Italian-American Recipes to Make for Sunday Supper

This delicious take on another Italian-American classic features slices of pounded beef wrapped around a powerhouse filling of pimiento‐stuffed olives, raisins, and Parmigiano‐Reggiano to form several individual rolls instead of one centerpiece roast. The beef gets tender while the sauce intensifies while the dish braises in the oven. Serve over polenta or mashed potatoes or with plenty of crusty bread to sop it all up.

These vegetarian "meatballs" are made from a blend of eggplant and white beans. Cheese, garlic, and oregano are the good‐flavor agents; breadcrumbs and egg bind them together. A quick trip under the broiler browns the tops and sides, then plunk!—into the gravy they go.

Sure, you're familiar with veal Parmesan, maybe you've also enjoyed chicken Parmesan? Well, get ready to love this pork parm. The base is pork tenderloin, sliced into medallions and pounded thin so it cooks in a flash. A triple dip into flour, then egg, then panko, makes a coating that stays crisp even after it cools (a rack ensures 360‐degree crunch). Top with a spoonful or two of red sauce and mozzarella—and broil until the cheese melts.

Bolognese is often made with beef and pork, and the traditional recipe cooks for ages. This lighter, quicker version—a mix of ground turkey and chopped mushrooms, bumped up with morsels of pancetta—just tastes like it did. Sautéed carrots and onion provide sweetness, and tomato paste adds instant depth (after all, tomato paste is tomatoes that have simmered for hours). The clincher? Turkey is actually juicier and tastier with only a brief simmer, so this is a win‐win din.

Restaurants rarely serve this homey chicken‐and‐sausage dish, but every Italian‐American family has its own riff: Some add sweet peppers, others white wine. Flour dusted on the chicken thighs helps them brown; it forms a nice crust and also thickens the sauce at the end. Braised in a broth amped with rosemary, shallots, and pickled peppers (plus a splash of brine), the meats get super‐tender—and the aroma is sublime.

Per Italian lore, the original fettuccine Alfredo was a kid‐friendly blend of buttered pasta tossed with Parmesan. Over generations in America, it became rich and heavy with cream (some versions even use cream cheese). In our hybrid, butter, cheese, and an egg yolk are slowly whisked into pasta water to create a luscious sauce. Tossed with seared shrimp, peas, and pasta, it'll enchant adults and bambini alike.