This classic Italian dish can be made and enjoyed year round.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup blanched almonds
8 ounces fresh spinach
4 tbsp unsalted butter
4 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
2 medium garlic cloves, split in half
1/3 cup tightly packed Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup olive oil
salt
freshly milled black pepper
1 cup freshly grated Sardo cheese or 1/2 cup Romano and 1/2 cup Parmigiano cheese
1 lb farfalle (bow pasta)

Preparation:

1 – To toast almonds, place them on a cookie sheet and toast on center rack of pre-heated 350 F oven for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature. Place in food processor fitted with metal blade. Run machine nonstop until coarsely chopped. Set aside.

2 – Wash spinach several times in lukewarm water. Remove stems. Blot leaves dry with paper towel and snip into 1-inch pieces; set aside.

3 – In a small saucepan, melt 3 tbsp butter over low heat. Add scallions and garlic and cook, covered, until tender, about 3 minutes.

4 – Place scallion-garlic mixture in food processor fitted with metal blade. Add spinach, parsley, olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt and pepper. Turn machine on and run nonstop for 30 seconds. Stop machine once or twice and scrape down inside of work bowl with a rubber spatula. Run machine until you have a smooth, thick paste. Transfer to a bowl and blend in Sardo cheese or Romano-Parmigiano mixture with a fork.

5 – Cook pasta in 6 quarts boiling water with 1 tbsp salt until al dente. Before draining pasta, take about 1/2 cup of pasta water and set aside. Drain pasta in colander, transfer to a bowl containing 1 tbsp softened butter and toss quickly. Toss half of the pesto sauce and half of the almonds with pasta. Add about 6 tbsp of the pasta water and toss. Add remaining pesto sauce and toss well again. Garnish with remaining almonds and serve with additional freshly grated cheese.

Serves 4 to 6

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This Italian pasta recipe contains a very rich and satisfying combination of ingredients. A word of warning to all you Pasta lovers – keep the portions small! Mangiare!!

Ingredients:

1 cup whole milk ricotta cheese
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano cheese
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 large cloves garlic
1 cup chopped walnuts
3 tbsp minced fresh basil
1 lb linguine
Salt
Freshly grated Parmiginao cheese (for serving)

Preparation:

1 – In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, heavy cream and Parmigiano cheese. Mix well with a fork and set aside.

2 – In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat until haze forms, then add 2 tbsp butter. Saute garlic, stirring constantly. Discard with a slotted spoon. Add walnuts, turn heat to low and saute, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute. Stir in the basil and mix well; remove from heat.

3 – Cook pasta in 6 quarts boiling water with 1 tbsp salt until al dente. Drain in a colander, transfer to a bowl containing 1 tbsp butter and toss quickly. Toss all the cheese mixture and half of the walnut-basil mixture with pasta. Spoon remaining walnut-basil mixture on top and serve with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.

Serves 6 to 8

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Frozen lobster tails tend to be rather tough when cooked too long. The timing given in this Italian recipe is for 6 oz. tails. If you are using smaller lobster tails, reduce cooking time to 1 minute. When slicing, the lobster meat should still be slightly raw in the center. The addition of sun-dried tomatoes will give this Northern Italian recipe sauce a very pale pink appearance. If using tomato paste, your sauce will be a deeper pink. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 frozen lobster tails (6 oz. each; 1 1/2 lbs total weight), defrosted and well drained
1 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
Salt
Freshly milled black pepper
1 tbsp minced sun-dried tomatoes, well drained or 1 tbsp tomato paste
2 medium zucchini
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup thinly sliced scallions
1 lb fettucine
2 tsp vegetable or olive oil
1 tbsp minced parsley leaves
Freshly grated Parmigiano cheese

Preparation:

1 – In a 6-quart pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add lobster tails, cover pot and bring to a boil. As soon as water returns to a boil, uncover and cook just until the tails start to curl and turn pink, about 2 minutes. Using tongs, transfer tails to a colander and quickly rinse under cold water. With a pair of kitchen shears, snip shell lengthwise along the underside and top side of tail. Remove the tail meat and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Set aside.

