This Breakfast Bake with Eggs by F&W’s Grace Parisi develops a terrific texture as it cooks slowly in a glass dish (which makes it easy to see when the bottom is perfectly browned). As one F&W editor remarked on tasting it, “I worship the crisp bottom and the chewy, moist bread.”

Serves 8

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INGREDIENTS
1 pound bakery white bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (16 cups)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound sliced applewood-smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced
One 28-ounce can whole Italian tomatoes—drained, chopped and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 pound extra-sharp cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/2 pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons snipped chives
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Salt
8 large eggs
Hot sauce, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly oil a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. In a large bowl, toss the bread with the olive oil and spread on a large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, tossing once or twice, until the bread is golden and lightly crisp.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the bacon over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels to drain; reserve 2 tablespoons of the fat in the skillet.

Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and crushed red pepper and cook until any liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes.

Return the toasted bread cubes to the bowl. Add the contents of the skillet, along with the bacon, shredded cheeses, chives and broth. Stir until the bread is evenly moistened. Season with salt. Spread the mixture in the baking dish and cover with lightly oiled foil.

Bake the bread mixture in the center of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is crispy, about 15 minutes longer. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and, using a ladle, press 8 indentations into the bread mixture. Crack an egg into each indentation. Return the dish to the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, until the egg whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Serve the breakfast bake right away with hot sauce.

Make Ahead:
The recipe can be prepared through Step 4 and refrigerated overnight.

For Pasta Salad with Grilled Sausages and Peppers it’s best to grill the sausages and peppers ahead of time. Use any amount of sausage and bell pepper.

Serves 8

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INGREDIENTS
1 pound gemelli pasta
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 large garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 large shallot, thinly sliced and separated into rings
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sausage Mixed Grill, sausages and vegetables thinly sliced
2 large celery ribs, thinly sliced on the bias
1/4 pound smoked mozzarella, cut into thin strips
1 cup chopped basil

INSTRUCTIONS
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and toss to coat. Let cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir the lemon juice with the lemon zest, tomato paste, garlic, shallot and thyme. Stir in the 6 tablespoons of olive oil and the reserved pasta cooking water. Season the dressing with salt and pepper.

Add 1/4 cup of the dressing to the pasta and toss. Add the sausages, peppers, radicchio, celery, mozzarella and the remaining dressing and toss well. Season the pasta salad with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the basil and serve.

Of all the wonderful recipes Marcella Hazan created, our all-time favorite is this quick-cooking Swordfish Sicilian-Style, where an oregano-infused sauce imparts bright flavor to hot-off-the-grill steaks. The secret is pricking holes in the fish so the lemony dressing seeps in.

Serves 4-6

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INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons table salt
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
2 pounds swordfish steaks, cut 1/2 inch thick

INSTRUCTIONS
Light a grill or preheat the broiler. In a small bowl, mix the lemon juice with the salt until the salt dissolves. Stir in the oregano. Slowly whisk in the olive oil and season generously with pepper.

Grill the swordfish steaks over high heat (as close to the heat as possible), turning once, until cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer the fish to a platter. Prick each fish steak in several places with a fork to allow the sauce to penetrate. Using a spoon, beat the sauce, then drizzle it over the fish. Serve at once.

Saucy White Beans and Greens on Toast is a combination of canned cannellini and cranberry beans cooked with spinach, jalapeño, cumin, and citrus is a cozy, quick dinner.

Serves 4

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INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 medium shallots, halved and thinly sliced (about 2/3 cup)
4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced (about 1 tablespoon)
1 medium jalapeño chile, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 (14-ounce) can cannellini beans (undrained)
1 (14-ounce) can cranberry beans (see Note), drained but not rinsed
2 1/2 cups lightly packed fresh spinach
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus grated lemon zest for serving
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, plus grated lime zest for serving
4 (1-inch-thick) rustic bread slices
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Chopped fresh chives

INSTRUCTIONS
Heat butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium until butter is melted. Add shallots, garlic, jalapeño, and cumin seeds; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened and cumin is fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring often, until nearly evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add broth, and bring to a simmer over medium-high.

