Linguine

Keep these ingredients stocked in your pantry, and a briny, flavor-packed, classic Italian pasta will always be a dinner option.

Cook breadcrumbs—mixed with bright lemon zest and garlic—until toasted and crunchy and then try not to inhale them before garnishing this spicy anchovy pasta.

I know, I know. This sounds crazy, right? Well, you just have to trust me on this one. The cantaloupe breaks down to form the backbone of a sweet, creamy sauce scented with pancetta and marjoram. A sleeper but a keeper, for sure.

A raw creamed corn sauce takes the place of the traditional eggs in this silky, summer-fresh "carbonara."

Use a vegetable peeler to peel the zucchini lengthwise into thin ribbons, stopping when you get to the very center where it is all seeds. You can use this same technique with carrots and peel long carrot ribbons, or also choose to use half carrots and half zucchini. The zucchini (or carrots or both) sliced this way also make a light, fresh summer salad when tossed raw with lemon juice, olive oil, and fresh herbs.

Chia gel replaces eggs in this recipe, helping keep these chicken meatballs light and fluffy. The sauce is creamy and lemony, a combination that simply melts in the mouth. As an option, try spinach linguine, which pairs nicely with the flavors in this dish and looks beautiful.

In addition to the tuna, the leeks and garlic are also grilled, giving this simple Mediterranean-inspired pasta sauce complex flavor.

You can make this dish a day ahead and stash it in the fridge until go time. It tastes better at room temp, so let it sit out for a half hour before serving.

The key to this classic pasta dish is using the best-quality white wine you have; contrary to popular belief, the quality of the wine is directly proportional to the quality of the broth. Make it a meal with a crusty warm Italian loaf and a glass of the leftover wine.

Despite their names and their common family, the Jerusalem artichoke and the globe artichoke aren't at all alike—one is a tuber, the other a thistle. Yet, flavorwise, they relate perfectly in this pasta dish. Add some slivers of red onion, lots of garlic, a kick of red pepper flakes, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a shower of thinly sliced fresh mint and you have a boldly seasoned pasta dish worthy of serving to company yet easy enough for a family meal.

According to my father, this was one of Nònno Tucci's favorite sauces to make. "He preferred to open the clams himself," recalls Stan. "He would collect the juice and remove the clam meat, making certain to collect all the juice. In the summer when we had large outdoor parties, we often served a bushel of raw clams on ice. Any remaining clams were prepared following my father's methods and frozen. They defrost quickly, providing a meal in the time it takes to cook the pasta." If your fish market will open the clams and reserve the juice, it will save a lot of preparation time. If not, wash the clamshells thoroughly. Open the clams over a large bowl to catch the juices. Remove clams, discarding the dark sac, and set aside. Strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve to remove sand and shells. Add the clams to the strained juice. Begin to prepare the sauce when the pasta is halfway cooked.

This is a decadent dish that is very popular with my family at Christmas-time, when pasta with seafood is a holiday tradition for Italians. For others, though, it’s a reminder of summers on the Cape or in the Hamptons. Whatever memories it may conjure for you, we can all probably agree that it is a rich, sophisticated dish that puts a smile on the face of anyone who tastes it.

These meatballs are inspired by a turkey meatloaf that I wrap in pancetta before baking. Everyone loves spaghetti and meatballs, though, so I decided to put the pancetta directly into the meatball mixture and bake rather than fry them. The salty pancetta and the sweet sun-dried tomatoes make these meatballs that people will rave about for a long time.

Simple, simple, simple, but so good—this is truly one of the fastest dishes you can make, and one of the best.

This is a very simple Roman pasta dish made with nothing but black pepper and pecorino romano cheese. We believe in leaving traditional dishes alone, but we did make a couple of changes to this dish. We use bavette, in place of spaghetti, which is the shape traditionally used. And we cut the pecorino with Parmigiano because pecorino is so pungent that it can be overwhelming on its own. The pepper for this dish must be coarsely ground. I recommend you use Tellicherry peppercorns, a fragrant, flavorful variety from India. Coarsely grinding or cracking the pepper for this dish is the perfect excuse for breaking out the mortar and pestle.

Matt added pancetta to this classic dish. It’s such a perfect addition that it feels as if it’s always been there.

The tapenade can also be served as a dip for crudités or a zesty sauce for grilled fish. For best results, choose olives with distinctive flavors, such as those suggested below.

The pesto can be made up to 1 hour before serving without losing its freshness; store it at room temperature.

You won’t need a separate pan to cook the spinach for this attractive dish. Just pour the pasta and cooking water over the spinach to blanch it. Quick and easy!

My take on linguine vongole includes a lot of vegetables for an added freshness. I also use clam juice, as well as the traditional wine, for a more complex sauce.