Italian

Slice this delicious Italian-style roast pork thickly and serve with creamy mashed potato and salad for a delicious special occasion family meal.

Although it was the Greeks who first brought honey to Sicily (along with wine and olives), the Saracens are credited with introducing agrodolce (sweet and sour flavours). They also brought citrus fruits and eggplants, which Sicily is famous for, and spices.

These crunchy Italian biscuits are irresistible with a cup of strong espresso.

We've detailed how to clean and prepare the calamari below; it's easier than you think! Remember that calamari cooks incredibly quickly; it's important not to overcook it because it will become tough and chewy, ruining the delicate nature of this tasty dish.

Use a mandoline or V-slicer to slice zucchini, if available. Note

Try this veal topped with tasty cheese and mushrooms as a change from the usual lamb, beef or chicken. You won't be disappointed.

To make the classic quattro stagione(Italian for `four seasons’) pizza, keep theolives, ham, mushrooms and artichokes onseparate quarters of the pizzas. Note

Looking for other pasta recipes? Take a look at more of our incredibly creamy pasta recipes. Discard the stems from the shiitake mushrooms before slicing as they are too tough to eat. If you like, replace the shiitakes with the same quantity of either button or swiss brown mushrooms. You could also add a handful […]

A hearty and healthy classic minestrone complete with carrot, zucchini, pasta and ham hock.

A healthy and delicious twist on the classic minestrone stew of Italian origin.

This prosciutto and pea gratin is like a gourmet macaroni cheese and is bound to be a hit with all the family.

Fresh and peppery, this simple spaghetti is lifted above the ordinary by the use of lemon-infused oil.

Zucchini is an incredibly versatile vegetable that can be used in all sorts of soups and stews and vegetable platters. Here, we've grilled it lightly and tossed it through a pasta salad. Just a little lemon juice, zest and ricotta completes this fresh and colourful dish.

Soft and tender braised duck ragu with pappardelle from Australian Women's Weekly,

Dipped in melted chocolate, these crunchy biscuits taste excellent with a cup of hot coffee.

Radicchio originated in Italy and is a member of the chicory family. The leaves are dark burgundy in colour and have a strong bitter flavour which makes radicchio a worthy partner to the blue cheese in this dish.

Chinese chilli paste can be substituted for sichuan hot bean paste, if unavailable. Note

Pizza cheese is a commercial blend of grated mozzarella, cheddar and parmesan cheeses. Pre-packaged pizza bases come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses, all you need are your favourite pizza toppings.The base we used comes with a prepared layer of tomato sauce. Note

Tender and flavoursome braised borlotti beans with tomato and garlic from Australian Women's Weekly.

Whiting with pine nuts, currants and tuscan cabbage from Australian Women's Weekly.

Bucatini, a thick spaghetti-like pasta with holes through the centre, with a spicy lamb sauce.

A cousin of the Sicilian arancini, these Roman fried rice balls are filled with melted mozzarella.

A spicy and light pasta dish with wide ribbons of pappardelle, the sweet and robust flavour of capsicum and finished with creamy ricotta; a perfect vegetarian family meal. Serve with crusty garlic bread.

You can replace the fish with pan-fried chicken schnitzel, if you like. Note

Rich with capsicum, tomato and anchovies, this simple pasta is a great go-to recipe when you need dinner in a hurry.

A classic Italian dish of veal braciole with rice and peas from Australian Women's Weekly.

This delicious grilled pork dish is complimented brilliantly by this fragrant Spanish style caponata. Make this for your family for dinner and they'll be asking for more!

Combine all of the best jewels of the sea in this hearty Italian stew. Serve with loads of crusty buttered bread to mop up all of those delicious juices.

Dish up this classic kids' favourite for dinner and watch them devour it. Spaghetti and meatballs is well loved for good reason.

Try this mouth-watering cheat's ravioli made with wonton wrappers.

