Italian

This clever pasta recipe uses sausages to create a hearty Italian ragout that's paired perfectly with fusilli pasta, rosemary and plenty of parmesan cheese

This easy spinach and chicken cannelloni recipe features homemade tomato sauce, creamy ricotta and fresh lasagne to create a wonderfully fresh, delectably cheesy cannelloni

This sausage, tomato and spinach bake is an easy dinner option that lets the oven do all the work

A thick sauce of tomatoes, garlic and capers anchors this dish of fish and sweet caramelised fennel. A light and simple fish recipe that's full of refined flavours

Orange blossom is a Persian favourite used to infuse desserts with a subtle perfume, while not adding any sweetness. It's a delicate accent to this Italian classic, and regularly features on the menu at Cazador

This Nici Wickes minestrone soup is a favourite for making a hearty, nourishing meal for the whole family for next to nothing. Who knew economical could taste so good?

In this delicious pasta recipe, penne is topped with caponata - a Sicilian specialty of eggplant, tomato, green olives and capers. Finish this wonderful vegetarian dish with plenty of parmesan

Acquaint yourself with summer's best cocktail thanks to this easy Aperol spritz recipe. Light and refreshing, you'll cool down instantly with this cocktail in hand

This traditional spaghetti alla puttanesca recipe is fast and easy, like the women this dish was apparently named for

This delicious roast chicken recipe is paired with panzanella - a Tuscan bread and tomato salad that features sweet onion in this recipe for a delicious twist

This freezer-friendly vegetable and ravioli soup is the perfect recipe to stash away for easy dinners when time just isn't up your sleeve. It's filled with chorizo, garlic and courgette for a nourishing and comforting meal

Nici Wickes' recipe for beef involtini hits the palate in all the right places – it’s herbaceous, sharp, meaty and salty. Try the brandy crème sauce over a tomato-based sauce – it's richer, better, and more yum!

This quick and easy Tuscan baked fish recipe combines classic Italian flavours like capers, white wine, tomatoes and basil to create a delicious dish that's perfect served with plenty of crusty bread

This chicken cannelloni recipe combines creamy ricotta, silky mashed pumpkin and earthy sage butter to create an easy yet flavourful weeknight meal

This minestrone soup recipe is packed with all the green veges you need to get you through the colder months. Topped with plenty of parmesan, this soup quick recipe makes a perfect vegetarian dinner

Nici Wickes shares her father's signature dish, osso bucco. This recipe for this classic Italian dish produces super tender beef shin and a glossy, rich sauce. A true winter favourite

These chewy, lemony biscuits are a fantastic treat on their own with a cup of tea. Sandwiching them together with mascarpone icing is just plain naughty, but is simply divine

The winning combo of pumpkin and ricotta come together sensationally in this cheesy vegetarian lasagne. Seasoned with nutmeg and sage, this recipe is packed with subtle flavours your family will love

Create your own cheesy stuffed crust pizza from scratch with this clever recipe. Packed with all your favourite toppings, this pizza is perfect for entertaining, sleep overs or a fun family dinner

Topped with oozy cheddar and parmesan, stacked with eggplant and finished with fresh basil, chicken parm doesn't get much better than this

Whipping up a creamy chicken pasta is easy with this clever recipe. Using only 5 ingredients and ready in just 15 minutes, this pasta is super simple while still managing to impress

Originating in northern Italy, Aperol spritz has become a popular Summer drink, making it an essential recipe to be included in Deborah Hutton's new book, Entertaining Made Easy. It's a great way to start a meal and whet the appetite.

These succulent nibbles can be served in smaller portions as a starter, or alongside a green salad as a main dish.

This delicious chicken, pea, sage and prosciutto risotto is the perfect midweek family meal

Each meatball has an oozy mozzarella centre and contains hidden goodness with silverbeet and fennel. Serve with chunky pasta and lots of grated parmesan!

This bbq chicken recipe is a must for your next al fresco lunch! Paired with a delicious chorizo, rocket and bean salad, try this easy dish for a fuss-free family meal

This hearty roasted tomato soup is brilliant served topped with crispy prosciutto and creamy bocconcini cheese for a flavour-packed family winter dinner dish.

