Fettuccine

An appetizer that is simple to make, delicious and very appealing.

Dried porcini are sold at Italian delis and in many supermarkets.

Wondra, a fast-blending flour, is a supermarket staple that's ideal for thickening sauces and gravies. It is put to good use in this quick pasta dish.

At the restaurant Becco in New York, where this dish is served, fresh porcini mushrooms are used when they are in season.

Both easy and inexpensive, tuna-noodle casserole stretched proteins and carbohydrates to the limits and fed at least a generation of American kids very well. Canned tuna will never go away, but fresh tuna has joined it as a culinary staple, and it stars in this deconstructed version of the classic. All the elements that make tuna casserole so appealing and comforting are here, just slightly rearranged. And there’s no need to serve this on a cafeteria tray: It’s good enough for your best china.

Serve with: Mixed baby greens with shredded radishes in a citrus vinaigrette, and a sesame baguette.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Make this intriguing sauce ahead, then just heat it up while the pasta cooks.

Creamy mascarpone cheese and pureed roasted pumpkin are blended with just a delicious touch of cinnamon to make an interesting sauce for the fettuccine starter. Uncork a Dolcetto.

A mixture of cottage cheese, lowfat yogurt and lemon juice replaces the sour cream in the traditional version of this dish. Ground turkey makes an especially good choice for those watching their cholesterol intake.

Roasted peppers, marinated olives and artichoke hearts make good antipasti. Afterward, sprinkle melon slices with chopped fresh mint, and pass amaretti cookies.

Egg fettuccine, rather than regular durum pasta, makes all the difference in this dish. It's usually sold curled in nests or loose in trays. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 45 min

Sour cream and beets are inseparable in Eastern European cooking. Here's a fresh new way to enjoy them together.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A salad, some crusty bread and wine are all that's needed with this hearty pasta dish. For the wine, consider serving a bottle of Chianti or Sangiovese.