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• Add ¼ cup or more diced chorizo, cooked bacon or shrimp, or dry-cured ham like prosciutto to the eggs.

• Add ½ cup or more canned or cooked fresh peas, lima beans, or chickpeas to the eggs.

BREAD, NOODLES, AND RICE

FASTEST FRENCH BREAD

CORN BREAD

OLIVE OIL CROUTONS

BREAD PUDDING WITH SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

PIZZA DOUGH

PIZZA WITH TOMATOES, ONIONS, AND OLIVES

PIZZA WITH ZUCCHINI AND SAUSAGE

PIZZA WITH GREEN TOMATOES

PIZZA WITH FOUR CHEESES AND BASIL

PIZZA WITH ARUGULA, CORN, AND BACON

LINGUINE WITH GARLIC AND OIL

LINGUINE WITH SPINACH

PASTA WITH GORGONZOLA AND ARUGULA

PASTA WITH ANCHOVIES AND ARUGULA

SPAGHETTI WITH ZUCCHINI

PENNE WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH

PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

LINGUINE WITH FRESH HERBS

PASTA WITH GREEN BEANS, POTATOES, AND PESTO

PASTA WITH WALNUTS

SPAGHETTI WITH FRESH TOMATO SAUCE

LINGUINE WITH TOMATO-ANCHOVY SAUCE

PASTA WITH CLAMS AND TOMATOES

PASTA WITH SAUSAGE

PASTA WITH FAST SAUSAGE RAGU

ZITI WITH CHESTNUTS AND MUSHROOMS

PASTA WITH MEATY BONES

ZITI WITH BUTTER, SAGE, AND PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO

PASTA WITH POTATOES

PASTA ALLA GRICIA

SPAGHETTI WITH RED WINE SAUCE

PASTA, RISOTTO STYLE

PARMESAN CUPS WITH ORZO RISOTTO

RICE NOODLES WITH BASIL

STIR-FRIED COCONUT NOODLES

PAD THAI

FRESH CHINESE NOODLES WITH BROWN SAUCE

FASTEST FRENCH BREAD

MAKES 1 LOAF

TIME: 1¼ HOURS, MORE IF YOU HAVE TIME, LARGELY UNATTENDED

I WON’T CLAIM that this is the best bread you’ve ever eaten, but it’s the fastest yeast bread imaginable, and it’s better than anything you can buy at many supermarkets. It requires little effort, less attention, and rounds out most simple dishes into filling meals.

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed

2 teaspoons instant yeast (see Note)

2 teaspoons salt

1. Combine the flour, yeast, and salt in a bowl or food processor. Add 1¼ cups of warm water all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon or with the machine on. Continue to mix, for a minute or two longer by hand, for about 30 seconds total with the food processor. Add water by the tablespoon if necessary, until a ball forms.

2. Shape the dough into a flat round or long loaf, adding only enough flour to allow you to handle the dough. Put the dough on a baking sheet or a well-floured pizza peel. Let it rise in the warmest place in your kitchen, covered, while you preheat the oven to 425°F. (If you have time, let the dough rise for an hour or so.)

3. Bake the bread on the sheet, or slide it onto a baking stone. Bake until done, 30 to 45 minutes; the crust will be golden brown, crisp, and firm.

NOTE

I specify instant yeast (such as SAF) in this recipe and all my baking recipes. This is yeast that can be mixed, dry, with the flour—it’s fuss-free, keeps forever in the fridge, and is sold at every supermarket.

CORN BREAD

MAKES ABOUT 6 SERVINGS

TIME: ABOUT 45 MINUTES

CORN BREAD IS a quick bread—that is, risen with baking powder, not yeast—and the most useful one of all. Everyone loves it, too.

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1½ cups cornmeal

½ cup flour

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1 egg

1¼ cups buttermilk, milk, or yogurt

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Put the fat in a medium nonstick or well-seasoned ovenproof skillet or in an 8-inch square baking pan over medium heat; heat until good and hot, about 2 minutes, then turn off the heat.

2. Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Mix the egg into the buttermilk, then stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients, combining well; if it seems too dry, add another tablespoon or two of milk. Pour the batter into the preheated fat, shake the pan once or twice, and put in the oven.

3. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned and the sides have pulled away from the pan; a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean. Serve hot or warm.

OLIVE OIL CROUTONS

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

TIME: 10 TO 15 MINUTES

A CROUTON IS not only a little cube of bread you use in salads or for stuffing, but a perfectly toasted slice that