First We Feast

9 Essential Italian Recipes You Should Master

From Marcella Hazan’s classic tomato sauce to chicken cacciatore, you need these Italian recipes in your cooking arsenal.

Angelica Frey

Who doesn’t love Italian food? A Mediterranean feast is appreciated by almost everyone. But it’s time to go a step above dry pasta with store-bought marinara and dive into some essential regional dishes we know you’ll love.

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Marcella Hazan’s Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter. You will never look at canned tomato sauce the same way again. Pounds of fresh, ripe, and juicy tomatoes, smooth butter, and a rustically chopped onion are all you need for this essential sauce. Get the recipe.
Homemade Pizza Dough. Everyone deserves to eat homemade dough at least once in their lives. This recipe is the foolproof answer to a bubbling center and crisp crust any Italian pizzeria would deliver. Get the recipe.
Cappellacci di Zucca (Butternut Squash Cappellaci). This signature dish from Ferrara, Italy puts the autumn vegetable to work in a comforting, warm butter sauce. Get the recipe.
Chicken Cacciatore. Dredged and browned chicken thighs are immersed in a rich tomato-like stew. We can’t decide if the best part of this recipe is the one-pot-cooking-factor or the accompanying side of polenta. Get the recipe.
Chestnut and Chickpea Soup. We can’t believe a soup this good can be made in under 15 minutes. The base of this dish, pre-boiled chickpeas and chestnuts, make for a velvety, sweet, and rustic soup you’ll want on any cool evening. Get the recipe.
Pane Fritto (Fried Bread). Italy’s answer to French toast can be enjoyed anytime of day. Thick-cut day-old bread, a splash of wine, milk, and sugar make for a crispy, satisfying dish. Get the recipe.
Simple Fresh Pasta. Make my own pasta? Relax. You can do this. Three ingredients stand in the way between you and a plate of doughy, pillowy, fresh noodles. Get the recipe.
Sicilian Green Olive Salad. Although many Italians like to enjoy their salads as a refreshing end to the meal, we can’t imagine waiting that long to devour this simple crunchy, oily, and somewhat sour green olive-based dish. Get the recipe.
Baci di Dama. Baci de Dama, or "ladies’ kisses," is a kissable chocolate treat. This recipe starts with a hazelnut, butter, and flour-based cookie that is made irresistible when filled with melted, glistening chocolate. Get the recipe.

9 Essential Italian Recipes You Should Master

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