Provolone

One great thing about this lasagna is that the noodles don't need to be pre-boiled. The dish has a lot of liquid (in the form of sauce) and goes into the oven covered, so the noodles get cooked perfectly as the lasagna bakes. Add a green salad, and serve some Chianti or California red Zinfandel with the main course.

Broccoli is called sparaceddi in Sicilian. In this side dish, it is "drowned" in a heady mixture of olive oil, onions, anchovies, olives, red wine and cheese. While there are variations of the basic preparation throughout Italy, food historians generally think it to be of Sicilian origin.

(Italian-Style Meat and Cheese Sandwiches) Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

In these stuffed artichokes, based on a recipe by Marie Miraglia — mother of one of our food editors, Gina — the provolone melts into each bite, and the soppressata adds more depth of flavor. Though we've given a regular-pot method in our recipe, there's nothing like the tenderness the leaves acquire in a pressure cooker — and the artichokes are done in a fraction of the time. Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 2 hr

Except for the Parmesan cheese, which is pretty much a requirement, this ultra-cheesy cousin of fettuccine Alfredo can be made with any number of four-cheese combinations.

Most of the work on this dish is done the day before, leaving plenty of time in the morning for opening presents or simply sleeping in.

These small pizzas from Indigo in Honolulu feature sweet caramelized onions, spicy chicken, and mozzarella, Swiss and provolone cheeses. Refrigerated pizza dough is used here to simplify the recipe. Chili-garlic sauce can be substituted for the Thai chili sauce if necessary.

This towering salad—built with the components of a muffuletta sandwich like mortadella and an olive dressing—is ready for a party.

A melty layer of chopped leftover turkey and cheese centers these post-Thanksgiving sandwiches.

The best salad is really a deconstructed Italian sandwich, complete with an oregano and red wine vinegar dressing that tastes just like how your deli does it.

Your answer to the age-old question "What can I make ahead of time and throw in my bag to feed myself (and, okay, my friends) when we finally make it to the beach/park/festival/fireworks?"

This slow-cooker version of the Philly classic has all the makings of a great sandwich: sharp provolone, garlicky broccoli rabe, and lots of jus from the pork for dipping.

Visit an Italian deli and splurge on the cold cuts, but hit the supermarket for everything else, including the not-too-crusty rolls that are usually loaded into bins in the bakery section.