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I love fettuccine alfredo with Italian sausage mixed in...it's so good!

I guess I'll go with Cincinnati style chili....as an Ohio girl I didn't know people didn't eat their chili with spaghetti until a few years ago!

This cookbook looks SO amazing. My favorite italian dish with a twist is peppers/sausage made with a puree of sweet roast peppers.

Sauteed chicken breasts with stewed tomatoes and orange juice - two different types of acidity make for tender chicken . . .

I make my own take on lasagna, where the meat layers is made up of a beef/pork/veal ragu that I simmer for several hours and leave in the fridge for 2 days so that the flavors can meld; also included above the meat layers are some oven roasted tomatoes that I roast in the oven for several hours as well with some thyme and rosemary, all topped off with fresh bufala mozzarella, and after its all out of the oven some chiffonade of basil :) delicious!!!!

i make chili with italian sausage and my basic tomato sauce (among the normal chili ingredients)

Making some of my grandmother's old pasta standbys, but adding more vegetables/tofu and subtracting out some of the meat.

I love spaghetti carbonara with scallions and peas mixed in - the scallions add peppery bite, the peas add springy freshness!

Spaghetti with tomato sauce and black olives.

OK, this may sound weird, but when making lasagna or stuffed shells, I substitute half the ricotta with crumbled tofu. It makes the dish less heavy. Beans are also good in lasagna. At Monkey Town I had lasagna with black beans and Gorgonzola that was surprisingly delicious.

I make a traditional lasagna except that I use corn tortillas instead of the lasagna noodle. I am gluten intolerant and have to be innovative.

I love adding spicy sausage to puttanesca. :)

i love to cover a log of goat cheese with a sun dried tomato, olive and basil tapenade for a party and then eat the leftovers spread on a turkey sandwich or mixed in with some hot pasta.

I love different takes on the pizza idea... baked potato, thai, etc.

Strawberry risotto. I've yet to figure out how to make it, but it's lovely when made well.

tinned itallian tuna in olive oil, on whatever.

We tried a pasta and potatoes dish from Mark Bittman and loved it. It was so unexpected, but really filling and homey!

Pasta with coconut milk, peanut butter and bacon (and chili flakes if you want spice). LOVE this dish, even though it looks revolting.

Root Vegetable Hash with Guanciale.

Mashed root vegetables with orange peel! Yum-o!

i'm drawing a blank here. but i'd love to try a baked spaghetti dish

Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe and Sausage with some tomato paste and mushrooms.

Risotto with pancetta and peas, mmm...

I love to make a veggie "lasagna" that has eggplant layers instead of noodles. The mandoline comes in handy for that one.

Stovetop lasagna (got the idea from the free Kraft magazine :P). Toss everything in a pan (using oven-ready pasta) and it's ready in less than 20 minutes. Eh, what can I say...I'm lazy and demand to have my food in as little time as possible...

affogato with dark chocolate instead of white chocolate, and some cuban espresso instead of italian espresso. :)

The tiramisu that my friend Mikey makes that swaps sponge cake or genoise for ladyfingers and marsala for the Kahlua. Double yum!!

Bruschetta with roasted red bell peppers and mozarella

Provolone grilled cheese- with garlic/parmesean toast as bread, and fresh basil inside. Balsamic and tomato sauce if you wish for dipping/drizzling, and extra bread cuz you're gonna want more.

Linguine with Clam Sauce- I usually add spinach or broccoli to brighten up the plate, and to make it "healthier" :-)

I make a pizza with orange marmalade, gorgonzola, potatoes, green onions, and smoked sausage.

Orzo cooked with greek flavors - feta, olives, shrimp...

I make homemade pizzas and one I do with a lemon/cream sauce with carmelized onions and proscioutto.

Double Fondue Gnocchi. Cold cooked gnocchi, crisp it up in the oil fondue then give it a quick dunk in the cheese fondue. And good for you too.

i know its not a remake but gnocchi with a brown butter and sage sauce topped with pieces of fried sage is amazinggg

Lasagna, but with grilled eggplant slices instead of noodles. And lots of gooey cheese on top!

Two words: Uni. Pasta.