This fresh yet flavoursome tuna and chilli pasta is quick and easy to make, making this the perfect midweek family meal

A warm creamy bolognese pasta salad with Australian Women's Weekly.

A creamy rigatoni pasta dish with ricotta, pancetta and parmesan that is rich and completely satisfying

This tiramisu recipe transforms your favourite Italian dessert into a delectable cake made for sharing. Add this easy tiramisu recipe to your repertoire and whip it up for any cake-worthy occasion

This vegetarian lasagne dish swaps mince for lots of chargrilled vegetables to create a comforting lasagne dish that's big enough to feed the whole family

Rich and creamy, this pesto pasta recipe is full of amazing Italian ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and parmesan to create a flavour-packed vegetarian pasta

This oven-baked recipe for risotto creates a tender, creamy risotto without all the stirring. Featuring prawn, leek, parmesan and dill, this makes a great no-fuss winter meal

Rosemary grilled peach and prosciutto salad

For so many people, tiramisu is simply irresistible when on a menu. This Italian favourite is an easy dessert to put together, so try it in your own kitchen. Just imagine, tiramisu anytime – now that’s dangerous!

This classic Italian minestrone soup recipe is a warming, economical meal for chilly winter nights. Serve with plenty of crusty bread and parmesan cheese

The classic combination of pumpkin and ricotta is re-invented with this crispy pumpkin ravioli recipe. Serve with a fresh tomato salad for an Italian dinner with a twist

This creamy baked semolina recipe goes perfectly as a side dish with any tomatoey Italian main, or makes a wonderful meal all on its own with the crunchy rocket, pear and walnut salad

Healthy and delicious, this fish recipe rolls all those amazing Sicilian flavours into one easy dish. Plus, it's ready from start to finish in just 30 minutes

This classic Italian recipe creates a wonderfully creamy and comforting risotto. Finished with dill, lemon and lashings of parmesan, this risotto recipe is a winner

This chicken cacciatore recipe is easy, hearty and sure to satisfy the whole family during the chilly winter months. Serve with plenty of ciabatta to soak up all those delicious Italian flavours

Nothing beats a creamy pasta for comfort food! Ready from start to finish in just 25 minutes, this creamy pasta recipe with bacon and parmesan makes for an easy and delicious dinner any night of the week

Masterchef's Tim Read's recipe for a show-stopping raspberry and pistachio semifreddo. It looks stunning, is big enough for a party but is as simple as a dessert comes

Salad can stay on the menu during the colder months with this comforting combination of quail, ricotta and apple. Ready in just 20 minutes, this gluten-free recipe is sure to be an autumn favourite

There’s something about single-serve crostatas – rustic Italian-style pies – that is so incredibly inviting. Not only is there no slicing required, but no sharing either! This is my go-to gluten-free pastry: crisp, buttery and just barely sweet. Recipe by Emma Galloway for Taste Magazine

This clever recipe really cuts down the carbs and uses nutrient-rich cauliflower as the pizza base, rather than heavy dough. A great gluten-free alternative

A leek and salmon fettuccine with lemon crumb that will ensure an appetising meal

This Milanese specialty slow braises veal into a tender, rich and comforting dish. Pair with handmade gnocchi for an impressive Italian feast

A lasagne with roast veg mixed in that is guaranteed to feed the entire family

Keep dinner time fuss-free with this simple cannelloni recipe. Featuring the perfect combination of mushroom, ricotta and spinach, this dish is a delicious vegetarian dinner option

Taste the flavours of Italy with this simple, fool-proof Penne napoletana recipe. Feta, olives and tomatoes combine perfectly for a pasta that's ready in just 15 minutes

This is a wonderful vegetarian recipe with cheesy balls served on sautéed zucchini and a side of Italian coleslaw, a steal at just $4.15 per serve

This delicious Italian-style prosciutto and tomato flatbread pizza is wonderfully indulgent, but is easy enough to enough as a quick weeknight dinner. The whole family will love tucking into this one.

