Gourmet

This sherbet in waffle cups is the creation of Jorge Rocha Carmona and his wife, Claudia Mendez, owners of Rome Pasteler‭a, Billy Cross's favorite pastry shop in Oaxaca.

You can bake this apple oatmeal crumble (with the oven rack in the upper third of the oven) and roast the tomatoes (on the rack in the lower third) for this low-fat menu at the same time.

When buying fresh apricots, look for fruit that is plump, fragrant, and gives a little when squeezed. Poaching time depends on the ripeness of the fruit.

"I have prepared the plum torte from Marian Burros’s The Best of De Gustibus many times, and I’ve also tried variations using different kinds of fruit," says Peter Wayne Gagnon of Pineville, North Carolina. "My experiments helped me arrive at my own version of this dessert." Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

This dessert had its heyday on American menus about 15 years ago, and it turns up a little less frequently these days. The popularity of tiramisu never wavered in Rome, however, where it continues to be served at dinner parties and restaurants.

(Haj Pesteh) Peeling the pistachios really enhances the green color of these cookies—pistachio skins can be dark purple and may muddy the resulting color. Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

This delicious custard sauce, which accompanies the Rote Grütze, also goes well with summer fruit tarts.

This bread is adapted from Jean Lemlin's recipe, from our March 1994 issue.

This versatile tomato sauce gets its name from the addition of chiles—arrabbiata is Italian for angry. It's great on pasta (especially linguine with clams), roasted meats, and fish.

This simple seasonal soup depends on a single farm-fresh ingredient: corn. Its essence is captured in this purist's purée.

Active time: 25 min Start to finish: 45 min

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min

There are two ways to get tender squid: a very quick sauté or a very long simmer. This simple yet impressive recipe uses the former method. We call for a Thai or serrano chile because they're easier to find here — try your local supermarket — than the small, thin Italian hot chiles. Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 1 hr