My Penne alla Vodka Martini:

Penne alla Vodka Martini,
With Tomatoes, Sausages, Bacon, and Cream

I always thought penne alla vodka needed the buttery, slightly herbal lilt of vermouth, benefiting by the way it works in a nice, velvety martini. This incredibly rich, voluptuous pasta creation loves to be practically covered with vegetable-peeler curls of Parmigiano-Reggiano, so keep that happily in mind. The choice of bacon or pancetta at the outset is completely up to you: Bacon lends a light smoky flavor; pancetta is more, well, Italian: lots of body with nice rich insinuations.

It takes a certain vigilance to stir and reduce the sauce for the last 10 minutes over spittingly high heat, but it’s worth it, believe me. But if you haven’t got a splatter screen, then God bless you.

The pasta-to-sauce ratio would make Marcella Hazan (among many others) wince. Too bad.

1/4 lb. slab bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
or 1/4 lb. pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 large onion, well chopped
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 28-oz. can crushed plum tomatoes, with juice included
About 2 lb. sweet Italian sausage, the best you can get; fennel-free, if possible
3/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup French dry vermouth
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb. good dried penne rigate
Plenty of Parmigiano-Reggiano,
freshly grated and shaved with a vegetable peeler
Oregano, fresh chopped or dried
More dried red pepper flakes, if desired

In a good, deep, heavy-duty sauté pan, cook the bacon/pancetta over moderate heat until most of the fat is rendered. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons (if you wish) and add the onion and red pepper flakes, and cook just until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the tomatoes, lower the heat, and simmer for a half-hour, stirring every 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to the boil in a large saucepan. Prick the sausages with a pin every inch or so and toss them into the water. Bring them to the simmer and let them bubble away for 10 minutes. Drain the sausages and cool them in a colander. And meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the penne, which will probably need no more than about 10-12 minutes to cook, so don’t add it to the boiling water until the final phase.

Add the vodka, vermouth, and tomato paste to the tomato mixture. Simmer for 15 minutes. Cut the cooled sausages into bite-sized pieces and toss them into the sauce.

Just when you’re ready to add the penne to the boiling water, turn the heat under the sauce to high, add the cream, and, using a splatter screen as needed, and, stirring often, boil the sauce vigorously for 10 minutes, about the amount of time the pasta needs to cook. The sauce will, of course, thicken considerably.

You can blend the cooked penne with the sauce, stirring in the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, oregano, and optional additional red pepper flakes, and serve that with curled peelings of Parm-Regg, OR:

Heat the broiler. Drain the pasta and, without rinsing, transfer it to a 2 1/2-quart (or larger) gratin. Add the sauce and stir in (to taste) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, the oregano, and the optional additional red pepper flakes. Run the gratin watchfully under the broiler until the penne poking out of the top of the gratin begin to singe and crisp and the sauce sizzles, 2-4 minutes. Serve under curled peelings of Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Yield: 4 large servings, but it’s great for 2, because the leftovers are particularly succulent.

carbonarra

I think pretty much any Italian dish I make is "with a twist." The only thing I make that I consider to be pretty traditional is my lasagna... passed down through 4 generations. :)

Hang on to yer trucker hats, y'all; here comes the lowbrow.

I like to make a rip-off pasta with meat sauce, but I use Manwich instead of tomato sauce. And I use veggie crumbles, adding in some frozen peas or whatever veg is available at the time (fresh zucchini, sauteed onion and mushrooms, and chopped frozen broccoli are not unheard-of ingredients if I'm feeling frisky), and topping it all off with some shredded cheddar. If I'm feeling even friskier, I grab the Jamaican hot sauce and give it a few shakes on top.

I make risotto in a pressure cooker! Don't tell your Italian grandma on me. ;-)

Spaghetti sauce with lots of varied vegetables to get as many vegetables into my son as I can.

Fettuccine Alfredo with loads of veggies mixed in!

bolognese sauce with a few sausages thrown in

vegetarian carbonara -- shitakes instead of bacon.

American Recession Lasagna-

In a standard lasagna dish layer mashed potatoes, shredded cheese, and hot dogs. Add a few layers of hot dog buns if you like (white, 99¢ bread works in a pinch, but this is less authentic.) Add plenty of s+p to each layer, and some tabasco if you wanna get all crazy on that shit. Bake at 350 for awhile, top with ketchup, serve.

Rotini with sliced mushrooms and onions, lightly sauteed in olive oil, mixed with parmesan and a blend of other Italian cheeses, ground black pepper and pesto. My family loves it, and it's so easy to make. When I have it, I throw some sausage in there too, summer sausage actually works great.

