When Laura Vitale moved to the United States from her native Italy as a teenager, she was homesick--not just for her family, but for her beloved nonna's cooking. The slow-cooked Sunday sauces loaded with pork ribs and tender braised beef (and plenty of red wine), the quick pan-fried breaded chicken cutlets destined to be Parmesan'd, the frittata de maccheroni that she'd tuck in a knapsack for beachside picnics . . . and so began a quest to re-create Nonna's delicious legacy in Laura's New Jersey kitchen.

Ever since, Laura has spent countless hours on the phone with Nonna to learn her secrets for the crispiest fried Cacio e Pepe Aranini, Zia Mimma's Focaccia Barese (mashed potatoes are the key to its fluffy texture), decadent four-cheese baked ziti, a Sunday supper go-to of Roasted Chicken and Potatoes with Herby Lemon Salsa, and a semolina cake to end all yellow cakes, topped with heaps of limoncello-soaked strawberries. Decades of Sunday suppers, holiday meals, and get-it-done-fast weeknight dinners have perfected the flavors and techniques that represent the essence of Laura's Italy.