Italian

A versatile and delicious creamy pasta sauce that makes a perfect easy mid-week dinner. You can use any pasta you like for this recipe, we chose penne because so much delicious sauce sticks to every piece.

A creamy pasta sauce that can turn a busy weeknight dinner into something special. You can add ham, mushroom and spinach to the pasta to give it more bulk.

Mini pizzas are meal the kids can get involved in cooking too. Whether it be cutting the toppings or helping sprinkle the cheese, this is a good recipe to get the whole family actively involved.

Three of the finest fish on the market served up as carpaccio, tuna, kingfish and salmon each come with their own dressing to maximise the taste sensations of this dish.

There's no need to sacrifice taste for speed with this quick and easy ravioli with spinach, sage and pine nuts. Creamy, toothsome and infused with the delicate flavour of sage, it's a mid-week dinner winner.

Putting a tropical twist on the traditional Italian tiramisu, the combination of sweet mango and zesty passionfruit will keep your loved ones coming back for more.

A simple and versatile Italian tomato pasta sauce; including delicious traditional variations.

Totally falling under the category of comfort food, this gnocchi with creamy sauce is a rib-sticker.

The raspberry and almond cake can be made a day ahead, then split and fill the cake with mascarpone cream on the day of serving.

You'll want to use the ripest tomatoes you can find to help give this fresh and yummy tuna, chilli and tomato spaghetti a real boost in the flavour department.

If there's a single dish that sums up childhood for many of us, it's spaghetti and meatballs. It's so ingrained in our culture there are even songs written about this dish. Reconnect with an earlier you, sit down with a big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs.

A light, egg-white frittata bursting with tasty vegetables, basil and parmesan cheese. Using freshly shelled green peas will give this dish an edge.

Quick, tasty and filling, this cauliflower chilli spaghetti is perfect for a mid-week family dinner.

An Italian filled and baked bread - perfect for children's snacks, lunches or any time!

Made from a combination of ricotta cheese and whipped cream studded with chocolate and candied peel and topped with chocolate curls, this Sicilian cheesecake recipe is a delight.

This is a super way to serve asparagus as finger food. It also makes a lovely starter, especially with some ripe figs on the side. If you want to take it up a notch, you can put a small slice of fontina cheese under the prosciutto, and quickly pan fry to melt the cheese before serving.

Rocket, garlic and chilli add lots of peppery heat to this quick but flavoursome spaghetti dish, while pine nuts and parmesan bring the whole dish together.

This surprisingly simple, inexpensive recipe has subtle seductive flavours which are far more memorable than the list of ingredients might suggest. You can use fresh lasagne sheets cut into wide ribbons if you don't have any pappardelle.

Giant shells stuffed with ricotta, spinach and parmesan then drenched in tomato passata and baked, this baked stuffed conchiglioni recipe is perfect winter comfort food.

Freshly grated zest and fresh thyme perfume this light and tasty turkey and lemon risotto. If you prefer, you can use chicken breasts in place of the turkey.

Just five ingredients make this salami and rocket pizza, making it perfect when you need dinner in a hurry. If you like your pizza spicy, use a salami with chilli in it for extra bite.

You can use feta or any soft, crumbly cheese instead of the goat cheese, and toasted pecan halves make a nice change from walnuts. This roasted capsicum pasta salad makes a great lunch-box meal too.

Ricotta cheese takes the place of bechamel sauce to make this a truly quick and easy lasagne without sacrificing flavour or texture.

Recipe unsuitable to freeze. Note

A rich beef lasagne with the added flavour of garlic, mushrooms and wilted spinach, this classic family dish is sure to be a hit. Serve with garlic bread and a green salad for the full retro experience.

Delicious grilled margarita chicken that is fresh and zesty with a kick of tequila.

Use your preference of bottled pasta cheese sauce in this recipe. Note

Try canned salmon with a little lemon juice in place of mushrooms. For a healthier version, replace cream with low-fat evaporated milk. To thicken, blend 1 teaspoon cornflour with 1 tablespoon evaporated milk and stir slowly into remaining milk. Note

Blood oranges are in season for all too short a time in winter. They have red-streaked, salmony-coloured flesh with a sweet, non-acidic pulp and juice with a slight berry taste; even the skin is not as bitter as other citrus. Note

Make-ahead tips 1 month Make meatballs and relish, freeze. 24 hours Thaw meatballs and relish in refrigerator overnight. Last Reheat meatballs in 180°C (160°C fan-forced) oven and relish in saucepan, or both can be reheated separately in microwave oven. Note

Orange blossom water, also known as orange flower water, is available from specialty food stores, delicatessens and some health food stores. Note

Many varieties of already cooked white beans are available canned, among them cannellini, butter and haricot beans, any of these are suitable for this recipe. Note

Place pretzels in a zip-lock plastic bag; crush roughly with a rolling pin. Combine pretzels with butter and cheeses in a medium bowl. You can make the candied bacon a day ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator. Note

Panzanella is a refreshing Tuscan summer bread salad. We’ve put our own spin on it by using little cubes of radish sandwich instead of the traditional bread pieces. Note

Risoni is a small pasta shaped like a grain of rice. You can substitute any small pasta in this recipe. Note

While this recipe is geared for autumn, you can swap ingredients for the seasons; in spring, use broad beans instead of borlotti beans and bitter salad greens instead of radicchio.

