2006 was a fine vintage in Piemonte, and I was much impressed by the 2006 Barbaresco poured at this year's vintage presentation. Quality was quite high, and there are some very fine wines to be had. Wines that are for the most part very young -- Barbaresco, like it's Cousin Barolo, can age for decades -- but that will already drink well with succulent roasts or hearty stews. Assuming you're not blessed with the patience necessary to allow them to grow. If you are, they'll richly reward you.

My complete notes for the 2006 Barbaresco | Piemontese Reds Not What You're Looking For? The General Recipe Index

Some pasta sauces are best if they bubble for hours on the stove. But we don't always have hours, and it's in times like these that sauces that can be prepared while the pasta water is boiling are a Godsend. Some examples?

• Spaghetti Aglio e Olio: With garlic and hot pepper is as simple as it gets, and good too.
• Spaghetti alle Vongole: I prefer frozen as opposed to canned clams. They're almost as good as live clams, but much quicker.
• Penne alla Vodka: A quick, creamy tomato sauce with a special something added.
• Spaghetti al Burro: There's a reason Italians say things are come il cacio su'maccheroni when in English we say "they're like ham and eggs."
• Pasta ai Quattro Formaggi: The classic four cheese sauce, and a variation too.
• Paste al Salmone Affumicato: Pasta with smoked salmon is great any time, but especially nice when entertaining that special someone.
• Orecchiette coi Broccoletti: Broccoli and salted ricotta go very well together in this sauce.

Last week Daughter C and Son R both came down with Swine Flu - it's spreading though Italian schools at an astonishing clip - so it was only a matter of time; Yesterday at noon I felt fine, but by 7 PM I was running a 39 C (102.5 F) fever, and the fever would be the same today were it not for the pills I pop. Much unhappiness on my part, because today my mother-in-law made her heavenly ossibuchi al sugo, which are simply beyond my abilities at this point.

However, something zesty such as Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe...

Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe is one of the most classic Roman pasta sauces, and though it is very simple -- just 4 ingredients -- it does require care. Though some people add a few drops of olive oil, Roman purists frown at this practice, and I tend to agree with them. Just pasta, cheese, and pepper, and the creaminess of the sauce comes from a few tablespoons of starchy pasta water. Just the thing to stimmulate the appetite!

We're entering the winter months, which in much of Italy mean cabbage of one sort or another. In the south, especially, broccoli and broccoli raab (also known as cime di rapa) are very popular, and it therefore seems fitting to begin with one of my favorite winter pasta dishes, which features them prominently:

Orecchiette coi Broccoletti, Orecchiette pasta with Broccoli. Even those who think they hate broccoli enjoy this classic dish from Puglia.

We'll follow the pasta with Stuffed Cuttlefish Pugliese Style, simple baked stuffed cuttlefish with a bread filling. Quite easy to do, and tasty too. With the cuttlefish? A tossed salad seasoned with olive oil, vinegar and salt.

And to close? Fresh fruit. It's difficult to beat the Williams pears we have in Italian markets now.

Wine? I would be tempted by a white for both the pasta and the cuttlefish. Perhaps a Castel Del Monte Bianco: Rivera's is quite nice, as is Torrevento's. Enjoy!