Linguine

Gerald Colapinto of Corona, California, writes: "My grandparents were born in Italy and were wonderful cooks, so I'm partial to Italian food. I especially love the cooking of Southern Italy. Fortunately, I often travel to Rome on business. Back home, I like to re-create the dishes I discovered."

his delicious vegetarian soup is a take on the Persian dish ash-e reshteh.

Chef Sal Passalacqua of Dimaio Cucina in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, writes: "My father's family is from Sicily and I spent my teenage years there, so that's where a lot of my culinary influences come from. At first glance, Sicilian cooking seems very simple, but that simplicity depends on using the freshest ingredients and often the combination of sweet and tart flavors. The anchovy pasta is a perfect example." This dish is a variation on the traditional Sicilian pasta made with sardines. Anchovies have replaced the sardines, but the flavors are still very authentic.

This recipe is a great way to make the most of late-summer tomatoes. Grill some Italian sausages to go alongside. What to drink: A lighter red, like Pinot Noir.

Cockles are small mollusks with heart-shaped shells. If you can't find them, substitute small clams.

Food Editor: Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez
Father: Alexander J. Miraglia, Howard Beach, NY
No matter what Italian restaurant we visit, my dad can't seem to resist ordering linguine with clams. Although they're not technically clams, cockles work best in this dish, since they're very small and have tender, sweet flesh. You can identify them by their tiny size (about 1/2 to 1 inch across) and green-tinged shells.

This fun dish combines classic antipasto platter ingredients with pasta. If you're in a hurry, omit the sautéed mushrooms.

Anitra Earle of Yonkers, New York, writes: "I'm a perfume detective who hunts down hard-to-find and discontinued scents. One of the benefits of running my business from home is that I get to cook every day. I usually make dishes that I've relied on for years, like this linguine recipe. It takes just minutes to prepare, and as recipes go, it's practically foolproof."

Lauren Beal of San Rafael, California, writes: "When it comes to making dinner, my husband, Stuart, and I have the perfect system. He's in charge of our backyard garden, and I'm in charge of cooking with what he harvests — things like basil, onions, lemons, and even apples. It's our favorite way to create a meal together."

Loren uses a mortar and pestle to pound the ingredients for her pestolike sauce, but we found it much easier to blend them in a food processor.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This lovely and satisfying main course uses light coconut milk, Thai red curry paste and jalapeño chili for lots of flavor and spice.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Serve this as a side dish, or add some cooked shrimp or chicken for a main course. Look for the sesame oil in the Asian foods section of the supermarket.