Cooking Techniques How To 21 Italian Recipes Every Beginner Cook Should Master By Food & Wine Editors Updated on April 19, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: © Fredrika Stjärne For those of us who didn't grow up making pasta with our nonna, these classic recipes make an excellent and beginner-friendly introduction to the wonders of Italian cooking. From Spaghetti with Clams and Garlic, Samin Nosrat's perfect Panzanella, and three variations of fluffy Potato Gnocchi to Slow-Cooker Sunday Sauce and crunchy Chocolate-and-Pistachio Biscotti, these Italian appetizers, salads, pastas. mains, sauces, sides, desserts, and drinks are as foolproof as they are pleasing. 01 of 21 Antipasto Salad with Bocconcini and Green-Olive Tapenade © Greg DuPree In 2018, Food & Wine named this recipe from the legendary Nancy Silverton as one of our all-time best. The salad combines crisp iceberg lettuce, creamy balls of mozzarella, spicy-tangy peperoncini, salty olives, and savory salami into a celebration of bold flavor, thrilling texture, and all-around delight. Get the Recipe 02 of 21 Italian Wedding Risotto Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen F&W's Culinary Director at Large Justin Chapple marries the best of two Italian favorites — Italian Wedding Soup and Risotto — for a festive flavor bonanza that is worthy of its own celebration. Get the Recipe 03 of 21 Spaghetti with Clams and Garlic © SIMON WATSON "I look forward to going to Sicily for many reasons," says chef Frank Castronovo of his biannual trip to southern Italy. "One of them is because I'm amazed at how many times Frank [Falcinelli, his co-chef] can order linguine con vongole." Their exquisite, super-simple version is packed with garlic and a judicious amount of crushed red pepper. If you prefer, shell the clams before tossing them with their juices in the pasta. Get the Recipe 04 of 21 Pinzimonio with Tonnato Sauce © Anna Williams Raw vegetables take center stage in 2009 Best New Chef Nate Appleman's knock-your-socks-off appetizer that replaces the traditional olive oil dressing with tonnato — a sauce made here from canned tuna, lemon juice, anchovies, mayonnaise, and capers. Get the Recipe 05 of 21 Bucatini Carbonara © Anna Williams Italian carbonara is famously rich, combining pancetta or guanciale, egg yolks, and cheese. Chef Linton Hopkins adds his own Southern accent to the dish with house-cured pork and local eggs. Get the Recipe 06 of 21 Slow-Cooker Sunday Sauce on Spaghetti © Fredrika Stjärne If you don't have a whole Sunday to spend stirring sauce on the stove, Marcia Kiesel's slow-cooker recipe, packed with pork shoulder, sausage, and pancetta. ensures you won't have to sacrifice that long-simmered flavor. Get the Recipe 07 of 21 Tomato, Basil, and Cucumber Panzanella with Grated Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette Victor Protasio Got stale bread? Put it to its highest purpose with a glorious panzanella by Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat author and TV host Samin Nosrat. Here, she grates the tomatoes into a gloriously balanced vinaigrette that brings fresh tomato, cucumber, and red onions together in harmony with just-baked croutons and a pop of basil. Get the Recipe 08 of 21 Handmade Pesto © Susan Spungen Longtime test kitchen assistant David McCann loves to get wild with his pesto, and who could blame him? We've got a plethora of recipes for the pungent, pounded sauce, but start with this basic basil method by former F&W food editor Marcia Kiesel, and branch out. Handmade Pesto 09 of 21 Marcella Hazan's Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter Photo and Styling by Julia Gartland This butter-laced tomato sauce is as iconic as its author, the late Marcella Hazan, and it's easy enough to make a double batch to freeze for later. Get the Recipe 10 of 21 Eggplant Caponata with Golden Raisins © Michael Turek Spread it on crostini, serve it with Parmesan, or just eat it by the spoonful. Chef Ben Towill's golden-raisin loaded caponata balances sweetness with the tang of jalapeños, tomatoes, olives, capers, and