Pasta

Active time: 1 hr. Start to finish: 1 hr.

A bagged lettuce mix with "Mediterranean" greens would go nicely here when tossed with red wine vinaigrette and served with ciabatta bread. End with pears and a plate of bittersweet chocolate-nut toffee.

Warm pita bread would make a delicious accompaniment to this dish.

Grilled zucchini adds extra flavor and texture to this light and pretty main course.

Full-flavored and hearty, this classic pasta dish with bacon and tomato sauce is always a hit. Top it with plenty of grated Parmesan cheese.

Noodles enriched with the deep golden yolks of farm-raised chickens were a frequent starch on heartland tables. Modern cooks may not have the time to put together noodles from scratch, but when glossed with a Swedish-style, caraway-scented butter, even commercial pasta makes a fine accompaniment to the menu's main dish.

This dish has wonderful smoky flavors and just a touch of sweetness. Using oven-ready lasagna noodles simplifies the preparation.

For some time I had been thinking: How can I pare down a classic meat sauce for those occasions when I have neither the time to make nor the voracity to consume a full-scale ragù? The sauce below is the answer I came up with. I replaced beef with veal; eliminated the milk, the wine, the carrot, and the celery; and reduced the cooking time from several hours to half of one. It is as easy to take as it is to do. Is it a favorite dish? Sure — it is my favorite simple meat sauce. Suggested pasta: The ideal carrier for this simple meat sauce is a homemade noodle, in particular one scented with rosemary and sage, cut into fettuccine or tonnarelli.  Boxed dry pasta in a short tubular shape such as penne or maccheroncini  can be a satisfactory alternative.

Crisp baby radishes, blanched snow peas and mini rice cakes make a light starter. The salad tastes even better with cold Asian beer to wash it down. For dessert, crumble coconut macaroons over orange sorbet. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Except for the Parmesan cheese, which is pretty much a requirement, this ultra-cheesy cousin of fettuccine Alfredo can be made with any number of four-cheese combinations.

A U-shaped peeler with a horizontal blade (available at most supermarkets) makes peeling the squash easier. Here it’s okay to pulse the parsley in a food processor rather than chop it by hand, but pat it dry with paper towels first.

This pesto, from Trapani, in Sicily, is made with almonds and tomato and far less basil than traditional pesto — don't expect it to be green.

An easy no-bake lasagna.