Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Ricotta Gnudi

When I had Chef April Bloomfield's ricotta gnudi in New York at the James Beard Awards, and I had to recreate them, only with my own twist: A sauce of ramps and fresh porcini I found in the High Sierra.

Mushrooms

Mushroom Tortellini

When life gives you mushrooms, make tortellini out of them. I love these little packets of love, and making them with morels is especially lovely.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Spring Ramp Risotto

It should be obvious by now how much I love spring onions in all their forms. This light, lovely Italian rice dish highlights whatever wild or store-bought green onion you have on hand, spiked with fresh spring green herbs.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Spaghetti with Anchovies

A recipe for spaghetti with anchovies, a take on the classic pasta con le sarde from Sardinia and Sicily. Any small fish works, though.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Italian Ricotta Spinach Dumplings

Called strangolapreti -- "priest stranglers" -- in Italian, these dumplings made with breadcrumbs, cheese and a green thing (spinach, amaranth, chard, etc) are easy to make and are a great vegetarian main course or side dish for something meatier.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Fresh Pea Gnocchi

This is about as springtime as it gets. Fresh garden peas, served with light-as-air gnocchi made with pea puree, tied together with a little butter and cheese. Just a lovely light supper.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

The Ultimate Pasta Book Library

I've been making pasta, mostly at home, but sometimes in restaurants, for more than 25 years. Over that time I've read a great many books on making pasta, and some of the best are very recent. Here are the best - the ones you will want to own if you want to make pasta at home.

Recipe

Rabbit with Morels and Gnocchi

Spring is in full swing here in California, and it's not far off in the rest of the country. This recipe brings together several of my favorite spring ingredients: Rabbit, morel mushrooms and nettles, all in a lovely, Italian-inspired dish.

Italian

Classic Duck Ragu

This is an Italian classic, sugo d'anatra, or duck ragu. It's a meaty pasta sauce that uses slow-cooked duck legs or wings for the meat, and is damn good with any pasta or polenta, but especially good with pumpkin-ricotta gnocchi.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Tortellini in Brodo

As excited I was about roasting a seriously good chicken the other day, I might have been even more stoked for the leftovers, which became this Tuscan classic: tortellini en brodo, little dumplings filled with leftover chicken and cheese, served in a clear chicken broth.