Pancetta

"The tagliatelle with parsnips and pancetta at Babbo is a wonder," says Aleksandra Crapanzano of New York, New York. " I would be thrilled to have the recipe." A good substitute for the homemade tagliatelle used at Babbo is dried egg fettuccine or taglierini—we particularly like the Cipriani brand. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

This recipe is an accompaniment for Pappardelle Bolognese .

Lane Crowther, A contributing editor at Bon Appétit, says that "For twenty-five years our family endured side dishes of canned creamed corn and sweetened baked squash—simply for the sake of tradition. With this soup, I was finally able to convince everyone that a few classic Thanksgiving ingredients (like corn and squash) could be combined in a delicious new way."

Northern Italian cooks use peas often; in this side dish, the vegetable gets a boost from the Italian bacon called pancetta. If it is unavailable in your area, finely chopped regular bacon can be substituted.

This is a great entrée for entertaining or for a special weeknight dinner for your family. Either way, no one except you will know how easy it is to make. And your secret is safe with us.

Active time: 1 hr. Start to finish: 1 hr.

On the Cycladic islands, homemade salted pork flavors most vegetable dishes. Pancetta makes a good substitute here.

From Daniel Boulud and Alex Lee, the former executive chef at Daniel in New York.

Pasta e Fagioli Venetians prize a soup made thick by using mashed beans. This recipe is based on the preparations at Venice's Fiaschetteria Toscana and Osteria alla Bomba. A tablespoon of salt may sound like a lot, but it is needed to bring out the beans' flavor.

Pumpkins may be all the rage just now, but we've noticed another squash that's garnering a lot of attention lately. The inconspicuous kabocha squash—too bumpy, squat, and unseasonably green to be taken seriously as porch décor—is finally being hailed for its inner beauty. With deeply flavored meat more fiery orange than that of its famous cousin, the kabocha caught the attention of several readers, all of whom wrote to request recipes from various restaurants for kabocha soup. Such an incipient following may portend great things. Is there a Great Kabocha? Not yet, Charlie Brown, but here's a great kabocha soup. Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 1 1/2 hr

Margaret DeMatteo of Stirling, New Jersey, writes: "My husband recently took me to the nearby Perryville Inn to celebrate my birthday. We had a fabulous 'BLT' appetizer made with layers of fried green tomatoes, pancetta, and basil mayonnaise. I would greatly appreciate it if you could get the recipe."

Egg fettuccine, rather than regular durum pasta, makes all the difference in this dish. It's usually sold curled in nests or loose in trays. Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 45 min

Linguine alle vongole
Adapted from Esca For this pasta dish, David Pasternack strongly recommends using a hard, sturdy dried pasta—in other words, don't be tempted to buy fresh or egg linguine. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min