Parmesan

This easy dinner packs all of the classic flavors of classic Pasta alla Norma—eggplant, tomatoes, and basil—into a pan with spaghetti, garlic, and Parm.

Parmigiano-Reggiano and a generous dose of heavy cream transform butternut squash and spinach into a rich, bubbling gratin.

The best qualities of a gratin shine in this incredibly simple side dish: Pieces of sweet butternut squash and a flurry of salty Parmigiano-Reggiano meld with cream to form a warm, cohesive whole.

This is the simplest way to make a large batch of meatballs that you can turn into a variety of dinners, from pasta to soup to sandwiches.

Salting and squeezing the radishes seasons and crisps them.

Tossing sliced plums in a mixture of sharp sherry vinegar, honey, black pepper, and shaved Parm brings them into the super-savory zone. Top it all off with a drizzle of your favorite olive oil.

Memorize the recipe for this classic, cheesy kale salad and make it your go-to side for any family dinner.

For the best play between sweet, hot, and salty ingredients, look for spiky arugula, labeled "rocket" or "rucola," at the farmers' market. It's much more peppery and sturdy than what you’ll find at the supermarket.

Don't expect your first pasqualina to look perfect. But it will taste absolutely amazing if you remember three key steps: don't sweat the crust, squeeze every drop of liquid out of the greens, and save your chard stems!

Combine a few pantry staples to make this simple but luxurious anytime pasta.

This is an antidote to every side salad that ever was. Instead of meh greens, it's got shavings of fennel that bend and twist but keep their refreshing crunch. It's got a lean dressing and nuggets of deeply toasted croutons, meaty walnuts, and shards of Parmesan. It has acidity and zing—lemon juice, the zest, vinegar, mint, and red pepper flakes—just in case you were worried about palate fatigue. This is what salad looks like in 2018.

A pesto that uses the versatile herb culantro, which tastes a little like a cross between parsley and cilantro.

While smaller squash, such as acorn, can be roasted whole, they are more starchy and liable to dry out. Stick with the big boys.

Ribollita is like a heartier version of minestrone, thickened with bread and redolent with garlic. It is a beautiful soup when it’s fresh from the pot, but it is also perhaps the most noble of leftovers.

Polenta is often used as a neutral carb canvas for a rich sauce or braised meat, but here the creamy ricotta-and-spinach-enriched polenta is the centerpiece, with a simple little tomato salad on top for freshness. An egg on top is great, but optional.

Chopped cauliflower adds earthy sweetness and turns as tender as the pasta in this more substantial version of mac ‘n’ cheese.

Salty, rich pancetta balances bitter broccoli rabe in this savory, chile flake–spiked bread pudding.

This is a creamy, cheesy, classic mac 'n' cheese you can make using your favorite new kitchen appliance!