Fior de latte is the traditional Italian name for cow's milk mozzarella. And this gorgeous recipe from The Australian Women's Weekly's Made From Scratch cookbook means you can make this creamy cheese yourself.

A classic bolognese sauce tastes great no matter how simple. Get that depth of flavour by cooking the sauce very gently until it's rich and fragrant. Serve with your favourite pasta and plenty of parmesan

Who doesn’t adore pasta? This creamy dish of wholesome whole-wheat linguine will definitely bring out your ‘inner Sophia Loren’. It is doused in a light, but decadent, creamy tomato sauce full of healthy baby spinach. You can easily serve it without chicken for a vegetarian alternative

Curious Croppers provided Luca Villari with the most amazing tomato varieties for this salad. He's used a mixture of ‘Spanish Red’, ‘Orange Blossom’, ‘White Doris’ and ‘Little Miss Sunshine’. If you ever get the chance to visit the Clevedon Farmers’ Market, stop by their stall and sample their fantastic selection of tomatoes; they also supply restaurants and Farro Fresh.

Luca Villari is a heat-seeking missile when it comes to sourcing top-notch produce.

Sfoglia di mozzarella is a very thin layer of mozzarella which looks similar to a pastry sheet. Stuff and roll it, then slice it up just before serving.

You can't go wrong with a rich and creamy semolina that not only looks crave-worthy but also tastes it too!

Why not save your money on getting pizza delivered to your doorstep when you can have it made within half an hour! This ham and pineapple pizza recipe is ready in under 30 minutes

A dish that is filled with different flavours of your favourite herbs, you can't go wrong with spaghetti bolognese

Nici Wickes' peach chutney recipe is simply sensational. This is delicious served with cold meats, cheese and crackers or even with a spicy Indian curry.

Soft Italian cheeses (ricotta, mascarpone, mozzarella) are simply irresistible to cook Nici Wickes! It’s fun to dabble in making them at home and while most require a certain degree of skill or equipment, ricotta is a cinch, she says

I very clearly remember the little restaurant in Venice where I first ate “pesce in saor” or marinated fish. I immediately fell in love with the sweet and sour combination of this dish. Served at room temperature, the fish, often sardines, are first pan-fried, then bathed in olive oil with sweet, cooked onions, raisins and pine nuts along with the vinegar which adds a note of sharpness.

Homemade focaccia is easy to make and impressive! This recipe is from a cooking school in Siena, which Nici Wickes has adapted to make it faster for any home cook to make. It’s bread-making at its best!

This chorizo and eggplant rigatoni pasta recipe is a simple and scrumptious dish that can be made in minutes!

A simple and scrumptious dish that can be made in minutes!

This is one of my favourite summertime flavour combinations, and the colours make eating it a treat. I garnish this dish with nasturtium leaves and flowers, which are found growing wild just about everywhere from the beach to a Ponsonby roadside! They’re not essential, but look great with the blood orange.

Don’t be intimidated by this recipe. Please try it, even if just for the strawberry juice, which is brilliant – especially in a glass of chilled Champagne!

This is a modern take on the Tuscan classic of prosciutto and melon. I’ve made my own duck prosciutto, which is very easy to do but must be made a week in advance as the duck needs to hang in the fridge. You can tea-smoke the duck once it is ready, to add an extra dimension, or simply enjoy it as it is. Muscatels are a type of aromatic dried grape; if you can’t find them, use sultanas instead.

This is a great summertime starter or light lunch. If whitebait is out of season and you can’t find any frozen, you could easily substitute it with your favourite seafood, e.g. prawns, crayfish or mussels.

Schiacciata is a Tuscan-style flatbread traditionally made with flour, yeast, salt and water – I’ve added a little rosemary for variety. It’s baked in the oven then brushed with olive oil once it comes out. Use wild mushrooms if available but otherwise substitute whatever mushrooms you have access to. Lardo is a salami that has been made since the time of the Ancient Romans from cured fat, rosemary and spices. Use fresh broad beans in season; at other times, use frozen ones, which are just as good.

