these braised artichokes an absolutely irresistible spring side.

If there is a lot of liquid in the pan when the spinach is done, drain it before adding the beans.

The texture of this airy semifreddo is somewhere between frozen chocolate mousse and gelato. In other words: You’re going to love it.

A few days a year, Boccione "Il Forno del Ghetto," the generations-old kosher bakery on Via Portico d'Ottavia, sells pizzarelle. The bakers make them only during Passover, and due to restrictions on working, the baker is closed during most of the holiday. If you time it right, this highly seasonal specialty can be yours. Otherwise, drop by Boccione for their year-round non-Passover classics like thick ricotta cakes and Biscotti con Mandorle e Cannella. And don't be turned off by the slightly cha.…

Rolling out and shaping this handmade pasta together is the fun part. Make the dough a day ahead, wrap in plastic, and keep chilled.

Puntarelle is a crisp, spiky Italian green related to chicory. If you can get it, you’re in luck. If not, escarole is a great substitute.

We like the combo of spicy and sweet Italian sausage, but use any uncooked sausage you like—merguez or chorizo would work.

It's hard not to love this classic Italian pasta—it's just the right mix of spicy and sweet.

Roman cauliflower (also known as Romanesco) grows as a peculiar spiky, conical head, and instead of florets as in regular cauliflower, it projects cones with tiny cones upon cones—a kind of fractal of nature's making. It comes in various hues of white, purple, and green and has a nutty, more intense flavor compared with regular cauliflower. Unfortunately it's not always easy to find in many stores in the US, though sources like farmers' markets often carry it, as do Italian specialty shops. You can substitute standard cauliflower for this if you can't find the Roman variety. It breaks into florets and cooks the same way.