Cherry Tomato

A technique I have always liked, when preparing vegetables for a pasta dish, is to toss them in the pot with the pasta as it boils. Depending on which takes longer, I put the vegetable in first and then add the pasta, or vice versa. Either way, I believe this maximizes the flavor and nutritional value of the vegetables, and I know the pasta absorbs some of the vegetable flavor as they cook in the same water. I was glad to see this technique used frequently in preparing pasta dishes in Calabria, like this one, where orecchiette and arugula are cooked in the pot together before they are tossed with the other dressing vegetables, favas, and cherry tomatoes. Great to make in spring when fresh favas are in the market.

The deep flavor and delightfully varied textures of this pasta dressing develop in the oven, where you bake the cherry tomatoes coated with bread crumbs just before you toss them with pasta. Roasting them this way intensifies their flavor, and the bread crumbs become crunchy. It is a lovely dish to make when sweet cherry tomatoes are in season, but it is also good with the lesser cherry-tomato varieties you get in winter; these can be used successfully here because of the concentration of taste and texture during baking. This dressing is suitable for almost any pasta, but I particularly like it with spaghetti, gemelli, or penne. Because the tomatoes are at their best as soon as they come out of the oven, the dressing and pasta should be cooked simultaneously, and I have written the recipe to ensure that you will have your pasta and baked tomatoes ready for each other at the same time.

Here's a quiche recipe that goes wheat free without skimping on flavor. We call for broccoli and Cheddar cheese, but you can trade out the broccoli for asparagus tips or halved cherry tomatoes and the Cheddar for Gruyère, Swiss, or Comté.

Pound the pork into superthin cutlets to get the best crust-to-meat ratio. Make extra for a next-day sandwich.

Our favorite Bloody Mary fixings make a juicy accompaniment for grilled flank steak. The salad tastes better if prepared a few hours ahead.

The key to this sauté: Cook the tomatoes with the bits of chicken left over after you've seared it in the pan. When the tomatoes burst, swirl in the remaining marjoram butter to finish the pan sauce.

Briny shellfish give this quick bouillabaisse its depth of flavor. Basil rouille (a garlicky Provençal mayonnaise) adds vibrancy.

Sesame oil and rice vinegar spin the caprese eastward.

Roll or stretch the dough as thin as possible to get a classic thin and crispy crust.

A hearty Italian bread salad serves up good-for-you omega-3 fatty acids (thank you, salmon!) along with vitamin C–rich green beans.

Not all cream sauces are super-rich. This pasta gets its creamy sauce from a combination of part-skim ricotta and pasta water, which come together to make a really easy, lighter cream sauce. Don’t leave out the lemon zest; it brightens the flavor and adds a wonderful lemony aroma as well.

The French like to cook using small amounts of intensely flavored ingredients, such as balsamic vinegar and goat cheese.

The sweetness of the tomatoes and the fennel is balanced by the savory, starchy beans.

These are delicious as part of an appetizer plate, or as a Martini garnish.

Olivada, an Italian olive spread, adds flavor and color to this side dish.

Accompany this salad version of a BLT sandwich with grilled bread.

Halloumi, a firm, mild cheese from Cyprus, is sold at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores, natural foods stores, and Greek markets.