Pomodori ripieni, rice stuffed tomatoes, are another classic Italian summer recipe. Stuffed tomatoes are usually served cold, as an antipasto, but also warm as a tasty primo piatto or side dish.

Vitello Tonnato, sliced veal served chilled in a creamy tuna and capers sauce, is a classic summer dish in Italy, especially at Ferragosto. And once you try it, you'll want it all year around.

Beef and vegetables stew in Italian is called “stufato di manzo con verdure” and it is an easy way to prepare a great dinner with a single dish recipe that anyone in the family will enjoy. It is also a great way to get the kids to eat their vegetables.

The authentic Sicilian cannoli filling recipe, made with ricotta cheese and the addition of a few drops of orange blossom water, for an incomparable flavor.

Among the Italian desserts, Sicilian Cannoli are probably the most popular, especially amid people of Italian descent.

This Pappardelle pasta dish has a rich and delicious flavor, and will pleasantly surprise even that someone at your table who might not like the idea of having chicken liver in his pasta.

Mario Batali is one of my favorite American chefs and his book Italian Grill is a must for Italian food lovers and grill warriors as well.

Chicken Cacciatore or Chicken Hunter (in Italian Pollo alla Cacciatora) is a classic Tuscan recipe and perhaps one of the most famous Italian chicken entrees, and not without merit.

Chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans, are very healthy and wonderful to prepare in many different ways. In Italian they are called "ceci", and the classic way to eat them is in a soup, called "zuppa di ceci".

Caprese salad, made with fresh Mozzarella and tomatoes, can be enjoyed as an antipasto or as a light delicious lunch.