An incredibly easy pasta bake that the kids will love.

This delicious recipe is a fusion between the classic Hawaiian pizza and the Italian calzone. It's grilled instead of baked, allowing it to be on your table in under 30 minutes - perfect for a weekend family dinner.

Oozy and creamy risotto with a spicy bite of chorizo.

An Italian dessert consisting of custard and sponge cake.

A revamped lasagne that's low fat and healthy.

Roasted mushrooms make a deeply savoury, rich and earthy sauce for this tender roast rack of veal. Served with little roast potatoes and your choice of vegetables for a fabulous roast lunch or dinner.

Give your usual potato frittata a gutsy flavour kick by adding capsicum and olive. Serve it warm from the oven with a green salad or take it on a romantic picnic.

These stuffed pizzas are full of creamy pumpkin, spiced Moroccan lamb and salty feta to create maximum flavour with every mouthful. They're grilled instead of baked to speed up the cooking time, making it perfect for an after work treat.

This Italian-American classic is the ultimate feel-good sandwich. Crispy chicken, spicy sauce and melted cheese – what more could you ask for? Recipe by Leisha Jones.

Sink your teeth into this deliciously wholesome, healthier cauliflower pizza - loaded with fresh tasty ingredients and mouthwatering flavour!

"I’ve used powdered gelatine in this recipe because it’s universally available," Michele Cranston writes in her new book 'A Simple Table.' "However, I do prefer to use sheet gelatine and if you do too, then just follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the setting ratio of liquid to gelatine. These jellies are like mini individual trifles, minus the soggy sponge. The jelly needs to set before you can add the mascarpone topping, so it’s a good idea to make the jelly in the morning or the day before. The mascarpone cream is ridiculously delicious and I often serve it dolloped into bowls with biscotti on the side. A shot glass of liqueur completes the story. Dip the biscotti in the liqueur, top with a spoonful of cream and enjoy."

This recipe can be found in Michele Cranston's "A Simple Table". The rich, salty–sweet flavours of the caponata are well suited to the milky simplicity of the ricotta, and the fresh oregano is a perfect accompaniment to anything with tomato. Spoon the caponata over just before serving, to keep the ricotta looking fresh. If you don’t have time to make the caponata, then the ricotta can be simply topped with fresh herbs, some olives, or quartered and well-seasoned cherry tomatoes. However, the caponata is a great recipe in itself and is equally at home with grilled beef or lamb, seared tuna or spooned onto bruschetta.

Cook this pizza on the barbecue for a smoky base.

Serve up Poderi Crisci's seafood full salad and wow your long lunch guests. Photography by Todd Eyre.

Waiheke vineyard and restaurant Poderi Crisci's venison recipe is a colour and taste explosion. Photography by Todd Eyre.

Antonio Crisci shares his colourful capsicum recipe. Photography by Todd Eyre.

This sublime eggplant dish shared by Antonio Crisci of Poderi Crisci is fit for an Italian banquet. Photography by Todd Eyre.

Antonio Crisci of Poderi Crisci shares his eggplant recipe for the perfect Italian long lunch. Photography by Todd Eyre.

Family-owned vineyard and restaurant Poderi Crisci adds Italian flair and passion to its roasted quail recipe. Recipe by Luca Villari & Antonio Crisci. Photography by Todd Eyre.

Luca Villari teams up with chef Antonio Crisci at his picturesque Waiheke vineyard and restaurant Poderi Crisci for this sublime Italian dessert. Photography by Todd Eyre.

Timpano is a complicated dish but this is an easier version shared by Poderi Crisci restaurant and vineyard for you to enjoy with family and friends. Recipe by Luca Villari & Antonio Crisci. Photography by Todd Eyre.

Luca Villari teaches the basics from his Al Volo pizzeria. Photography by Todd Eyre.

You can now have this taleggio treat from Al Volo pizzeria at home. Luca Villari from the Auckland pizzeria shares his recipe. Photography Todd Eyre.

A seafood lover's dream pizza from Al Volo pizzeria. Photography by Todd Eyre.