Basil pesto has a strong floral quality—this one, made of pecans and arugula, is richer, with a peppery bite. Prepare an extra batch to use as a spread on turkey sandwiches....

This wonderful Genovese flatbread has small pockets of flavorful olive oil and the delicate crunch of sea salt.

These crumbs are delicious sprinkled over pasta.

Hazelnuts in a butternut squash lasagne? It’s actually a classic Italian flavor combination.

Our soupe au pistou, a Provençal celebration of vegetables, is light and brothy but chock-full of flavor.

The agrodolce (tart-and-sweet) flavors of vinegar and raisins used in marinating the fish are typical of Jewish-Italian cooking.

We tested this recipe in a traditional Italian terra-cotta bean pot, which cooked the beans gently, allowing them to retain their shape and texture.

Butternut squash is a wonderful base for a soup. The texture of this one is particularly beautiful and silky, because of the puréed potatoes and carrot.

No turkey: These chestnut ravioli are sprinkled with apple and drizzled with browned butter.

This meal is reminiscent of one we enjoyed at the Lemon Grass Restaurant in New Orleans.