Dairy

Cream cheese enhances the texture of the custard in this tart. To create the pretty wave pattern, use an icing comb, available in cookware stores. Begin making the dessert a day ahead.

Cream cheese was added to the ricotta for this smooth, luscious dessert. But if you can find fresh ricotta, which is less grainy than some of the commercial types, use it and omit the cream cheese.

Aam Lassi I guarantee that even if you think you don't like yogurt you will love this shake. Combined with mangoes and blended until frothy, lassi is always refreshing, not just at mealtime. The bubbly froth subsides when lassi stands awhile, so whip it again in the blender or whisk it just before serving.

Fresh horseradish can have very intense flavor and heat, which is why we start with a small amount — taste the sauce and add more only if desired.

This recipe is an adaptation of a rolled omelet from Gostilna Devetak, a trattoria in Friuli, Italy, which we featured in our October 1997 issue.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Nourishing and quick to make, this one-pot meal is perfect for a workday supper. Make the tomato soup ahead, then reheat it and poach the eggs just before serving. For this dish, I like to use medium eggs or, for an even more special touch, quail eggs if I can get them.

See how to <epi:recipelink id="">devein shrimp</epi:recipelink>.

You’ll need to purchase a 1-pound package of frozen pizza dough, even though only a quarter of that is called for here. Refreeze the remainder for another use.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

An interesting mix of spices lends wonderful flavor to this simple pasta dish — known as pastitsada — from Tavern Tripa.

These potatoes, oven-crisped on the outside and tender inside, go especially well with red meat.