Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies

Dulce de leche, a Latin American caramel of sorts, is sold in the baking aisle of most supermarkets.

Get classic results in less than an hour.

SERVES 6 TO 8

Note that Athens phyllo, the most commonly available brand (as well as our preferred brand), is sold in two sizes. Both are 1-pound packages, with the larger size containing 20 sheets measuring 18 by 14 inches and the smaller size containing 40 sheets measuring 14 by 9 inches—exactly half the size of the larger sheets. We prefer the larger sheets in our strudel, but if all you can find are the smaller sheets, divide the filling evenly and make two smaller strudels. The best ways to defrost the phyllo are in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for three to four hours; it doesn’t defrost well in the microwave. Make sure that the phyllo sheets you use for the strudel are not badly torn. If they have small cuts or tears in the same location (sometimes an entire package sustains cuts in the same spot), when forming the strudel, flip alternating layers so that the cuts will not line up, thereby creating a weak spot that can cause the strudel to burst during baking. Serve the strudel warm with lightly sweetened crème fraíche or whipped cream; if you chose to make the crème fraíche, make it before starting the strudel because it must stand at room temperature for about 1 1/2 hours before serving.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
For a strudel recipe with a crisp, flaky crust that would hold its shape, we handled the phyllo dough carefully, sprinkling butter and sugar between its layers for a cohesive crust. We found that browning the bread crumbs in butter for our strudel recipe prevented an overtly bready flavor. Baking the strudel in a very hot oven for just 15 minutes crisped the phyllo but didn’t dry it out.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2012/10/secrets-to-easy-apple-strudel/

SERVES 6 TO 8
Serve this hearty vegetable stew with crusty bread.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
Italy’s ciambotta is a ratatouille-like stew chock-full of veggies that makes for a hearty one-bowl meal with nary a trace of meat. We wanted to avoid the ill fate of most recipes, which end in mushy vegetables drowning in a weak broth. In order to optimize the texture of the zucchini and peppers, we employed the dry heat of a skillet. To address the broth, we embraced eggplant’s natural tendency to fall apart and cooked it until it completely assimilated into a thickened tomato-enriched sauce. Finally, we found that a traditional pestata of garlic and herbs provided the biggest flavor punch when added near the end of cooking.

Serves 2

Hunt’s diced tomatoes are our favorite

Makes about 2 cups

Don’t worry if the mixture seems loose after cooking. It will thicken as it cools.

SERVES 6 TO 8

Depending on the size of your grill, you may have to cook the vegetables in multiple batches. When grilling more than one vegetable at a time, be prepared to take each off the grill as it is done cooking.

MAKES 7 CUPS, SERVING 4 TO 6 AS A SIDE DISH

For the best-flavored ratatouille, we recommend very ripe, beefsteak tomatoes.

Serves 6 to 8, or 10 to 12 as a side

It’s crucial to cook the pasta until tender—just past the “al dente” stage. In fact, overcooking is better than undercooking the pasta. Whole, low-fat, and skim milk all work well in this recipe. The recipe can be halved and baked in an 8-inch-square, broilersafe baking dish. If desired, offer celery salt or hot sauce (such as Tabasco) for sprinkling at the table.

Serves 4 as a main course or 6 to 8 as a side dish

If you’re in a hurry or prefer to sprinkle the dish with crumbled common crackers (saltines aren’t bad either), you can skip the bread crumb step.

MAKES 1/2 CUP

The sauce base recipe yields more than called for in the steak recipe; leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to one month. Our preferred brands of beef broth are Rachael Ray Stock-in-a-Box and College Inn Bold Stock.