Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Agretti

How to cook agretti, the Italian vegetable that also goes by monk's beard and is Salsola soda in Latin. Agretti is easy to grow, too.

Fish

Linguine with White Clam Sauce

As a Jersey boy, this classic Italian-American pasta dish was one of my favorites: Linguini with white clam sauce. Clams, herbs, olive oil and lotsa garlic!

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Pigeon, Dove or Duck Ragu

This is a long-simmered, intensely flavorful sauce for doves, pigeons, ducks, or sharp-tailed grouse.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Homemade Agnolotti

Italian agnolotti pasta filled with meat. What meat? Squirrel, in this case. Any light meat will work.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Pork Blood Pasta

Blutnudeln. Pasta al Sangue. Blood pasta. Yes, it is what you think. And I've been wanting to make this macabre pasta for a long time. It was worth the wait.

Pasta, Risotto, Gnocchi

Chanterelle Risotto

A rich, Italian risotto made with chanterelle mushrooms and sweet corn. Simple, yet elegant.

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.

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.