I first encountered the combination of squid and white beans in the famous tapas bar Bar Pintxo in the Boqueria market of Barcelona. There, tiny white runner beans are the bed for squid seared on a screaming hot flattop; a sauce of olive oil and the squid's ink gives the whole plate a round, salty tang. In a country of incredible food, it remains one of the best things I've eaten. More

Lidia Bastianich doesn't traffic in trends, so I knew that this recipe in Lidia's Italy wasn't just thrown in to capitalize on farro's recent surge in healthy appeal. As she writes in the caption, it actually came from a restaurant called Le Lampare in Trani, Italy. The tuna, caper, and tomato sauce would probably go well with about any pasta shape (I certainly wouldn't mind it), but seems to really come alive when paired with the farro. More

[Photographs: J. Kenji Lopez-Alt] This pizza may sound heavy, but it comes out light, crisp, and airy. Easily one of the best, tastiest ways to cook pizza at home without a wood-burning oven. Note: Use high quality fresh mozzarella or... More

Sure, shellfish and cured pork almost always go well together—something I learned from Bill Buford's book Heat, a point he drives home over and over again. But then you take crème fraîche and mix in horseradish, then amp up the whole thing with spicy sambal paste? Too intriguing to pass up. More

When you think about potatoes, Italy is probably not the first country you think of. But that doesn't mean potatoes aren't grown there. I mean, there's gnocchi, right? So why not use potatoes in bread as well? More

I'd never heard of Italian cornbread before I saw this recipe in The Italian Baker. This bread is nothing like American cornbread. It isn't soft or squishy or sweet. The bread is very dense, very firm. More

Grissini Torinesi, or breadsticks from Turin, are not thin, delicate breadsticks. These are country-style thick and possibly knobby sticks, perfect for the new baker who hasn't mastered perfect shaping skills. And even if your skills are good, these sticks from The Italian Baker stretch when you lift them, making it nearly impossible to shape them perfectly, which is just fine. More

In her introduction to this recipe (originally titled Polenta Shortcake with Raisins, Dried Figs, and Pine Nuts) Italian cuisine high priestess Marcella Hazan writes that James Beard was overcome by this dessert when he traveled to Venice long, long ago. "He was fascinated by this local specialty, whose nuts and dried fruits are redolent of imperial Venice's trading days with the Near East," she wrote. More

Note: I prefer using Carnaroli rice for its slight longer grains and firmer texture. Feel free to use any risotto-style rice like Arborio or Vailone Nano.... More

Broccoli rabe is grilled and tossed with red pepper flakes and a lemon vinaigrette. More