Stir cannellini beans and their liquid and drained cranberry beans into broth in saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium, and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until hot, about 5 minutes. Add spinach, and cook, stirring often, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and lime juice; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add 2 bread slices; cook, turning once or twice, until nicely toasted on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes. Place 1 slice in each of 2 bowls. Repeat process with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining 2 bread slices. Spoon saucy beans evenly over bread slices. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan, chives, lemon zest, and lime zest. Serve immediately.

Pasta Ncasciata is a hearty baked pasta dish that is packed with tender eggplant, melty caciocavallo cheese, and crushed tomatoes.

In Sicily, ’ncasciata has many variations. Chef Michael Gulotta’s version combines tender eggplant, buttery caciocavallo cheese, and crushed tomatoes with al dente rigatoni. Baking the eggplant rounds rather than frying them cuts down on the prep time.​

Serves 8

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INGREDIENTS
1 pound uncooked rigatoni
2 small eggplants (about 1 1/2 pounds), unpeeled, stemmed, and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
5 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
12 ounces ground pork
1 medium-size (10-ounce) yellow onion, chopped (about 1 3/4 cups)
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
2 (28-ounces) cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand and juices reserved
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 cup fresh or frozen sweet peas (optional)
12 large basil leaves, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup), plus more for garnish
8 ounces caciocavallo or provolone cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
2 1/2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425°F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Add pasta, and cook according to package instructions for al dente. Drain well, and spread pasta in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Set aside until ready to use.

While pasta cooks, arrange eggplant rounds evenly on a paper towel–lined baking sheet; sprinkle 2 teaspoons salt over both sides of eggplant rounds. Let stand 10 minutes. Pat dry with paper towels.

Brush 2 tablespoons oil evenly on 2 baking sheets. Arrange eggplant rounds in a single layer on baking sheets, and brush 2 tablespoons oil evenly over eggplant rounds. Roast in preheated oven until softened and starting to brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven, and set aside until ready to use. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

While eggplant roasts, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium-high. Add pork and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring to break up meat into small pieces, until pork is browned, about 8 minutes. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes and juices, tomato paste, sugar, and remaining 3 teaspoons salt; bring to a simmer over medium-high. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have broken down completely into sauce, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Fold in cooked pasta, peas (if using), and sliced basil.

Spread half of the pasta mixture (about 6 cups) in bottom of a 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with half of the eggplant and 1 cup caciocavallo. Repeat layers once with remaining pasta mixture, remaining eggplant, and remaining caciocavallo. Sprinkle evenly with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Cover baking dish with parchment paper, and wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Bake at 350°F until filling is bubbly around the edges and in center (you will need to unwrap the baking dish to check), about 30 minutes. Remove foil and parchment paper, and bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven. Garnish with additional basil, and serve.

Basque Garlic Soup is a balm for a cold day enjoyed throughout Spain. The piping hot bowl of garlicky, smoky broth is filled with tendrils of eggs, thickened with bread, and heightened with a splash of sherry vinegar. In the Basque region, this soup traditionally uses a bread called zopako ogia that has a broad, dry crust, and very little crumb, making it perfect for thickening soup. This soup, from writer and cookbook author Marti Buckley, calls for a baguette that’s very well-toasted — almost burnt — in olive oil to add body and roasted depth.

Serves 4

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INGREDIENTS
4 ounces high-quality baguette
1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 garlic head (about 12 cloves), peeled and finely chopped
1 heaping tablespoon Pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)
8 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
3 large eggs, beaten

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place baguette on a baking sheet, and toast in preheated oven until very browned and almost burnt, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool. Break or slice bread into 2-inch pieces.

Heat 7 tablespoons oil in a large pot over medium-high. Add bread pieces, and reduce heat to medium. Cook, turning often to allow bread to toast and soak up oil, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove bread, and set aside. Wipe pot clean.

Add garlic and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pot. Cook over medium-high, stirring constantly, until garlic is golden brown, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in paprika. Add broth and salt; bring to a boil.

Add bread to pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, and maintain a simmer. Add vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally to break up bread, until flavors meld, about 25 minutes. Taste and add more salt, if needed.