Lasagna made in the traditional fashion, the noodles, the meat sauce, and the white sauce with some cheese on top. However, to the meat sauce I also add in some minced chicken livers and sweet breads along with the veal and pork and omit the beef. Turns out really rich, meaty and buttery.

Orzo risotto made with onions and garlic. And fresh basil if I have it.

asparagus ala parmigiana

Lasagna - Paula Deen style!

Orrichiette with hot turkey sausage, smoky bacon, leeks, diced sunchokes, and a nice pat of butter and a spoonful of parm. Adapted from a recipe by the great Lidia- it's amazing.

i don't think it's too much of a twist but my uncle george makes us gnocchi and serves it with a red duck sauce.

Anything that calls for spicy Italian sausage, I like to try with chorizo.

Panini with smoked mozzerella, roasted eggplant, roasted onions, roasted zuchinni and cilantro-walnut pesto.

Carbonara with cinnamon

a "sweet" dessert pizza topped with almond cream, fresh berries, and melted shaved chocolate.

Portobello Mushroom a la parmegiana!!! And my spinach fettuccini that my niece lovingly calls, Shrek's Spaghetti!

I love to make individual pizzas with arugula, a fried eggs, and some bacon.

when i make my monthly pot of meatballs and sauce (gravy people don't get all worked up - everything is still done homemade!) i'll occasionally stir in a small can of diced green chili peppers. totally unorthodox, but it adds another layer of great pepper flavor to the sauce in addition to my traditional green peppers/onions/garlic. not hot, but very good.

I like Susur Lee's recipe for Tonnato Sauce on Poached Octopus - a nice variation on the more traditional veal tonnato. The octopus is poached with fennel, infusing it with flavor, and then wrapped and pressed overnight. Slice it thinly and pour on a stream of thick tonnato sauce (like a mayonnaise made with tuna). The balance of fish flavors is fantastic! A great summer time dish.

I LOVE capellini and meatballs cooked in marinara sauce, but we add bean sprouts. Its amazingg!

any non-traditional pizza. my current fave is red chile and chorizo.

haven't made it too often, but i like puttanesca sauce with szechuan peppercorns

My fav italian dish with a twist is definitely southwestern lasagne--lasagne with black beans and cheddar cheese!

lasagne

puttanesca, though there isn't much of a twist.

Butternut Squash Ravioli tossed in melted butter, sprinkled with grated Parmesan, freshly ground pepper & toasted pine nuts... yum

Pizza with a egg cracked on top

Orange-scented almond milk panna cotta.

Carne misto.

Pasta Puttanesca made with roasted tomatoes instead of canned. Delicious. (I sometimes add in greens too - spinach, kale, whatever's in the fridge!)

spaghetti: spaghetti squash style with marinara sauce mixed in with a lil bit of oyster mushrooms and sweet italian sausage. yum :)

When making lasagne, i use crumbled tofu instead of ricotta. It's healthier for me since my tummy can't handle dairy well. Tofu is also cheaper and less caloric. and it tastes delicious. I'd do it even if I could eat dairy.

Pasta with a sea urchin butter sauce. It's insanely delicious!

We make Pasta alla Amatriciana with Rotel type tomatoes- you know the kind with tomatoes and chillies. Yummy.

Chicken Picatta with lots of capers just makes it so much better

Clean-out the fridge lasagna. All the veggies that are about to go bad and whatever cheese is on hand.

i love ethnic takes on pizza-
pork belly and kimchi pizza off of this site was incredible, and I can make a pretty mean mexican carnitas pizza. This weekend I'm going to try a bbq brisket with cambezola pizza.

carbonara with crumbled veggie patties

Penna alla vodka. Certainly not pure Italian but certainly quite good.

Pasta with bacon, corn, tomatoes, and hot red pepper flakes. Yum!

I make spaghetti and meatballs with the meatballs made out of tuna instead of red meat. Still delicious!

seared scallops with parmesan fondue!

Thick homemade lasagne w/italian sausage, tons of cheese-no twist necesary!

Angel hair pasta, fruity olive oil and freshly grated cheese.

I like to stir a little white miso in the broth of pasta e ceci, just before serving. Gives it a little extra something.

