Pizzoccheri is one of my favorite things to eat. It is an earthy, creamy mess of buckwheat pasta, greens, and cheese, designed to delight the child in us. Giovanna, and I cooked it as a one-pot dish, boiling the pasta and other ingredients all together, then tossing them with butter and sage and stinky cheese at the end. After talking with Giovanna about the recipe, however, I decided to develop it further to better articulate the strengths of the dish. I make the noodles slightly thicker and stouter, boil the vegetables separately so as not to overcook them, and broil the dish at the end for a slightly crunchy and caramelized top. If you do not have the time to make the fresh buckwheat pasta for this recipe, you can substitute 8 to 12 ounces of dried buckwheat noodles.

This recipe is a shockingly simple persimmon-cinnamon ice cream, perfect for the late autumn and a wonderful accompaniment to Thanksgiving dessert (especially nut-based ones). Inspired by Silvana, a grandmother I cooked with in the Marche region of Italy, who grew the most luscious persimmons I have ever tasted.