5 Ingredients or Fewer

A traditional carbonara sauce is typically made with bacon, eggs, and cheese. We’ve added a little half-and-half for a more silky texture.

Lemon slices help keep the fish fillets moist during cooking. For a simple sauce, we combined lemon juice, white wine, and butter.

Sautéed Bok Choy and Broccoli (page 249) and a big bowl of white rice are all you need to accompany these tasty—and remarkably easy—fish steaks.

Try these flavorful chops with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes (page 247), Roasted Pears and Sweet Potatoes (page 249), or Roasted Fennel (page 247).

There’s no need to fry in a lot of oil to get a crisp breadcrumb crust. Before baking, moisten the crumbs with a little oil; coat the pork, chicken, or fish, and bake until golden.

The combination of fennel, citrus, and parsley makes this Italian-style salad an ideal palate cleanser. It tastes particularly refreshing in winter, when salad greens are often scarce.

Amaretti are crunchy Italian macaroons made from almond paste, sugar, and egg whites. You can substitute any crispy cookie.

Here’s a delightful take on the grilled sandwich. Because of the challah and the addition of eggs, butter, and milk, this dessert is richer than most, so it’s best served after a light meal.