Weeknight Kitchen

This is inspired by a Roman recipe called pasta e piselli. As is the case with so many Italian dishes, it is deceptively simple but packed full of flavour and is sure to please diners of all ages. Brodo – Italian for broth – is often made with meat stock, so do use a chicken stock here, unless you’re serving to vegetarians. This is a recipe that will welcome a spare Parmesan rind: it will impart so much flavour. Just add it to the liquid as it cooks and discard before serving.

Romans have been worshipping at the altar of cheese and pepper (aka cacio e pepe) for centuries. This simple, creamy, indulgent, delicious combo is a pillar of the four great Roman pastas. We haven’t messed around with it, simply swapping out pasta for Italian borlotti beans. Ready in just 15 minutes, this is comfort food at its best.

A gratin is such a good way to sneak in vegetables: they may be surrounded by lots of cream and cheese but you’re still getting a few of your five a day! This is always a crowd-pleaser; it has a rich, velvety texture from the potato and the celery root and a lovely sweetness from the leeks. Children always seem to enjoy this one so it’s a perfect way to get them eating the vegetables they might not usually eat. It’s also quite fun to assemble and a great way to get them involved in the kitchen.

Everything I know about Indian cooking could fit on a strand of saffron. So I was thrilled when Niloufer Ichaporia King came to work with us at Chez Panisse, guiding us through the preparation of several traditional Parsi New Year’s feasts. It was the first time that I’d tasted such authentic and wonderfully aromatic Indian food. My favorite dish that Niloufer gave us a recipe for was a cake enrobed in a sheet of gold leaf, a stunning touch that lent the dessert a splendor worthy of a Bollywood musical. This is my version of that cake, but I left out the gold, since it’s not something you’re likely to have on hand. I did, however, brighten up the batter with vibrant green pistachios, which are more easily found in grocery stores than sheets of gold leaf and, honestly, more delicious to eat.

This interlude into the deep blue sea is brought to you by the Danes, who a) know a thing or two about what to do with fish, and b) know a thing or two about meatballs. Here, we have the perfect union of both in these light and lovely fish cakes and accompanying herb-loaded creamy sauce. They can be plated up with boiled potatoes or a fresh green salad, but for an off-the-rack Scandi experience, serve them with dark rye bread.

When “salt,” “honey” and “butter” combine with just about any food, you know it’s going to be delicious. These cashews are so easy to eat, they should come with a warning label.

This is one of those simple soups that, after making and enjoying it just once, you won’t even need a recipe for it. The addition of Chinese five-spice, with its combination of star anise, fennel seed, Szechuan pepper, clove and cinnamon, really enhances the humble carrot and apple combination, giving it a well-rounded flavour complexity with minimal effort.

I cannot begin to describe how delicious these are: toothsome from the bulgur, salty from the feta and fresh from all that parsley, whose innate bitterness brings the fritters into balance. They are, of course, inspired by that classic Middle Eastern salad tabbouleh and—just as in that dish—the parsley is not merely a herb offered up for a bit of additional flavor, it is used as a green leafy vegetable in its own right.

Growing up in a Greek community on Long Island, I did not eat meatloaf as a kid because that was always thought to be very much an American dish. But as an adult, it’s one that I have really adopted as my own, and I love it as an easy, high-protein main dish for weeknights. I also think it’s a perfect vessel for Greek flavors like Kalamata olives, feta, and oregano, with tzatziki served on the side. As a nod to the classic, I give you the option of an American-style, ketchup-based glaze, which I am partial to, but it’s easy to leave out, based on your preferences.

A coffeeshop staple that’s easy to recreate at home, these cakey cookies are nicely spiced and finished with a beautiful brown butter-maple icing. The recipe halves easily