2,500 italianne recipes

Pasta alla checca, a Roman no-cook summer pasta sauce of ripe tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, fresh basil, and garlic steeped in olive oil for hours. No stove needed for the sauce.

Chicago-style deep-dish pizza crust, Part 1: a cornmeal-laced yeast dough shaped with high walls and parbaked for 4 minutes. The foundation of authentic Chicago deep-dish at home.

Broiler-roasted tomato salsa with charred Roma tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, and onion pureed smooth. A smoky, deeply flavored Mexican salsa that freezes well for weeks.

Spinach and cheese stuffed portobellos roast meaty mushroom caps, then fill them with a ricotta, spinach, parmesan and kalamata filling over marinara. A low-carb, vegetarian main that eats like lasagna.

New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp baked in the shell in a buttery, garlicky sauce with lemon, Worcestershire, and cayenne. Grab some crusty French bread for dipping because that sauce is the whole point.

Chicken and spinach stuffed shells pulverize cooked chicken breast with Italian seasoning, fennel, and spinach into a savory paste, then bake inside jumbo pasta shells under your favorite sauce.

Avocado tomato and mushroom salad fans buttery avocado and ripe Roma slices on a plate, then crowns them with warm shiitake sautéed in garlic, shallot, and red wine vinegar. Hot-cold contrast salad ready in 20 minutes.

Sausage skillet: simmered Italian sausage, red potatoes, onions, and bell peppers in one pan. Hearty four-ingredient weeknight dinner that comes together in under 45 minutes.

A crisp, no-cook relish of diced cucumber, Roma tomatoes, pimientos, and scallions dressed with warm honey and apple cider vinegar. Ten minutes from cutting board to table.

Grilled flank steak marinated in lemon and garlic, served with grilled zucchini, fresh basil tomatoes, and toasted Italian bread. A complete summer meal off the grill.

Cajun shrimp stew simmered with crushed tomatoes, red wine, bell peppers, filé seasoning, and thyme. Served over rice with a squeeze of fresh lemon. Ready in 40 minutes.

Larry's crispy potatoes: oven-roasted cubes tossed in green onions, Italian seasoning, and Hungarian paprika. A low-fat crispy potato recipe made with stock instead of oil.

Flour-coated chicken breasts seared golden then simmered in crushed Italian plum tomatoes with mushrooms, green pepper, onion, garlic, oregano, and basil. Electric skillet cacciatore over spaghetti.

Hearty Italian lentil sausage soup with marjoram, crushed tomatoes, and the holy trinity of carrot, celery, and onion. Pantry-friendly weeknight comfort, ready in an hour.

Mostaccioli layered with Italian sausage tomato sauce, cottage cheese-marjoram mixture, and mozzarella. Baked pasta comfort in an hour.

Herbed beer bread with Parmesan, Italian herbs, and a cornmeal-dusted crust. No yeast, no kneading, just self-rising flour and a bottle of beer for a crusty loaf.