Basil

An all-purpose red sauce that's ideal for pasta and meatballs, lasagna, cannelloni, etc.

(PALOMBO CON PESTO TRAPANESE) Here shark and pesto are teamed up in a great entrée. Offer it with the excellent dry white wine, Nozze d'Oro from Regaleali, the star of the Sicilian wine industry.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Borekas -savory pastries made of phyllo dough- are part of the culinary heritage of Israeli Jews of Turkish and Bulgarian backgrounds. Falafel is the most popular street food in Israel, but borekas run a close second. This sophisticated version of the dish makes a delicious appetizer.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less. Since the tomatoes in the sauce are cooked just briefly, this dish is a breeze to make.

Throughout World War II, everyone who had even a little plot of land was encouraged to grow a vegetable garden. Back then, this comforting soup would most frequently be made from water and contain no chicken, which was a Sunday treat. For convenience, you can skip the first part of this recipe and use six cups of stock or canned broth and omit the chicken altogether. But if you want to make the stock from scratch, be sure to do so a day ahead.

To round out the menu, offer a tossed green salad and uncork a Chianti to go with this delicious pasta dish. Sharpen your chopping and mincing skills with our technique video.

Serve with grilled chicken or fish. Also great with light goat cheese and French bread as an appetizer.

Serve this with the Mushroom Flatbreads or on its own.

This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less but requires additional sitting time. This butter is excellent on grilled or broiled chicken, meat, or fish or tossed with cooked vegetables.

For a more colorful presentation of this down-home dip, we reserved some bacon, bell pepper, scallions, and basil for garnish. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This Italian-style stew — called cioppino — makes a hearty supper. Serve it with a green salad, garlic bread and a crisp white wine.

This version of the French classic has only raw vegetables.