Pasta

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

At the restaurant, the ravioli dough is made in-house. We used purchased wonton wrappers instead, making the recipe faster and easier. Note that the ravioli can be assembled ahead of time and frozen.

"Gelson's market here in Los Angeles has a fantastic variety of prepared foods in the deli," says Susan Baker of Los Angeles, California. "My mother, who doesn't have a Gelson's where she lives in Tacoma, would make a trip to Southern California just for their lemon chicken pasta. I'd love to surprise her with the recipe." This dish is best served either chilled or at room temperature. If you'd like to make your own pasta, our technique video will show you how.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

This pie, reminiscent of a frittata, is a great way to use up leftover pasta. Serve it with bread and a salad for lunch, brunch, or dinner.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

A delicious take on lasagne, made with tube-shaped pasta instead of long noodles.

A quick version of the traditional Sicilian dish pasta con le sarde. Accompany it with herbed focaccia topped with goat cheese, as well as a salad of roasted red bell peppers. Finish the meal with a fresh fruit tart. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Orzo—rice shaped pasta—is easier to find than Arborio rice (the traditional ingredient in risotto) and makes a delicious risotto-style side dish.

This recipe comes from my 86-year-old grandmother, a northern Italian from Faenza, who picked it up during her travels as a piano teacher in southern Italy. I've watched her make it my whole life and know the recipe from memory.

When tomatoes are not at their prime, baking caramelizes them and brings out the sugar, making them as sweet as summer's best.

Just serve any of these dishes with a salad and some bread and you've got an easy, complete meal. You can find good-quality prepared pesto in the refrigerator section of your supermarket.

Whole-wheat spaghetti can replace the soba noodles used here.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.