Ricotta

You can fill this tart shell with your choice of sweet or savory fillings—from cheeses, to roast vegetables, to stone fruits.

We’re all for a good store-bought marinara, but there is no substitute for homemade béchamel—of this we can be sure.

The texture is delightfully soft, almost cake-like, and sweetened with a quick-and-easy lime glaze. These cookies make great holiday gifts.

This pesto variation is built on a combination of toasted nuts, creamy ricotta, salty Parm, and a little kick of raw garlic. You don’t need a food processor or a blender to make it; everything comes together in a single bowl.

Seek out a slightly underripe cantaloupe for this salty-sweet, crunchy, and juicy summer side; firmer flesh makes it easier to slice into ribbons.

No pots or pans needed for this easy summertime recipe. Just fire up the grill!

This is project cooking at its best: tender manicotti wrappers are made by quickly cooking batter into pasta-like crepes. They're filled with a creamy trio of ricotta, Parmesan, and mozzarella, and covered with fresh tomato sauce before baking.

A gingery fish sauce vinaigrette brightens every bite of these crunchy, creamy, vibrant tostadas.

A swirl of cinnamon-spiced pear compote runs through these protein-rich pancakes.

This one-pan, stovetop-only pasta turns mushroom- and spinach-stuffed shells into an easy weeknight dinner.

Ravishing, like a fairy in a vast taffeta ball gown. The pastry will shatter, which is rather lovely, offering wisps of crispness with the soft, creamy cheesecake. This is lighter and less rich than most.

In this extra cheesy, extra comforting meal, spaghetti pie meets an Italian classic: cacio e pepe.

Crispy roasted broccoli works just as well as an appetizer as it does a side dish when scattered over garlicky, ricotta-slathered toasts.

Frying thick slices of bread in olive oil on only one side gives you a magical combination of crisp and soft so that the bread can soak up the tomato juices without getting soggy.

Toss roasted squash and charred Brussels sprouts through a salad of chickpeas, salami, olives, and cheese; add a lemony oregano vinaigrette and enjoy.

This simple weeknight dish relies on zucchini ribbons instead of noodles, and is stuffed with a zippy ricotta-pea filling.

Treat this spoonable dessert as a vehicle for piles of your favorite peak-season fruit.

This ribbon salad is evidence that you need a mandoline in your life. The shaved cucumber and melon will release some liquid and lose a bit of crunch after they’re dressed, so toss everything together just before serving.