Pulled Pork BBQ Lasagna--where Italian food and the South combine.
The best of both worlds! Made with a smokey tomato sauce

We also make a killer BBQ Spaghetti!

Lasagna with eggplant

Once out of necessity I combined eggplant parmesean with chicken fettucine alfredo. Both were leftovers but neither were enough to serve the family. Now I am requested to make this dish. It is alot of work for a single meal but well worth the praises.

I'll have to go with pizza with pasta (usually tortellini) on top of it. It's either a twist on tortellini or a twist on pizza, depending on how you look at it.

I make a lasagna with hot breakfast sausage in the meat mixture. Sorry. Also, I've been known to slip peas into carbonara...

figs stuffed with gorganzola

Sometimes , instead of a spagetti sauce on my pasta , I'll make a sauce using a beef broth and some crushed tomatoes . It tastes meaty and lightly tomatoey and just plain good .

I add a little cottage cheese to my lasagna, along with the ricotta

I like lasagna with ground beef, sausage, and spinach added to it. Plus, lots of garlic.

We make aglio olio peperoncino, but add all sorts of fresh hot peppers, in fairly large quantities, to the dish.

I really like to make pasta sauce on the grill. I take some roma tomatoes, leeks, peppers and whatever veggies I have, grill it all up, then dump it out on a cutting board and roughly chop everything. Throw it back in a bowl, add some salt, pepper, fresh basil, capers, and olive oil and pour over pasta.

Lasagna with alfredo sauce instead of the traditional red sauce.

Lasagne made with a meat ragu and bechamel. However when making the bechamel I sub stock for the milk.

I had a wonderful sweet potato ravioli in a great Italian restaurant in New York and it was delicious! I'd love to have the recipe for that. Thank you so much!

Pizza with corn!

Polenta with creamy mushroom sauce, and my friend's mom's recipe for escarole and bean soup.

zucchini ribbons in place of fettucine

An Italian egg sandwich - toasted bread, tomato sauce, fried egg, topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Cavatelli Sardenia - crumbled spicy sausage & scallion in a pink tomato cream sauce, tossed with cavatelli pasta & grated cheese, I usually eat it with a warm bread bun. A local Italian restaurant (Emilio's) serves it near me. I can't wait to try to make it by myself soon.:

Caprese pasta. When tomatoes and basil aren't really in season, I get a tub of grape tomatoes, slice them, a bit of basil where I can find it and chiffonade it, add some shredded mozzarella and toss it with olive oil, salt and pepper. Let it sit overnight and then toss it with pasta. A beautiful taste of the classic Italian late summer combination any time I want it.

"mexican lasagna" looks similar to lasagna, but includes tortillas instead of pasta, and mexican flavours in thes sauce

salmon pizza

Lasagna made with sweet potatoes or butternut squash and goat cheese.

http://www.savour-fare.com

Breakfast pizza!!

pumpkin stuffed ravioli!

My favorite Italian is Crepes Florentine with lots of cheese and spinach!

I really really love linguini in clam sauce (white) but I add a little cream and...gasp...no garlic!! I love the salty taste of the fresh littleneck clams, and I think the garlic overwhelms sometimes.

JeansandTs@hotmail.com
I like to make fried green tomatoes. I use the left overs as a layer in my Lasagna. It is fantastic.

Marinara sauce with spaghetti squash instead of pasta.

Eggplant parmesan--but instead of frying the eggplant slices first, I precook them in my George Foreman grill.

Brushcetta w/mozzarella
gkstratos@yahoo.com

seafood lasagna with creamy parmesan sauce rather than tomato sauce......

I love fettucini alfredo with practically anything in it....

And I've had some great untraditional pizzas over the years. When I was in Hong Kong this summer I had a pizza with mango salsa instead of tomato sauce and slivers of roast duck on it...yummy!

pizza. pizza. PIZZA. oh, with a twist . . . uh, pizza made on pita? pizza bagels? Or, in the spirit of the season, MATZAH PIZZA!!!

Man, when am I going to win one of these books?

Two favorites - one is a local Creole/Cajun thing - spaghetti sauce with lots of hot sauce (Crystal is my favorite); the other is a dish some friends made and brought over - ravioli lasagna - frozen ravioli layered in place of noodles. I'd love to try this with fresh ravioli - mushroom, spinach and ricotta...

