Pasta recipes

Spanish empanadillas stuffed with wine-braised rabbit, fennel and olives, folded into a thyme-scented dough and baked golden. Savory little hand pies for tapas or a Mediterranean spread.

Grilled portobello mushrooms with mango chutney: meaty caps marinated in vinegar, miso, and soy, then crosshatch-grilled and plated on arugula with a fresh diced mango-jalapeño-pepper relish.

Baked barbecued oysters in a tangy sauce of tomato paste, chili sauce, horseradish, and Worcestershire, topped with cracker crumbs. A retro seafood appetizer.

Individual cheese and tomato souffles made with Swiss, Parmesan, tomato paste, and a splash of dry sherry. Puffy, golden, and served straight from the ramekin.

A buttery almond frangipane filling baked in a flaky shell, topped with fresh raspberries and mandarin segments in a striking yin-yang pattern. Brushed with passion fruit glaze for a show-stopping finish.

Slow cooker barbecue beef shredded with a wire whisk after 8 hours on high. Chuck roast cooks in a tangy sauce of tomato paste, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and dry mustard.

Slow cooker vegetable stroganoff with mushrooms, broccoli, and carrots in a creamy yogurt-sour cream sauce over egg noodles. Set it and forget it for 4 hours.

Green beans, carrots, and potatoes simmered in a spicy berbere and niter kebbeh sauce with tomatoes. This hearty Ethiopian vegetable w'et is vegetarian comfort food meant for scooping with injera.

Big-batch homemade salsa with fresh tomatoes, green peppers, jalapenos, green chilis, and cayenne pepper. Makes 7 quarts for canning with a water bath method. Stock your pantry for the year.

Tom's Oysters Rockefeller: oysters baked under a rich green sauce of pureed spinach, scallion, celery, and parsley, seasoned with anchovy, anise, and Tabasco. The classic New Orleans baked oyster, done right.

Classic French ratatouille with eggplant, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes and fresh herbs. A vegan Provençal stew that freezes beautifully in meal-sized portions.

Massaman curry paste: a homemade Thai-Muslim spice blend of dried chiles, lemongrass, galangal, shallots, and warm Indian-influenced spices. The flavor base for the country's most aromatic curry.

Elegant baked monkfish and shrimp in individual ramekins with a curried saffron cream custard. A stunning starter or light lunch for two when doubled up. Serves 4.

Peach jambalaya: Louisiana-style jambalaya with shrimp, ham, smoked sausage, and unexpected fresh peach slices. Sweet-spicy fusion served over rice for four.

Italian spaghetti sauce with three meats: beef, pork, and chicken simmered in tomato paste and Italian tomatoes with meatballs. A slow-cooked Sunday gravy that freezes well.

Eggplant di Carnevalle layers crispy breaded eggplant with ricotta-spinach filling, tomato sauce, and melted mozzarella. A hearty Italian bake that's part eggplant parm, part lasagna.