Good for getting rid of leftover baked chicken and/or the broken-up tortilla chips at the bottom of the bag.

“In Venice we have big soups, simple soups,” Francesco says. “This is a good example.” But he adds that when it’s served at Remi, it is sometimes garnished with creme fraiche and caviar, for a lavish touch befitting the Venetian taste for luxury. At one time there were sturgeon in the Venetian lagoon, providing the city with its own supply of caviar. For a more humble Venetian garnish, some rounds of bread fried in butter or olive oil will do nicely.

Love this stuff. Always a huge hit. Can be made even richer using extra cream and less milk. I often double this recipe, it’s that popular.

Parsley and walnuts add extra health benefits to this version of aglio e olio, the Italian classic of spaghetti with garlic and oil. I like using whole-grain pasta made from farro, an ancient form of Italian wheat that tastes mild and nutty. Specialty stores and natural foods markets have this pasta di farro, made by Manicaretti or Latini, while supermarkets, usually sell whole-wheat spaghetti. (Those from DeCecco and Delverde are especially good.)
Fast Fact: Walnuts are the only nut containing ellagic acid, an important antioxidant.
Quick Tip: Roasting the nuts at 350º F. for 5 minutes improves their flavor.