I'm so glad it's pizza night...now I'm craving red sauce...

ribbolita, done simply with really good ingredients and some good crusty bread

Spaghetti with meat sauce - fried the next day with a little oil.

risotta with an asian twist - shitakes, a splash of mirin, etc.... yum!

Macaroni and cheese pizza.

I love Breakfast pizza with cinnamon and apple, mm Yummy!

Pasta with creamy white sauce... and the twist... VODKA in the cream!

chicken and pasta in a sun-dried tomato/basil/white wine/cream sauce

Especially with a kick of red pepper in it!

My favorite is eggplant parmesan. The way I cook it is very light.

I make my lasagna with a red pepper puree instead of tomato sauce. I don't know if it's everyone's thing, but I love it.

I like creamy, yummy cheesey sauce pasta dishes (like a thinner macaroni and cheese sauce crossed with alfredo) with a fried egg over top!

usually a white cheese and sunny side up.

I make a mad red sauce - tons of chopped onions and garlic, some chopped carrots, a bit of chopped celery - all slightly fried in olive oil, then I throw in some good organic canned tomatoes, a can of tomato paste, handsful of dried oregano, basil, parsley, a hit of crushed red pepper, granulated garlic (because there is no such thing as too much garlic), some sugar, and whatever good red wine is already opened. Not crap wine, though. I respect my sauce.

My Mom taught me how to make sauce, although hers was considerably simpler. She did, though, add sugar, and when she did, she told me "never tell your father that there's sugar in the sauce, because he thinks it's not necessary. He says he just likes the tomato taste."

So, when I married and had my own home, my parents came to visit for the weekend, and I decided to fix spaghetti with sausage, a simple salad, and good bread. In the wisdom of my youth, I had decided that I would respect my Dad's wishes, and leave the sugar out of the sauce, since I thought my Mom was being condescending. Kind, but condescending.

We had a great dinner, everyone ate everything, and then we all sat around, dunking the last of the bread in our coffee and talking. It felt like it had when I was growing up. A perfect meal, a perfect time.

Later, in the kitchen, when my Mom and my husband were in the garden, my Dad said to me, "Hon, next time, when you make sauce, try putting a little sugar in it. It'll cut the acid taste, and you'll like it a whole lot better. It'll be just like your Mother's."

He knew, she didn't know he knew, and I began to understand marriage that evening.

I've been throwing in either Italian sausage or bacon into my alfredo sauces as of late, if only because I have a ~lot~ of both to get rid of. That and, really, how can bacon go wrong?!

Springtime Mexican Risotto

prepare risotto per your preference with the following additions:
zucchini or squash blossoms (stir them in at the end after it's off the heat)
fresh baby jalapenos (I throw them in with the onions to sweat a bit before the rice hits the pan, but go easy or you overwhelm everything. seriously.)
asparagus (OK, so the asparagus isn't really Mexican, but it's so tasty and reminds me of spring...and it was in the fridge.)
queso blanco (at the end, which adds creaminess and a bit of acidity)
fresh sweet corn, cooked and removed from the cob
the littlest bit of fresh mexican oregano, and you are in business.

note: Use real queso blanco, or a really light feta if you must.

Pollo alla Diavolo with slices of sausage added.

Pizza with a sunny side up egg in the middle

Spaghetti and meatballs using Jimmy Dean sausage.

lasagna made with tortillas instead of noodles...

We call it Italian in a square pan, It's never the same except the sauce is usually red, The filling is usually whatever is pasta is available and whatever meat, vegatables and cheese we have handy. Sometimes it's fantastic and sometimes not. (Tip: never use saurkraut for a vegetable in your italian dish.)

mozzarella stuffed meatballs with a tomato sauce served over polenta!

Since veal is very $$$ I make chicken scallopini instead.

I like pasta with Thai basil chili paste.

Mannacotti with meat sauce.

I have a "light" cooking recipe that is based on penne with chicken. I have made many variations, with my children as testers!
One variation I liked was adding lemon juice and fresh dill, and adding zucchini to the other veggies. Yum! Great with homemade foccacia!

Sometimes when I make caprese salad, I use shredded shiso leaves instead of basil to go with mozzarella and tomato. It is inspired from my Japanese root. I love shiso!

Strictly speaking - not entirely Italian, but when I make my pizza dough I like to use V8 or other tomato juice as part of the liquid ingredients. The yeast is just as happy and the dough takes on a nice rosy color that adds a nice twist to the dish.