2 – In a 2 1/2-quart saucepan, melt 1 1/2 tbsp butter over low heat. When butter begins to froth, add the flour. Mix well with a wire whisk and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until lightly golden. Add milk, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper; turn heat to low. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, for about 2 minutes. Add minced dried tomatoes or tomato paste and cook, for another 30 seconds. Cover pan and set tomato bechamel sauce aside.

3 – Scrub zucchini well and blot dry with paper towel. Trim ends and cut into 1 1/2-inch lengths. Halve each piece lengthwise and slice into 1/4-inch strips.

4 – In a 12-inch skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter over low heat. Add scallions, turn heat to medium and saute, stirring constantly, until tender-crisp, for about 1 minute. Add zucchini and saute, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Add lobster meat and cook, stirring constantly, for another minute. Season with 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Stir in tomato bechamel sauce and mix well. Turn heat to low and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute.

5 – Cook pasta in 6 quarts boiling water with 1 tbsp salt and 2 tsp oil until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander, transfer to a bowl containing 1 tbsp butter and toss quickly. Add half of the lobster sauce to pasta and toss well. Spoon remaining sauce on top of pasta and garnish with minced parsley. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano cheese.

Serves 4 to 6

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A northern Italian favorite! Make the sauce just before you cook the pasta. If it is made too far in advance, the oils from the cheese will separate and rise to the top of the pot, and you will have to cook it again to blend. Enjoy this easy Italian recipe with family and friends!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unslated butter
4 oz. ricotta cheese
4 oz. Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
4 oz. Fontina cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup freshly grated Asiago or Parmigiano cheese
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp freshly milled white pepper
1 lb. fusilli (twists)
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp minced Italian parsley leaves

Preparation:

1 – Melt 1/2 cup butter in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over low heat. Add ricotta cheese, Gorgonzola and Fontina cheese and stir constantly with a wire whisk until melted. Stir in the Asiago or Parmigiano cheese, cream and pepper. Cook, whisking constantly, until all the cheeses are completely blended. Remove from heat and set aside.

2 – Cook pasta in 6 quarts boiling water with 1 tbsp salt until al dente. Drain pasta in a colander, transfer to a bowl containing 1 tbsp softened butter and toss quickly. Toss with half of the sauce and toss again with remaining sauce. Garnish with minced parsley and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

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This fabulous Italian seafood recipe is prepared with a minimum of fuss and savored by fish lovers!

Ingredients:

3 lbs cod fillets, 1 1/2 inches thick
6 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, cut into 1/2 inch slices
5 large celery ribs, cut into 2-inch lengths
3 large Idaho potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
4 large leeks, trimmed, halved lengthwise and thoroughly washed
1/2 cup jumbo Greek-style green olives (about 10), pitted and quartered
2 tbsp dark raisins
2 tbsp pine nuts (pignoli)
1/4 cup water

Preparation:

1 – Rinse fillets with cold water and blot dry with paper towel. Cut fillets into 3-inch strips. Set aside.

2 – Drizzle 4 tbsp olive oil in bottom of 6-quart Dutch oven. Place onion in a single layer in pan. Arrange celery in a single layer on top of onion. Place sliced potatoes on top and sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper. Arrange leeks in a single layer over potatoes. Place cod fillets in a single layer on top of leeks. Sprinkle olives between pieces of fish. Scatter raisins and pine nuts on top of fish and season with remaining salt and pepper. Drizzle remaining 2 tbsp olive oil over fish and add water.

3 – Cover pan and cook over medium-low heat, basting frequently with cooking liquid, until potatoes are cooked, about 30 to 40 minutes. Check cooking liquid frequently; if needed add a few more tbsp of water to keep mixture moist.

4 – To serve, use 2 large serving spoons to carefully lift each portion into individual bowls. Spoon a little of the pan juices on top and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6

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