Pasta/6 recipes

Italian rabbit skewers from the Molise region: boneless rabbit wrapped in Parma ham with sausages and sage, grilled or oven-roasted. A rustic showpiece.

Cold sesame peanut noodle salad with chicken, bean sprouts, scallions, and red pepper, tossed in a garlicky peanut butter-soy dressing. Asian-inspired pasta salad served chilled over crisp lettuce.

Rustic Italian spaghetti from the Ciociaria region with plum tomatoes, sweet peppers, oil-cured olives, and Romano cheese. A bold, no-meat pasta that's ready in under an hour.

Pasta with asparagus, an aglio e olio-style dish with five cloves of garlic, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, fresh asparagus, and Parmesan over mostaccioli. Light, garlicky, ready in 40 minutes.

Cajun-style fish seared in a fiery pecan butter sauce with three kinds of pepper, garlic, and hot sauce. Inspired by K-Paul's in New Orleans, this works best with firm fish like swordfish, tuna, or sturgeon.

Chunks of lobster meat sauteed in butter, peppers, garlic and onions served over bowtie pasta.

Mexitalian lasagna layered with hot Italian sausage, chili, picante sauce, cottage cheese, and mozzarella. A bold Mexican-Italian fusion comfort food bake.

Mix-and-match meatballs you build your way, choosing the meat, broth, herb, and creamy finish. Baked, then simmered in a mushroom gravy enriched with sour cream, yogurt, or cream cheese, served over noodles, rice, or spaetzle.

Stovetop chicken lasagna layered with ground chicken, cottage cheese, egg noodles, and crushed tomatoes in one skillet. All the lasagna flavor without the oven or the wait.

Vegetarian chunky tomato pasta sauce loaded with mushrooms, celery, and bell pepper, simmered with fresh tomatoes and herbs. Oil-free option available. Ready in under an hour.

Classic three-cheese lasagna layered with ricotta, mozzarella, and Parmigiano-Reggiano. The old-world method: thirds of everything, three layers deep, parmesan crust on top.

Lean chicken tetrazzini using melted cottage cheese instead of cream sauce, with spaghetti, mushrooms, dry sherry, and a Parmesan breadcrumb topping. Lower fat, full flavor.

Old-school Italian tomato sauce simmered with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and basil, then strained smooth through a food mill. The Sunday-gravy base every cook should know.

Vegan Sicilian lentil pasta sauce simmered with mushrooms, garlic, tomato sauce, and tomato paste. Low-fat, high-protein, and hearty enough to replace any meat sauce over pasta or rice.

Classic Italian-American lasagna with hot Italian sausage, a carrot-and-celery-studded tomato sauce, creamy ricotta filling, and stretchy mozzarella. A peppery weeknight crowd-pleaser.

Lemon turkey stir-fry and pasta: marinated turkey cutlets sauteed with slivered lemon, garlic, scallions, and fresh spinach, tossed over spaghetti. Bright, zesty, and faster than ordering in.