When ready to serve, bring soup to a simmer over medium-high. Stirring constantly, slowly pour beaten eggs into hot soup. If any large pieces of bread remain, cut with kitchen scissors, or break apart with a spoon. Serve hot.

Lasagna Puttanesca? What? Puttanesca is a classic southern Italian pasta sauce made with tomatoes, capers and olives. Here, it lends a ton of flavor to a hearty but not heavy eggplant lasagna layered with ricotta and mozzarella.

Serves 10

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INGREDIENTS
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for tossing and greasing
1 lb. dry lasagna noodles
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 medium eggplant, diced (1/2 inch)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
7 anchovy fillets in oil, chopped
7 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup pitted olives, chopped
3 tablespoons drained capers
Two 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes and juices, crushed
3 cups fresh ricotta cheese
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 lb. mozzarella, thinly sliced

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 450°. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch ceramic baking dish with oil.

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the lasagna noodles until they just start to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain, transfer to a baking sheet and toss with olive oil.

In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until lightly golden, 5 minutes. Add the eggplant and the remaining 3 tablespoons of oil; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the anchovies and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the olives, capers and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, stir the ricotta with the eggs and season with salt and pepper.

Spread 1 1/2 cups of the puttanesca sauce in the baking dish. Top with 5 lasagna noodles and spread with half of the ricotta. Top with another layer of noodles and half of the remaining sauce. Arrange another layer of noodles on top and spread with the remaining ricotta. Repeat with a final layer of noodles and the remaining sauce.

Cover with foil and bake the lasagna for 40 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes. Arrange the mozzarella slices over the top and bake for 15 minutes longer, until most of the liquid has been absorbed. Let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Pasta with Sausage Basil and Mustard: In matching spicy sausage with a creamy mustard sauce and fragrant basil, British cookbook author Nigel Slater created a quick pasta supper with warm, mildly spicy flavors. It’s perfect for a cool fall or winter evening.

Serves 4

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INGREDIENTS
1 pound penne, rigatoni, or medium shells
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 hot Italian sausages, meat removed from casings and crumbled (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons grainy mustard
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1 cup thinly sliced basil

INSTRUCTIONS
Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente; drain. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add the sausage meat and brown over moderately high heat, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom, until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the cream, mustard, and crushed red pepper and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat, add the pasta and basil and toss to coat. Serve at once.

Roasted Branzino with Caper Butter: You achieve a crispy skin on the stovetop and then finish the whole branzino that’s stuffed with lemon and rosemary in the oven.

Can do 1 whole fish and put the pan into the oven as opposed to putting it in another dish.

Serves 8

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INGREDIENTS
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon capers, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher salt
4 (1- to 1 1/4-pound) whole branzino or striped bass, scaled and gutted
1 lemon, sliced into 8 rounds
4 large rosemary sprigs
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, mix butter with capers, lemon juice, and parsley, and season with salt to taste. Hold at room temperature.

Season branzino cavities with salt to taste and stuff 2 lemon rounds and 1 rosemary sprig in each. Season outside of fish with salt to taste.

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil until shimmering. Add 2 branzino and cook over high heat until branzino skin is browned and crisp, flipping once, about 3 minutes per side.

Transfer fish to a large rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 stuffed branzino. Roast fish in the oven for about 10 minutes, until just cooked through.

Serve whole or filleted, passing caper butter at the table.

Smoked Mozzarella Mezzelune with Braised Onion Sauce is a crescent-shaped stuffed pasta similar to ravioli. They’re a relatively simple shape to try that requires little equipment to make at home. Meryl Feinstein of Pasta Social Club fills hers with rosemary and smoked mozzarella. A little semolina flour will give the pasta dough more structure and bite, but feel free to omit it and use the same weight of “00” flour or all-purpose flour. If you can’t find smoked mozzarella, another smoked cheese like gouda will work in a pinch. The accompanying thick, rich slow-cooked tomato-and-onion sauce is loosely inspired by a Bolognese classic called il friggione. You’ll often find il friggione served with meat, as a side dish, and as an antipasto—but of course it works well with pasta, too.

