Pasta Carbonara Frittata

This riff on classic pasta carbonara, a brunch-friendly frittata studded with penne and bacon, is more about the eggs and less about the pasta. It’s great served warm or at room temperature for brunch or dinner.

For the frittata

• kosher salt
• 8 oz. (2 cups) dried penne
• 9 large eggs
• 1-1/2 oz. finely grated Pecorino Romano (about 1-1/2 cups using a rasp grater); more for serving
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 6 oz. thick-cut bacon (about 4 slices), cut crosswise into 1/8-inch strips
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced (2/3 cup)
• 6 medium fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the salad

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
• 1 small head radicchio (6 oz.), halved and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
• 3 oz. (3 lightly packed cups) arugula
• 2 Tbs. chopped shallot
• Flaky sea salt, such as maldon, and freshly ground black pepper

Make the frittata

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.

Bring a 4-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions. Drain.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk, then whisk in the pecorino and cream.

Heat the oil in a 10-inch, ovenproof, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until lightly browned, about 6 minutes. Add the onion and sage and cook until the onion is translucent and the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Add the pasta and toss to distribute the ingredients evenly. Gently pour in the egg mixture. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 12 to 15 minutes. Loosen the edges with a silicone spatula and slide the frittata onto a cutting board.

Make the salad

Whisk together the oil and vinegar in a small bowl. Put the radicchio, arugula, and shallot in a large bowl and toss with just enough of the vinaigrette to coat. Season with 1/2 tsp. sea salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

Sprinkle more black pepper on the frittata. Slice and serve with additional pecorino and the salad.

Baked Ziti with Tomato, Mozzarella & Sausage

Try to find freshly made ricotta and mozzarella to see how good this rustic dish can be.

• Olive oil
• 1 large onion, cut in small dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 lb. sweet Italian pork sausage, removed from its casing and crumbled
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 35-oz. can whole plum tomatoes, chopped, with their juice
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh marjoram or oregano (from about 6 large sprigs)
• 1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
• 1 cup freshly grated mild pecorino cheese
• Pinch nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lb. dried ziti
• 1/2 lb. mozzarella, preferably fresh, cut in small cubes

Heat the oven to 425°F. Lightly oil a large, shallow baking dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

In a large skillet, heat about 2 Tbs. olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and crumbled sausage and sauté until the sausage starts to brown. Season with salt and pepper. If the sausage gives off a lot of fat, pour off most of it, but leave a little to add flavor to the sauce. Add the red wine and let it boil until it's almost gone. Add the tomatoes with all of their juices and cook, uncovered, at a lively simmer for about 10 minutes. The sauce will thicken slightly. Add the marjoram or oregano and taste for seasoning.

In a large bowl, mix the ricotta, about half of the grated pecorino, the nutmeg, and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the ziti until al dente. Drain well and toss it with the ricotta mixture until well coated. Add the sausage and sauce and mix again. Add the mozzarella and toss gently. Pour everything into the baking dish and sprinkle the remaining pecorino on top. Bake uncovered until lightly browned and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Serve right away.

Wild Arugula Salad with Salami Picante and Pecorino

Salami picante, a chorizo-like salami, provides a spicy counterpoint to the potent arugula, sweet shaved fennel and mellow, nutty pecorino in this salad.

• 1⁄2 clove garlic, pounded to a paste with a pinch of salt
• 1-1⁄2 Tbs. red-wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice; more as needed
• 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 bulb fennel, trimmed
• 4 large handfuls arugula, preferably wild, about 5 oz., washed and dried
• Kosher salt
• 4-oz. piece of stick salami, preferably salami picante, cut into 1⁄8- to 1⁄4-inch dice
• 3 oz. aged Tuscan Pecorino, cut into 1⁄8- to 1⁄4-inch dice

Combine the garlic and vinegar or lemon juice in a small bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Whisk in the oil. Taste and add more salt or vinegar if necessary.

Just before serving, use a mandolin to slice the fennel thinly. In a large work bowl, combine the shaved fennel with the arugula, salami, and cheese, and season with salt. Gently toss with just enough vinaigrette to lightly coat the greens. Taste and add more salt if necessary. With a delicate hand, transfer the salad to a platter or individual serving plates, making a fluffy pile of greens. Sprinkle the salami and cheese that have fallen to the bottom of the bowl on top. Serve immediately.

Puff Pastry Spanakopita

In this dish, Greek spanakopita (a phyllo, spinach, and feta pie) is re-imagined as a buttery, flaky puff pastry turnover.

• 2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. olive oil
• 1-1/2 lb. baby spinach (about 24 loosely packed cups)
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 3 large eggs plus 2 large egg yolks
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/3 cup packed finely chopped fresh dill
• 1/4 cup packed finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 oz. (1/4 cup) freshly grated Pecorino Romano
• 8 oz. feta, crumbled (about 2 cups)
• 1 17.3-oz. package frozen Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets, thawed according to package directions

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

Heat 2 tsp. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add a batch of spinach and toss with tongs until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer with tongs to a colander set over a bowl, and let drain. Repeat with the remaining spinach (don’t add more oil).

Wipe the pan dry, reduce the heat to medium, and add the remaining 2 Tbs. oil. Add the onion and scallions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, lightly beat the 3 whole eggs. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt, a generous grind of black pepper, and the nutmeg. Stir in the dill, parsley, and pecorino. Gently stir in the feta.

Squeeze handfuls of the spinach to release as much liquid as possible; then pull apart the clumps with your fingers. Add the spinach and the onion mixture to the eggs and stir gently to combine.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Without unfolding, cut one pastry sheet crosswise into thirds (refrigerate the other sheet). On a lightly floured work surface, unfold a third of the pastry, cut it into thirds, and roll each piece into a 4-inch square. Transfer the squares to the baking sheets. Repeat with the 2 remaining thirds to yield 9 squares. Spread about 1/2 cup of the filling over each square in an even layer, leaving a 3/4-inch border on all sides.

In a small bowl, whisk the 2 egg yolks and 2 tsp. water. Lightly brush the egg wash over the pastry borders. Cut the other pastry sheet as above, but roll each piece into a 5-inch square. Place the squares over the filling and press the top and bottom edges of the pastries together to seal.

Brush the top of each with the remaining egg wash and cut a small vent to allow steam to escape. Bake, swapping and rotating the baking sheets’ positions halfway through baking, until a knife inserted into the filling comes out clean and the pastry is puffed and deep golden, about 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, cut each square in half on the diagonal, and serve.