Orecchiette

Pea tendrils taste like a cross between peas and spinach and are used in Chinese cooking, where they are called dau miu. Find them at farmers' markets and Asian markets. Spinach or watercress can be substituted for pea tendrils in this lovely green dish.

The restaurant takes its name from amuse-bouche, a small gift from the chef to "please the mouth." Chicken thighs make a convenient substitute for duck in this pasta dish.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Deidre A. Pallouras of Rochelle Park, New York, writes: "My husband and I recently traveled to Cincinnati, where we dined at Daveed's at 934 in Mount Adams. Although everything we ate was delicious, we were most impressed by the incredible salmon with horseradish cream. I'd love to try to recreate the dish at home."

Malloreddus, the saffron-flavored pasta shaped like gnocchi, is a Sardinian specialty. For convenience, we used dried pasta of a similar shape and added saffron to the pasta cooking water.

This hearty entrée is made with rabbit, which can be found in the frozen foods section of some supermarkets or ordered from your butcher. You can also substitute chicken thighs. The "little ear" shape of the pasta is perfect for trapping the sauce.

It used to be that beets were sent to the market without the greens, which had been discarded. Now both are sold, often separately. Your best bet is to buy beets that have the greens intact; that way, you can partner this unique sweet and savory pasta with the perfect side dish: roasted fresh beets.

At Woodside in West Los Angeles, owner Noel Ampel and executive chef Nigel Faulkner both believe in taking the freshest ingredients and combining them in simple, yet highly sophisticated ways. This pasta is a fine example of that philosophy. A basket of crusty warm rolls and a salad of mixed baby greens with a Sherry vinaigrette are great accompaniments. End with coffee gelato and chocolate-dipped biscotti. Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

We've substituted the florets of regular broccoli for broccoli rabe, since they are more readily available. Use rabe if you can find it at your market; it will lend a stronger, more authentic flavor to the dish.

Here, meltingly rich veal shanks combine wonderfully with the chewiness of orecchiette, ear-shaped pasta shells made of semolina (coarsely ground durum wheat).

Grilled zucchini adds extra flavor and texture to this light and pretty main course.

The dinner menu at the Terrace Dining Room in Phoenix includes this elegant selection. Orechiette, which means "little ears," is a small, round pasta that resembles-little ears.

This dish, a specialty of northern Italy's Emilia-Romagna, is named for the regions capital city. Although the meaty sauce is classically paired with tagliatelle (ribbon pasta just slightly wider than fettuccine), it also marries well with a variety of pasta shapes that trap the savory sauce.

Not all good meat sauces have to simmer for hours. The sauce for this recipe can be made in less than 45 minutes.