Tomato

Any short, tubular pasta will work with this meaty ragù. We used sedanini ("little celery") on the cover, but easier-to-find rigatoni and penne are great, too.

Butternut adds heft and sweetness to this season-blurring beauty.

This thick Spanish sauce, made with roasted red peppers and almonds, is also delicious on grilled or roasted scallions, chicken, and fish.

Chef Nate Hamilton at Harvest in Madison, WI, says: “Sometimes I sit and watch baseball and eat pistachios out of the can, but they’re better as a topper for pasta.”

Saganaki, a traditional Greek preparation named after the pan in which it’s prepared, is best served straight from the skillet, with plenty of toasted bread for scooping up the savory tomato sauce. If you can find them, wild American shrimp and high-quality Greek feta really make this dish special.

This recipe can easily be doubled to feed a larger group—and makes for great leftovers. For a lighter soup, omit the cream; or for a little decadence, add more cream or swirl in a little crème fraîche.

Canned beans are your friend in this garlic shrimp recipe.

Why are these fried green tomatoes better than all others? We've got three words for you: tomato-vinegar sauce. Psst: Make the sauce ahead of time.

Truly ripe tomatoes don't need much.

Use this sweet condiment as a topping for grilled fish, cooked rice, or crostini.

Do you hate dry chicken with a vengeance? You're going to love this pan sauce, which makes each bite 100 percent juicier.

Adapted from The River Cafe Classic Italian Cookbook by Rose Gray, Ruth Rogers, and Michael Joseph. Copyright Rose Gray 2009.

Adapted from The River Cafe Classic Italian Cookbook by Rose Gray, Ruth Rogers, and Michael Joseph. Copyright Rose Gray 2009.