Frozen peas can be thawed and substituted for fresh peas, add them to the pasta just before draining it. You need approximately 600g fresh peas for this recipe. Note

The Weekly's Top 10 cakes — Number 7

Baked chicken and mushroom pasta

For a slightly richer colour and flavour, brown the beef in a little oil in a frying pan before adding it to the slow cooker. Note

A barbecued chicken weighing about 800g (1½ pounds) should give you 2 cups of shredded chicken meat. Note

To save time, ask the butcher to slice the beef. Note

You can use any vegetable or cheese filled ravioli or tortellini if you prefer. You can use salami or pancetta instead of the pepperoni. Note

Chicken option; cook single chicken breast fillets in lightly oiled non-stick through non-vegetarians’ portions. Note

Try this sticky Italian christmas classic with a chocolate and orange twist.

A crostata is a type of rustic Italian free-form tart, the beauty of which is that it requires no special pan for baking.

Sprinkle over grated parmesan cheese, to serve. Note

Plain biscuits will keep in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Sandwiched biscuits will keep, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 1 week. These bite-size biscuits hail from Piedmont in Italy, a region famed for the combination of chocolate and hazelnuts. Ground nuts lose their flavour quickly so, for a more […]

No antipasto plate is complete without a serving of bruschetta. This tomato version may look simple, but the addition of fresh herbs and mozzarella take this classic dish to new heights.

The stem of the zucchini is the baby zucchini attached to its flower. Note

Spinach and ricotta filling can be prepared several hours ahead. Keep covered in the refrigerator. Fill bread, roll up and bake as required. Note

Seafood marinara mix is widely available and very convenient, although you could experiment with all of your favourite seafood morsels.

Keep healthy and satisfied with this wholemeal spaghetti with green lentils, mushrooms and parsley butter.

Also known as capelli d’angelo, angel hair is sold as small, circular nests of very fine, delicate pasta strands; its cooking time is minimal because of its extremely thin nature.

Create this rich and luxurious veal parmesan with minimal effort. We show you the quick way with this delicious recipe.

Take this Tuscan salad to work for lunch. Keep the bread at room temperature and salad in the fridge.

Freeze any remaining casserole, covered, for up to 3 months. Note

Ahh, biscotti. It's really a biscuit for grown ups. We've given it a little facelift here, and added some coffee flavour and toasted hazelnuts; hide from the kids and enjoy with your afternoon cuppa.

Recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

A traditional Sunday lunch for many Italian families - this ragu is a flavour-filled delight.

We used semi-dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes, grilled eggplant and red capsicum for the antipasto mix; however, any combination of vegetables can be used. Note

This gnocchi dough is very soft, so you’ll need an extra ½ cup of plain (all-purpose) flour for the board when kneading and rolling to prevent it from sticking. Note

The pancetta, stock and olives are already quite salty, so you should not need to add extra salt to this dish. Note

Ossobuco is a Milanese speciality of veal shanks braised with vegetables and white wine topped with a polenta crust.

Turkish bread is also called pide by some bakers and in some supermarkets. It is also available in individual rounds. Note

This is a quick and easy rendition of a traditional Sicilian involtini, slow-cooked meat rolls filled with vegetables served in a rich tomato sauce.

Use a large round deep frying pan, instead of a square one, with a base measurement of 28cm (11¼ inches) and a domed lid; cover the handle with aluminium foil to protect it from the heat of the grill. You could use a large flameproof baking dish (about 3-litres/12-cups) instead of the frying pan, if […]

Risotto is an easy, one pan dish which will warm up the whole family on those chilly winter nights.

Hazelnuts can be substituted for walnuts in this recipe, and, if you have hazelnut or walnut oil on hand, use one of these, rather than the olive oil. Not suitable to freeze. Not suitable to microwave. Note

Do not add any salt to the cottage-cheese mixture as this will cause the filling to become too wet. Buy zucchini just large enough to make 5-inch-long strips once trimmed and sliced. Note

If you know your way around a frying pan, you can quickly make the dressing for this pasta while the pasta cooks and produce a meal in less than 15 minutes. Alternatively, get everything ready for the dressing and start frying the crumbs the minute you put the pasta in the pot.

SERVING SUGGESTION Mixed green salad. You can replace the ricotta mixture with a store-bought béchamel or cheesy white sauce. Note

To peel tomatoes, slice a cross in the bottom of each tomato, then place in a large bowl of boiling water for 1 minute, drain. Rinse under cold water, peel. Note

A truly Italian pasta bake of chicken and broad bean rigatoni.