Italian

And by "giant," we mean ginormous. Whopping. Biggest ever. Cookbook author and intrepid pasta eater Domenica Marchetti divulges both recipe and reason.

This sexy, simple gnocchi is all Roman La Dolce Vita, made with semolina flour and not potato. See for yourself how seductive it can be.

The perfect base for so many dishes, Italian or otherwise. Sprinkle with cheese, top with sauce or meat, drizzle with honey or maple syrup, let it cool and fry it...shall we go on?

This loosely defined "lasagna" is an easy little cheat of a recipe that relies on store-bought ravioli, jarred sauce, and shredded cheese. Shhhhhh.

Lend a little swanky to everyday spaghetti by gilding it with chunks of sweet, sweet lobster and juuuuust the perfect hit of chile pepper.

Elegance was never achieved with such ease. Simply stack cooked lasagna noodles with sautéed 'shrooms and smother with a luxurious cream sauce. Everyday extravagance.

This little moment of lusciousness takes nothing to toss together. Just tear the figs, rip the cheese, and drizzle with oil. Badda bing.

Don't you love a dish that can be tossed together at the last second yet tastes like someone's Italian grandmother slaved over it for hours? Us, too.

Heirloom tomatoes go on ice for this simple yet elegant sorbet. Use yellow, red, orange, or purple fruit, but my all means, make this sorbet.

Summer at its simplest, not to mention its most splendid. Five minutes of effort yield a meal that rivals round-trip tickets to Italy.

This Italian sipper swirls together vodka, Prosecco, and lemon sorbet to ridiculously satiating, giggle-inducing effect.

Lemon, ricotta cheese, peas, and pappardelle pasta. The name sorta says it all. But we'll add that it can be made in no time.

Cinnamon is the solo act in this sophisticated but simple gelato. Creamy, indulgent, and complex tasting, this gelato is sure to become a new favorite.

Pasta made fresh according to Italian tradition is unspeakably more supple, satisfying, and gratifying than the dried-out store-bought stuff and will make your mouth water. Here's how to make it at home.

This beauty of a biscotti may seem a descendant of sorts from fruitcake, though it boasts a heck of a lot more allure than its stodgy ancestor.

This pasta, filled with earthy morel mushroom and ramps--wild leeks--is balanced by the richness of Grana Padano and mascarpone cheese.

Sweetly salty to taste, easy peasy to make, and lovey dove with white wine, these just may be the perfect before-dinner nibble.

Ever heard that little ditty, "Winner, winner, chicken dinner?" We like to think of it as "Winner, winner, chicken piccata dinner."

The secret to this intensely flavored risotto? Using chicken stock mingled with the liquid from rehydrating dried porcini mushrooms.

These braised short ribs from Mario Batali's restaurant Babbo are one of David's favorite things. One taste and you'll understand why.