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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Store limoncello in the refrigerator or freezer. Note

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

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

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

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

These zesty, twice-baked biscotti make the perfect tea time treat.

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

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 […]

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

serve with soft polenta. Note

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.

This is traditional lasagne redesigned for vegetarians, but the flavours are so rich that meat-eaters will love it too. Note

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

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

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

Vitello tonnato, veal with tuna sauce, is a classic Italian antipasto dish, usually served cold. It’s also commonly served in summer as a light meal. Note

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.

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

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

Recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

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

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.

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

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

This surprisingly easy weekday lunch uses both canned tuna and bottled artichokes to save you time and hassle.

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

You can make these in a standard muffin pan; line the holes with paper cases, or a folded square of baking paper, as we did here. 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

A zesty lemon risotto from Australian Women's Weekly.

For a slightly different take on the classic Italian lasagne recipe, often served with a rich beef bolognese sauce, this dish uses ground chicken, hearty mushrooms and fibre-packed zucchini. It's a great way to sneak more vegies into your kids diet!

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

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

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

You will need to buy half a medium cauliflower and about 450g broccoli for this recipe. Note

Brown rice adds bit and basil adds flavour to this delicious prawn risotto.

You need an ovenproof frying pan for this recipe as it goes into the oven; or cover the handle with a few layers of foil to protect it from the heat. We used a mix of oyster, shiitake, swiss and portobello mushrooms. Note

These fluffy potato gnocchi make classic Italian comfort food, served in a creamy basil pesto sauce.

Antipasto literally translates to "before the meal" and is the catchall name for pre-dinner nibbles, usually including cured meats, and all sorts of delicious morsels. This one fits the bill, nicely.

Affogato is a popular Italian dessert that often combines coffee with ice-cream and often, a splash of booze. We've used Irish cream here, but you could substitute your favourite liqueur.

Recipe is not suitable to freeze. For the more common version of this dish, you can use a kilo of chicken pieces instead of the quail. Cacciatore means “hunter- style”, and a truly authentic recipe will call for rabbit. Note

lime and mustard dressing We used the sun-dried tomatoes that have not been preserved in oil; they are generally sold in plastic bags or loose by weight. Note

Consider this dish a fusion of the best of Indian and Italian cuisine. Or, perhaps it's just a very, very good pizza. Serve with icy cold beer and a table full of friends.

There are as many versions of minestrone as there are regions in Italy, but this version simplifies the process with no loss of goodness or flavour.

A rich and hearty white bean and chickpea soup with risoni from Australian Women's Weekly.

Other types of pasta, such as penne, also work well with this recipe. Dried rigani is dried Greek oregano available from delicatessens. To freeze: complete recipe to the end of step 4. Pack into freezer-proof containers, leaving a 2.5cm (1 inch) space to allow for expansion. Seal, label and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw […]

A healthy and beautiful grilled veal and radicchio salad from Australian Women's Weekly.