Gourmet

At the ranch, Lisa Ahier makes this salsa with and without avocado. At Gourmet, we liked it with.

This fruit leather makes a satisfying energy snack and is delicious in place of chutney on a sandwich (we loved it in a ham and cheese wrap). For an easy hors d'oeuvre, spread 4 tablespoons softened mild goat cheese onto an 8-inch square of leather. Sprinkle the cheese with 1 tablespoon chopped pistachios and tightly roll up leather into a log. Chill the log and slice it into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Though Rose Pascale always uses fresh octopus (sold as pulpo in many Latino markets), we found that it's generally sold frozen. You may need to special-order or reserve octopus from your local fish market several days ahead.

Stuffed pastas such as ravioli are simple to make, but it is important to keep the dough soft enough to be worked easily. Always roll out and fill 1 sheet of dough at a time, keeping the remaining dough wrapped in plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A classic Italian topping, gremolata is usually sprinkled over osso buco.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Malouines At the restaurant, these cookies are about the size of a dime. We found them much easier to work with, however, if we made them a little bigger.

Although traditional Italian polenta is simmered for nearly an hour, resulting in a very creamy consistency, for the following recipe we preferred the more rustic texture of this quickly cooked version.

Chinese chestnuts are quite common in the cuisine of northern China; they also appear in the food of Shanghai. These sweet meats, which are smaller than their European cousins, are used in many braised dishes and casseroles. Active time: 35 min Start to finish: 1 hr