6 Italian Favorites Made Western

The bright flavors of Italian salsa verde–olives and lemon–add Western flair to this chicken stew. The succulent texture and robust flavor of boned, skinned chicken thighs stand up well to braising in this dish.

Recipe: Chicken Stew with Olives and Lemon

Instead of loading pasta shells with lots of cheese, use less and combine it with delicate ribbons of fresh vegetables. A mandoline will give you the most delicate veggie ribbons, but you can also use a vegetable peeler.

Recipe: Vegetable Ribbon Pasta Shells

Transform classic puttanesca sauce into a topping for casual meatball sliders. These work well as a main course or as an appetizer. Close them with long toothpicks if you like.

Recipe: Puttanesca Meatball Sliders

Try your favorite local blue cheese in this tasty risotto. Though Carnaroli and Arborio rices are traditional for the dish, we discovered that less-expensive sushi rice, such as Nishiki, works just as well.

Recipe: Blue Cheese and Radicchio Risotto

For extra-crunchy pork cutlets in this Western dish, think Asian fusion: Coat the meat with Japanese panko, not regular bread crumbs.

Recipe: Pork Milanese with Arugula, Fennel, and Parmesan Salad

L.A. chef Mark Peel of Campanile revs up classic meatballs with mushrooms and fresh-cracked fennel. For a small group, serve half the sauce (with half the pasta), then freeze the rest for dinner another night.

Recipe: Campanile’s Spaghetti and Meatballs in Red Sauce