My favorite recipe twist on fettuccine alfredo calls for steeping roasted garlic in the cream base instead of fresh and pecorino cheese instead of parmesan. The intensity of the cheese with the sweetness of the cream and roasted garlic is perfect. Top with a grilled lobster tail and you've got one heck of a meal!

Spicy shrimp in tomato sauce ... served with grilled bread.

If I find surplus ricotta in the fridge, I am likely to make pseudo-lasagna - any type of pasta layered with ricotta and tomato sauce.

since passover is next week: matzah pizza. matzah, tomato sauce, buffalo mozzarella. sometimes topped with spinach or sundried tomatoes, lots of red pepper flakes. and, since i don't keep kosher (but don't eat bread on passover), i'll include toppings like italian sausage, or little salad-sized shrimp...

Gelato made from the plums with which we made plum wine last summer.

Gnocchi in mushroom sauce with a ton of spinach added.

I make lots of pastas using the basic carbonara method, especially when I have super fresh eggs from the farmer's market. One of my favorite combinations is guanciale, corn, peas, mushrooms, and basil, all super fresh. Render the fat from the guanciale and drain, then briefly saute the veggies while cooking your pasta. Off the heat add the pasta and guanciale back to the pan with the veggies, and toss with beaten eggs, a little cheese, and chopped basil. Garnish with more cheese and basil. Sublime!

Pizza with creative toppings - bacon, eggs, shrimp, green olives, potatoes (but probably not all of those at once!)

I like to make with "noodles" made from zucchini instead (by slicing them with a mandoline as such). Tossed quickly in the pan with some butter and seasoning, cooked panceta added, loads of parmesan cheese, some olive oil, red pepper flakes and LOTS of cracked pepper. A raw egg yolk is also necessary to emulsify the sauce.

So, zucchini, bacon, parmesan, olive oil, salt and pepper. The flavours just sing! :)

hrmmm i would have to say the classic fettuccine alfredo which i added a sunny side up egg and deer meat(pan fried with salt, pepper,and rosemary)

I don't have many twists, but I do like to substitute some Mexican spices to pasta dishes and make them sort of a Mexican/Italian fusion dish.

Other than pizza, you mean? I guess it would have to be Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, with homemade guanciale.

Risotto with home made hot pistachio Italian sausage.

I love Pasta Carbonara with green peas and prosciutto ham. Yummy!

spaghetti with raw nut pesto

Last night I made orzo with a lemon sauce and shrimp. A new fav!

Sometimes I put chipotle peppers in my tomato sauce.

spaghetti with curry sauce over it..

I like Shrimp Scampi with a little extra lemon twist.

jason@allworldautomotive.com

pizza with leftover spaghetti on it~

Not sure if this a twist or not, but love to saute swiss chard (or kale). cannellini beans, tomatoes, garlic shallots in olie oil, add a splash of wine and a large pinch of pepper flakes, and serve over soft polenta. Dress the whole thing with a bit more extra virgin olive oil and Parm or romano.

Lasagna with zucchini instead of noodles.

Eggs from hell with kimchi and lots of blue cheese

My ragu of braised pork/veal/beef shank with italian sausage. I make several gallons of it and freeze.

Tomato sauce -- with avocado mixed in. Really good

penne, cooked risotto style...slowly adding chicken broth/wine. And lots of fresh herbs, tomato paste, pecorino and parmesan.

arugula, mozzarella & speck sandwiches on thick white italian bread.

Chicken Parm with Spinach and Fontina.

a variation of macaroni and cheese - orzo in a white wine/parmesan sauce. delicious!

ravioli lasagna layered with sweet and hot italian sausage!

As a military child in the 50's we traveled thru Italy, stopping in the Alps at a roadside cafe, where our mom ordered ravioli, which was served in a large blue bowl sans sauce. Since all we had ever eaten was Chef Boyardee, we thought that there had been some mistake, and didn't want to eat it, until it was explained to us, that the ravioli was served with sauce on the side. Still love all kinds of ravioli, but especially mushroom.

Mashed potato pizza

i hate messing with italian b/c simple is amazing, but Mexican Lasagna. Oh yeah. Replace pasta with taco shells, sour cream and moterey or cheddar with ricotta. you get the point.

