Pizza Muffins

by Anna Gass

These adorable pizza muffins bake up quick in a muffin tin and have a saucy and ooey gooey cheese center. Perfectly portable for an afternoon snack or a fancy addition to the bread basket.

Chicken Saltimbocca

by Anna Gass

Saltimbocca is a classic Italian dish. Traditionally, the recipe calls for veal, but in our home, my mother always prepared it with skinless, boneless chicken breasts, and it’s how I prefer it. Simple yet packed with flavor, the chicken is enrobed in thinly sliced prosciutto and then topped with a sage leaf. A toothpick or skewer secures the toppings and, I believe, really helps seal in the flavors of the chicken as it gets a quick pan-fry. For my version, I pat the chicken in flour to create a light crust for the sauce to cling to, and I also believe it really helps “glue” the prosciutto and sage onto the meat.

Fluffy Ricotta Pancakes

by Lidia Bastianich

When they were young, my children Joseph and Tanya loved these ricotta pancakes. But that didn’t stop them from asking, “Mom, why can’t we have normal pancakes like all of our friends.” They didn’t appreciate the ethnic flavors of our home kitchen at that age. Only after they were grown up did they tell me how they would skip their lunch because Nonna Erminia, my mother who still lives with us, gave them fried eggplant or prosciutto sandwiches, or another such alien food. No other friend would bring anything like that for lunch at school! They have certainly come around, though, especially Joe, who helps to run–and gets involved in the kitchens of all three of our restaurants.

Monkfish Brodetto with Cannellini

by Lidia Bastianich

Monkfish is a good choice for stews, because it is very sturdy and won’t fall apart, and it won’t overcook as rapidly as some other types of fish. This dish can be made in advance and brought to temperature when your friends or family arrive at the table. If you’d like to add a vegetable, stir in a cup or so of frozen peas when you add the monkfish back in.

Chocolate Dipped Struffoli

by Rossella Rago