Piselli (peas) cooked my mother's way makes one of my favorite side dishes and works well also for flavoring some pasta. In this respect, the best types of pasta are those that have a hollow shape where the peas can be trapped.

• 1 lb (about 0.5 kg) of penne or manicotti or conchiglie (shell) pasta
• 1 lb (about 0.5 kg) of frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 oz (15 g) of butter
• 1 cube or 1 teaspoon of chicken bouillon
• grated parmesan cheese

Preparation
Put the frozen peas in a small pan and let the ice melt on a medium fire. If fresh peas are used, add a couple tablespoons of water. Add the olive oil, the butter, and the crumbled cube or teaspoon of chicken bouillon. Continue cooking for about 20 minutes stirring occasionally until the water is reduced and a slight brownish hue starts to appear on some peas. In the meantime cook and drain the pasta following the instructions for the pasta type. Mix the pasta and peas in a serving bowl or top the pasta with the peas and its sauce on individual dishes. Serve by sprinkling some grated parmesan on top.

Risotto (creamy rice) is a classic from Northern Italy. It is a very flexible dish since it can be flavored with almost everything. Among my classic favorites are the risotto with porcini mushrooms and the one with artichokes. But I also had risotto with asparagus, with pumpkin, with potatoes, with salsiccia (sausage), the risotto ai frutti di mare (seafood). And, as unbelievable as it may sound, some of the best risotti I ever tasted were made with somewhat odd ingredients, like the risotto with strawberries, the one cooked with rose petals, or (how can I forget that!) the one made with chestnuts. I will end my "ode" to the risotto by introducing the classic recipe from Milano where saffron is used for preparing this delicacy.

• 2 lb (about 1 kg) of arborio rice
• 4 g of saffron
• 1 onion
• 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 oz (15 g) of butter
• 2 cubes or 2 teaspoons of chicken bouillon
• grated parmesan cheese

Preparation
Finely cut the onion, put in a pan on medium-high fire with the olive oil and two tablespoons of water, and stir until the onion is slightly golden. Add the arborio rice and stir until all the liquid is absorbed. Add a cup of boiling water and continue stirring until the water is absorbed. Repeat the process 3 more times. Add the saffron and the bouillon, and mix. Resume adding a cup of boiling water while stirring until the water is absorbed for 3-4 more times. In about 20 minutes the rice should be cooked and have a creamy texture. Remove the pan from the fire, add the butter with two tablespoons of grated paemesan, and stir. Let stay covered for about 5 minutes and then serve.