Pasta recipes

Scandinavian-style meatball cakes made from ground veal and pork with cream and eggs, served alongside beer rice cooked in French onion soup. A hearty, pub-inspired dinner.

Nothing is more fascinating and delicious than eating at the open- air street hawker centers in Asia, particularly in Singapore. Each stall serves a specialty, typically an honest, unpretentious, home-style dish for $1 to $3 a plate. This rice noodle dish is hawker food at its best. If done right, its fragrance will tell you how good it's going to be as soon as it arrives at your table.

Mee Krob: Thai crisp-fried rice noodles tossed in a sweet-sour-salty sauce with pork, chicken, or shrimp, topped with lacy fried egg nets. Crunchy, tangy, showstopping.

Noodle and mushroom souffle layered with ground beef, leeks, tomatoes, and melted cheese, then set with an egg-cream custard. Hearty German-style nudelauflauf for a family dinner.

Spinach ricotta gnocchi (gnudi): pillowy Italian dumplings made without potatoes. Just ricotta, spinach, parmesan, and a touch of breadcrumb. Poached gently and dressed with butter or tomato sauce.

Homemade Purim ravioli with a tender spinach and chicken filling, sealed between paper-thin sheets of pasta and boiled, then served with marinara or meat sauce. An Italian-Jewish holiday labor of love.

Les oreilles de cochon are Cajun pig's ear pastries, fried thin dough drizzled with cane syrup. A Louisiana French Acadian holiday tradition served warm. Crisp, sweet, irregular shape.

Yeasted waffles with a lemon-scented buttery batter, cooked golden and crisp, then sandwiched with piped sweetened whipped cream. European-style brunch elegance.

Vegetarian cheese lasagna with cottage cheese, mozzarella, Parmesan, and a vegetable tomato sauce made with whole wheat noodles. A lighter, diabetic-friendly take on classic lasagna.

Bacon and chicken carbonara sauce loaded with crispy pork, tender chicken thighs, and velvety Parmesan cream. Toss with pasta or pour over zucchini noodles for low-carb magic.

Handmade tortelloni stuffed with acorn squash, escarole, ham, and ricotta, finished in a buttery pecorino-tomato cream sauce. An Italian masterclass worth every minute.

Crispy breaded veal cutlets pan-fried golden, layered with marinara, Parmigiano, and melted mozzarella. A classic Italian-American main in 40 minutes.

Mee Krob (Thai crisp fried noodles) loaded with pork, chicken, and shrimp, bean sprouts, and a sweet-sour-salty sauce. A crunchy one-wok showstopper from Thailand.

Classic French herb sauce with shallots, mushrooms, white wine, tarragon, chives, and parsley in a buttery roux base. A versatile sauce for meat, poultry, eggs, or pasta.

Classic veal parmigiana with double-dipped, breadcrumb-crusted cutlets fried crisp and baked under marinara and bubbly mozzarella. Works with chicken, turkey, or fish too. Ready in 40 minutes.

Mexican spaghetti pie with a Parmesan-egg pasta crust topped with chili-spiced ground beef, kidney beans, cheese, olives, and crushed tortilla chips. A Tex-Mex casserole mashup.