Serves 8-10

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INGREDIENTS
Sauce:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3 ounces), divided
4 medium onions, chopped into 1/2- inch pieces (about 6 cups)
½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ cup tomato paste
½ cup dry white wine
3 cups vegetable stock, plus more as needed
2 bay leaves
Small pinch of ground cloves (optional)
1 teaspoon high-quality balsamic vinegar (optional)
¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

Pasta:
2 ¼ cups Italian-style 00 flour (about 10 1/2 ounces) or all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
.3333 cup semolina flour (about 1 3/4 ounces), Italian-style 00 flour, or all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, beaten
Semolina flour or cornmeal, for dusting

Filling:
1 ½ cups whole-milk ricotta cheese
3 ounces smoked mozzarella cheese,grated (about 3/4 cup)
1 ¾ ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese,grated (about 1/3 cup), plus more for serving
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

Additional Ingredients:
Fresh thyme leaves, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS
Make the sauce:
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large Dutch oven over medium. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomato paste; stir to coat onions. Cook, stirring constantly, until tomato paste slightly darkens, about 2 minutes. Stir in wine; bring to a simmer over medium. Simmer, undisturbed, 3 minutes. Add stock, bay leaves, and cloves, if using; return to a simmer over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stir- ring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed and mixture reaches a jammy consistency, 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours. If needed, after about 1 hour, stir in additional stock, 1/2 cup at a time, to prevent burning. Remove and discard bay leaves. Add balsamic vinegar, if using, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter; stir until butter melts. Stir in pepper and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Remove sauce from heat.

While sauce cooks, make the pasta:
Pulse 00 flour, semolina flour, and eggs in a food processor until shaggy clumps of dough form, about 5 pulses. Transfer dough to a clean work surface. Knead until smooth and firm, about 10 minutes. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Let rest at room temperature 30 minutes.

While pasta dough rests, make the filling:
Pulse ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, lemon juice, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a food processor until smooth and creamy, about 12 pulses. Season with additional lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Transfer filling to a small bowl or a piping bag with a 1/2-inch hole snipped in the tip. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Dust 2 large baking sheets with semolina flour or cornmeal. Unwrap pasta dough. Cut a one-quarter portion from dough; rewrap remaining dough to prevent it from drying out. Flatten dough portion using heel of your hand to 1/4-inch thickness. Starting with the widest roller setting, pass dough through pasta machine. Fold outer tapered ends of sheet in toward the center like an envelope so that width of pasta sheet is similar to width of pasta roller. Pass pasta sheet through widest set- ting 1 more time. (It should resemble a fairly even rectangle.) Continue rolling pasta through machine, reducing roller width setting 1 notch each time pasta is rolled, until sheet is about 1 millimeter thick. (You will be able to see your hand through the sheet, but it should still be sturdy.)

Place pasta sheet on a work surface lightly dusted with 00 flour. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out pasta rounds. Brush excess flour from pasta scraps, and gather into a ball. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and set aside. Spoon or pipe 1 tea- spoon filling onto center of each dough round, and flatten slightly using a fingertip. Working with 1 dough round at a time, fold round in half to form a half-moon; seal opposite corners first, then gently press out any air, and seal edges around filling. If dough is too dry to seal, lightly wet edges of half of round with water using your fingertip, and, using your fingers, press firmly to seal and form a mezzeluna. Place on prepared baking sheet in a single layer, and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Repeat with remain- ing dough and filling, rerolling pasta scraps.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high. Salt the water as desired, and gently add half of mezzelune, shaking off any excess semolina first. Gently stir, and cook, undisturbed, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. While pasta cooks, ladle 1/3 cup pasta cooking liquid into sauce in skillet; reheat sauce over low.

Using a slotted spoon or a spider, transfer cooked mezzelune to sauce in skillet; stir gently to coat. Repeat process with remaining mezzelune, adding additional cooking liquid as needed to loosen sauce enough to coat mezzelune. Divide mezzelune evenly among plates. Sprinkle with a generous showering of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and garnish with thyme. Serve immediately.

Make Ahead:
To prevent cracking, prepare mezzelune through step 6, blanching for just 1 minute. Drain, and let dry 30 minutes. Freeze in a single layer on a semolina- dusted rimmed baking sheet until just solid, about 25 minutes. Transfer to freezer bags, and freeze up to 3 months. To cook from frozen, add 1 to 2 minutes to cook time. Sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.