eggplant that caramelizes in the pan. Make a giant batch and serve it with everything, as an appetizer, or a super-happy snack. Get the Recipe 11 of 21 Broccoli-Rabe and Ricotta Frittata Though frittatas are often served cooled as a first course, they make an equally good main dish, either warm or at room temperature. Here, creamy ricotta mellows the bitter bite of broccoli rabe. Get the Recipe 12 of 21 Tuscan-Style Veal Chops "Grill masters all over the world have noticed that when you grill a piece of meat and then anoint it with some kind of fat, it mixes with the meat juices and creates instant sauce," grilling expert Steven Raichlen says. "At Peter Luger Steakhouse, in Brooklyn, steaks get finished with a pat of butter; other places use beef tallow." In Tuscany, olive oil is the fat of choice for finishing herbed veal chops like these. Get the Recip 13 of 21 Fried Florentine Meatballs © Tara Fisher This recipe for a Florentine specialty is technically called Fried Italian Turkey-and-Cheese Meatballs, but writer Anya von Bremzen notes up front that just about any meat will do. Yukon Gold potatoes add heft to the mix, and provide a blank canvas for warm, wonderful notes of clove, nutmeg, and garlic. A squeeze of fresh lemon provides the perfect accent. Get the Recipe 14 of 21 Spinach Salad with Bagna Cauda Dressing In the Piedmont region of Italy, the warm anchovy–olive oil sauce called bagna cauda is typically served as a dip for vegetables. Here, chef Justin Smillie turns it into a warm dressing for baby spinach, adding fresh bread crumbs for crunch. Get the Recipe 15 of 21 Potato Gnocchi with Butter and Cheese © Frances Janisch American chefs are busy riffing on this Italian classic. Here, former F&W test kitchen editor Grace Parisi shares a traditional recipe with three tasty variations: Carrot-Potato Gnocchi, Roasted Garlic-Potato Gnocchi and Rye-Potato Gnocchi. Get the Recipe 16 of 21 Soft Polenta with Mixed Mushrooms and Gremolata © Peggy Wong 1999 F&W Best New Chef Suzanne Goin melts down young greens and a mushroom blend (whatever you have on hand) and a generous helping of mascarpone to make a luscious, soul-stirring dish you'll whisk together over and over again. Get the Recipe 17 of 21 The F&W Guide to Making Pizza at Home Photo by Christopher Testani / Food Styling by Torie Cox / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis F&W's Editor-in-Chief Hunter Lewis became obsessed with mastering the art of at-home pizza, so the team broke down the process into bite-sized pieces, from crust to toppings, with recipes a-plenty. Start with Mary-Frances Heck and Paige Grandjean's classic Cheese Pizza recipe, and soon you'll find yourself a little pizza heaven. Get the Guide 18 of 21 Classic Tiramisu © Mark Seelen "The '90s were a whole vibe when it came to tiramisu," says F&W's Associate Food Director Chandra Ram. We've got a billion variations on the dessert, but start with the basics, a blend of store-bought ladyfinger cookies, mascarpone, strong coffee, and cocoa powder that's a winner every time. Get the Recipe 19 of 21 Candied Almond Affogato Photo by Antonis Achilleos / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Ali Ramee Technically, all you need for an affogato is gelato and espresso, but why not live a little? This easy, adaptable recipe by recipe developer Liz Mervosh adds almond liqueur (or orgeat if you want to skip the booze), candied almonds, and crushed amaretti cookies for a delightful crunch. Get the Recipe 20 of 21 Chocolate and Pistachio Biscotti © John Kernick Top Chef winner Kevin Sbraga varies these wonderful nutty biscotti, sometimes dipping them in melted dark chocolate for an extra layer of flavor. Get the Recipe 21 of 21 Campari Spritz Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Recipe developer Jasmine Smith played with the formula of a Aperol Spritz to create this refreshing and slightly more bitter take on the classic sipper. Grapefruit fizzy water, Prosecco, and blood orange juice make the whole thing sparkle and shine. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit