Quick

To remove individual Brussels sprout leaves, cut the stem out of each sprout and gently ease apart all the leaves.

The tapenade can also be served as a dip for crudités or a zesty sauce for grilled fish. For best results, choose olives with distinctive flavors, such as those suggested below.

Pappardelle are long, flat, wide noodles; fettuccine or linguine work just as well. We recommend chopping the peas slightly before cooking them; otherwise, they have a tendency to roll off the pasta when you eat.

Broccoli, a cruciferous vegetable, contains significant amounts of vitamins A and C, as well as calcium, iron, and riboflavin.

If you like, grate some Parmesan cheese over the tossed pasta just before serving, or offer grated cheese on the side.

If you have trouble finding caciocavallo cheese, you can substitute grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

The pesto can be made up to 1 hour before serving without losing its freshness; store it at room temperature.

This Italian classic typically showcases four cheeses (“quattro formaggi”) with different characteristics. For our rendition, we topped the crust with fontina (semifirm), mozzarella (soft and fresh), Gorgonzola (blue-veined), and Pecorino Romano (hard and aged).