Meal Prep

Passata comes from the word passare, which means “to pass” in Italian, and passata di pomodoro, often referred to as passata, is the name given to tomatoes that have been passed through a food mill, or through a gadget made especially for the task called a passapomodoro, or “tomato passer.” Anyone who has ever successfully tried to grow tomatoes or who has ever visited a farmers’ market in the late summer knows that when the time comes, you get all the tomatoes you could ever dream of—more than you could possibly eat or give away—and you get them all at once. During this time in the Italian countryside, they pass the tomatoes through the passapomodoro, which extracts the skin and seeds, and bottle the sauce that is extracted. A typical Italian larder might contain dozens of these bottles, which look like wine bottles and which allow cooks to use “fresh” tomato sauce year-round. Our passata is a little different from a traditional passata in that we cook it and season it to enhance the flavor, but it is still a very pure product.

Like the name suggests, this is a basic tomato sauce that we use in a variety of dishes. You can keep it in the freezer for up to six months, so you may want to double the recipe and freeze the extra. The only “secret” to this sauce is that you start with good canned tomatoes. Our preference, hands down, is San Marzano, a variety of plum tomatoes from Campania praised for its tart flavor and bright red color.

These tomatoes are part of the arsenal of ingredients that we reach for to bring layers of flavor to other dishes. They add not just the flavor of tomatoes but also the slightly charred flavor that you get from cooking the tomatoes at very high heat. The tomatoes need to fit snugly on a baking sheet, which is why this recipe calls for you to roast four pounds of them. But you can always freeze them to use at a later date. I recommend you freeze them in batches of four halves, as we always call for them in multiples of four.

Made from almond paste but having a firmer and smoother texture, marzipan is easier to handle. It is used for decorating and as an ingredient in candies.

This nut paste infuses candies with a rich hazelnut flavor and crunchy texture.

With a few simple ingredients, some basic kitchen equipment, and a little planning, wonderful stock is easy to make at home.

Cumin seeds contain vitamin E as well as flavonoids, both powerful antioxidants.

Tangy olives balance sweet onions and peppers in this salsa. Its tartness is good on different sorts of white fish, such as tilapia.

Because this fish stock freezes well, you can double the recipe; use one batch, and freeze the second one for later use.

You can ask your butcher to cut veal bones into small pieces for you.

If you plan to use the stock for a specific recipe, begin making it at least 12 hours ahead of time, and refrigerate for 8 hours so the fat has a chance to collect on top and can be removed.

Use this stock as a base for dishes such as seafood chowder, bisque, stew, and risotto.

You can prepare the blueberry sauce and the lemony yogurt up to 2 days ahead, and refrigerate both in airtight containers. To serve, simply spoon the layers into juice glasses and garnish.