Serve risotto quickly after stirring the radicchio through the rice, as the radicchio will discolour from the heat. This recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

Vongole (clams) will need to soak in salted water for 30 minutes before starting this recipe. Fast-cooking clams are packed with a good dose of iron, B vitamins and the mineral chronium, which the body needs to regulate blood glucose levels. Note

to freeze Complete recipe to the end of step 3. Cool sauce to room temperature. Transfer to an airtight container. Label, date and freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat in a saucepan and continue from step 4. Stir in ⅓ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves just before serving, […]

We’ve used penne pasta in this recipe, but feel free to use spaghetti, if you prefer. Stir in ⅓ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves just before serving, if you like. Note

Pepato is an Italian sheep’s milk cheese, most often pecorino, studded with peppercorns. It is available from some delicatessens and specialty cheese shops. If you can’t find it, use pecorino or parmesan cheese with a good grinding of black pepper. Note

Spinach, capsicum and feta pizza

You will need a pasta machine, cannoli moulds (8cm long and 2cm wide/3¼-inch x ¾-inch) and a piping bag fitted with a 1cm (½-inch) plain tube for this recipe. Note

Each of the topping recipes here makes enough to cover four mini pizza bases. You can buy prepared pizza bases from the supermarket, they can be found in the refrigerated, freezer or bakery sections. Note

Make the sauce a day ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator. Beans are an Italian staple and are often served with spaghetti in the same dish. Note

A rich, warming and filling slowcooked Italian beef casserole from Australian Women's Weekly.

Marinated bocconcini makes a great addition to antipasto platters or fresh green salads, use baby bocconcini, if available. Recipe can be refrigerated for 2 weeks. Note

Ask the butcher for a 2-metre (6½-foot) length of unlinked sausages. Alternatively, you can unlink a length of sausages and use short lengths together to form the spiral. If your barbecue doesn’t include a flat plate, cook the capsicum mixture in a heavy-based frying pan on the barbecue. Note

To make cheesy polenta; bring the water to the boil in large saucepan; gradually stir in polenta. Reduce heat; cook, stirring, about 10 minutes or until polenta thickens. Remove from heat; stir in cheese. Stand 3 minutes before serving. Note

There are some great gluten-free wraps and pizza bases available at supermarkets; to save time use these for the pizza base. Note

This recipe is best made as close to serving as possible as prawns toughen on reheating. Note

Lebanese bread can be substituted for prepared pizza base. Note

You can buy butterflied sardines from most good fish markets, or get your fishmonger to butterfly the fish for you. To butterfly your own fish, buy an already gutted fish, slice down the length of the belly until just before the tail, place fish, belly-down, on a chopping board and roll gently with a rolling […]

Creamy pumpkin and bitey feta make this simple pizza an easy meal with loads of flavour.

Naples is widely credited as the birthplace of pizza, where it was originally sold to the city’s poor by street vendors. The world’s first pizzeria was opened there in 1830 and is still in operation today. The beauty of the napoletana pizza lies in its simplicity. We recommend using only the best and freshest ingredients […]

Calzones are folded pizzas or pizza turnovers filled with good things – one of the best foods ever invented for a picnic, a party or eating on the go. Note

Fontina is a smooth, firm Italian cow’s-milk cheese with a creamy, nutty taste and brown or red rind. It is an ideal melting or grilling cheese. You can use swiss, cheddar or gouda cheeses instead. Note

This recipe is a delicious change to cooked pasta sauces ­because this sauce is uncooked, buy the freshest ingredients you can for a big flavour hit. Note

We used a large (25cm diameter) thick-based packaged pizza base for this recipe. Pizza can be prepared and frozen in its unbaked form. Place frozen pizza in hot oven; allow about 10 minutes extra cooking time. Note

Make your own Italian-style gourmet roasted beetroot pizza from scratch in no time at all!

Granita made from the musky, fresh-grape muscat grape with figs and a sweet honey and fennel syrup

Oozy and delicious Italian-style risotto packed full of pork, pine nuts, cointreau and lemon thyme.

Frittatas can be eaten cold or warm. Store frittatas, in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to three days. Note

This 15 minute dinner uses only 5 ingredients for a hearty dish that's on the table, fast.

Using a slowcooker takes this delicious Italian meatball and pasta dish to the next level.

Delicious and authentic Italian-style rigatoni with spicy pork sausages from Australian Women's Weekly.

Italian-style slow-cooked osso bucco that will melt in your mouth.

‘Agrodolce’ is the Italian word used to describe the flavours in this dish and means ‘sour sweet’. Note

Rich, creamy and fruity, this classic dessert has it all.

Pimp your potato bake with traditional Puttanesca flavours of olives and pancetta.