Easter

This hearty and satisfying main course, from Kokkari in San Francisco, was inspired by the flavors of Greece.

What is unusual about this recipe is the conspicuous absence of garlic and the addition of artichokes to the roasting pan. Christos Koukoutsis, from the small village of Doloi, was adamant about the garlic when he explained to me how to make his village's Easter specialty. Olive oil—lots of it—is essential.

Hazelnuts are teamed with strawberries and rhubarb in this rustic tart. Vanilla ice cream is a must for serving.

If you buy a boneless ham, you'll still have the same amount of meat to eat, about 10 to 12 pounds (because the bone accounts for about 4 pounds). The bottom line is that the recipe directions are the same, regardless of the cut of ham.

A simple salad with a tangy dressing-perfect for and April picnic.

Oven-roasted red potato chunks sprinkled with chives; steamed and buttered baby carrots; and a limestone lettuce salad would be good accompaniments to this elegant main course. Finish with a strawberry-rhubarb pie from the bakery.

A good cut of meat for this recipe is the butt portion of a bone-in, water-added ham. For optimum flavor, I like to prebake the ham, then simply slice away what I need from the bone.

Traditionally, these Greek cookies, known as koulourakia, are formed into rings, twists and half circles. In this recipe, they are shaped into bow ties and twists, then glazed with anise-flavored honey. These are delicately sweet and nice with coffee.

When preparing the following pastas in advance (up to six hours), keep them covered and chilled and then let them come to room temperature before baking.

This hearty dish comes from Havesathe de Havixhorst in the Drenthe Province in De Wijk, the Netherlands.