I make a pasta sauce with chunks of fresh salmon, pan fried strips of zucchini, lemon zest, lemon juice, basil and cream - so far so good and not really a twist, but then I add grated Parmesan which is bordering on heresy... I know you're not supposed to add cheese to fish dishes but I love the combination of creamy/tangy/salty that this dish has!

Rigatoni in a pumpkin cream sauce with mild sausage--heavenly!

panna cotta with hot fudge

From my college days: a small block of chevre melted into either jarred or homemade marinara sauce (Barilla is best if you go with jarred). Garnish with torn mint and basil leaves and serve with two-buck chuck cabernet and a green salad.

EGGPLANT PARMIGIANA W/ A LAYER OF PROSCIUTTO BETWEEN THE EGGPLANT AND THE FRESH MOZZARELLA

spaghetti pie!

I can't play favorites here - I love mostly anything Italian (twisted or not)!

I love to make grilled cheese sandwiches with sundried tomatoes and basil

penne arrabiata kicked up a notch with chile powder from india.

I need this cook book so I can find my inner Italian!

Homemade eggplant parmesan pizza! I am still trying to perfect a crispy crust tho...

Red wine pasta!! YUM

Spaghetti squash with really good butter and just a touch of parmesan, sprinkled with chopped herbs (I had it as an amuse bouche recently, and I'm trying to recreate it tonight at home).

zinfandel pasta with rapini

"chili" spaghettie

squid ink pasta with a creamy sauce

Risotto made in the oven. Not quite as creamy as the real thing but less stirring.

For my tomato sauce I add some bacon - gives it an added depth.

I love combining lots of recipes- so i love making what can be a side into a full meal- instead of just sauteed swiss chard, add sausage and chickpeas. best served like a stew and then over pasta the next day!

I have had a Leek and Radicchio Lasagna with bechamel sauce that was incredible.

I love butternut squash ravioli with a creamy pesto sauce

teechbiz at gmail dot com

Pasta carbonara is one of my favorites, but then the place I think of for this dish is in Lyons, France.

I like to add a layer of roasted red peppers to my eggplant parm, I put the peppers under the mozzarella cheese, adds a little extra zip to the dish.

pasta putanesca with green beans!

Chicken alfredo pizza.

I love sundried tomatos with hot red pepper flakes ( in white wine and chicken broth) over fetticini.

I really don't twist my italian - I like it traditional. I do use fennel seed with the sausage and beef for lasagna. Maybe that's a twist?

One of my favorite dishes at my family's restaurant was green chile chicken lasagna. It had a cream sauce instead of a tomato sauce, and green chile worked so well with the ricotta. I've been trying to recreate that recipe since we closed, as it belonged to our chef rather than us. Haven't been successful yet, but I hope to be someday!

I love making lasgna and using tofu instead of cheese for the filling.

I recently went to a dinner party at which the host served an Acorn Squash Gnocchi with Parmesan Sage Beurre Blanc, and that immediately went to the top of my list of favorite unique Italian dishes -- I think it definitely qualifies as "Italian with a twist." Thanks for the giveaway - the book sounds fantastic!

There was this recipe in Redbook for Trisha Yearwood sister's lasagna that uses sour cream and mayonnaise as ingredients. Not gonna lie, it was good!

I like variations on the non-traditional pizza & toppings, too -- e.g., spinach, Hawaiian, etc. However, I'd also like to try what shellockjohn suggested above -- fig, gorgonzola, and arugula on a thin crust made in a wood burning oven. Sounds tasty!

The bruchetta at a local Italian restaurant has a twist...SOME spice/herb in there just makes it delectable! I'll have to ask what it is the next time; usually we're too busy fighting over the last piece.

i like lasagna but i add pepperoni. delicious!

The Orecchiette With Broccoli Rabe and Sausage with some tomato paste and mushrooms sounds really good.

Five-cheese lasagne with homemade sauce made of fresh tomatoes and herbs is my favorite.

I make my italian meatballs with 2 cups of green beans that I process with my breadcrumbs in the food processor. My kids don't have to know!

Chicken lasagna! So good!

Bacon, lettuce, and tomato pizza -- with crispy lardons, shreds of argula piled on after baking, and chunks of fresh, ripe tomatoes

meatballs

Lasagna with shredded carrots on top!

Thank you for participating, and congratulations to our winners:

SSG Snuffy
tgrabler
wmoss
shoneyjoe
MeganCochran

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