happy holidays, pasta people!

a few of my favorite festive dishes

My OOO is officially on and tomorrow night I’m heading to London to visit my in-laws for the holidays (the agenda: eating mince pies and sipping cocktails by the fire). So instead of a new recipe, I thought I’d share some of my festive favorites from years past. And even if your Christmas menu is locked and loaded, I’d highly recommend gathering family and friends, turning on some music, and making fresh pasta to close out the year. I promise it’ll be just as satisfying (and fun!) to make as it is to eat.

Before I go, I also wanted to say thank you for joining this community. In the few short months since I launched this newsletter, we’ve grown to well over 5,000 subscribers!

I’ll be back with brand new recipes in January—think hearty soups and luxurious baked pasta dishes—with plenty more exciting content to come (hello, cookbook!). Of course, if there’s anything in particular you’d like to see (new shapes? Quick dinners? A pasta hotline chat?), leave a comment below—I’d love to know!

Until then, wishing you all a very happy and healthy start to 2023!

—Meryl

PS: If you’re looking for a last-minute gift, might I suggest…

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Autumn Lasagna with Winter Squash, Roasted Onions & Sage
This might be my new favorite lasagna: sweet winter squash, roasted red onions, and rich Alpine cheeses layered between sheets of fresh pasta, then baked into a heavenly tower of fall flavors and topped with crisp, crackly sage.

Braised Shallot & Grana Padano Agnolotti del Plin
Like so many of my favorite dishes, this one grew out of a craving. I was looking to create a vegetarian-friendly version of agnolotti del plin, tiny pasta parcels typically filled with meat. I searched my kitchen and found (a lot of) shallots and a wedge of Grana Padano, a milder, sweeter alternative to Parmigiano-Reggiano. I wondered if roasting the alliums in a flavorful liquid, then showering them in a mountain of cheese might be just as special as the traditional version—to me, the answer is yes, but you decide for yourself. It’s a recipe I first shared years ago, and it’s since become one of my most popular.

Caramelized Onion Tortelli in Parmesan Broth
These caramelized onion tortelli pack all the punch of their meaty cousins: they’re sweet, savory, smoky, and a little tangy, too. Plus, roasting the onions in the oven turns an often involved process into something almost entirely hands-off, while still yielding all the flavor complexity of stirring them over the stovetop. A bath of Parmesan-infused broth adds more savory and vegetal notes, though it’s mild enough to let the pasta shine.

Cheesy Spinach Lasagna
Few things cure the winter blues like lasagna. Spinach and cheese is a classic combination, but don’t hesitate to take full advantage of the season’s other hearty greens—a mixture of spinach, kale, chard, dandelion, and mustard greens will add texture and depth of flavor.

Egg Yolk Ravioli with Black Pepper & Pecorino
Egg yolk ravioli (uovo in raviolo) are, in a word, spectacular. So if you’re looking to impress someone this season—or any day, for that matter—look no further.

Gnocchetti Sardi with Caramelized Onions, 3 Cheeses & Herby Breadcrumbs
This dish is everything I want out of comfort food (hi, butter and cheese), while also being a little unexpected. So let’s call it what it is: a very luxe mac and cheese, and the warm hug we all need right now.

Mashed Potato Agnolotti in Garlic-Shallot Broth
Aromatics form the backbone of a soul-soothing broth that’s flavorful yet delicate enough to let the pasta shine. But don’t let the subtlety of the ingredients fool you—infusing the filling with plenty of herbs and a dollop of crème fraîche wakes up the tongue with every bite.

Ossola-Style Gnocchi with Sage-Butter Sauce
These hearty cold-weather dumplings are from the Ossola Valley in northern Piedmont, only a few miles from the Swiss border. In addition to potatoes, they feature winter squash, nutmeg, and chestnut flour, which provide nuttiness and warmth that’ll make you want to put on a sweater and sit by the fire.

Silk Handkerchiefs (Mandilli de Sea) with Sugo Finto & Parmesan Crisps
This vegetarian-friendly dish has all the luxury of a good lasagna without the time spent layering sheets and sauce into a casserole dish.

Smoked Mozzarella Mezzelune with Braised Onion Sauce
This sauce is loosely inspired by a Bolognese classic called il friggione, a flavorful combination of slow-cooked onions and tomatoes. You’ll find il friggione served with meat, as a side dish, and as an antipasto—but of course it works well with pasta, too. This version is entirely untraditional, but the jammy, tomatoey essence is there, and pairs wonderfully with the smoked cheese and rosemary filling.

Squash & Brown Butter Tortelli with Brussels Sprouts & Balsamic
The flavors of this dish are inspired by an Italian icon: tortelli di zucca, from the country’s northwestern region, particularly between the city of Mantova in Lombardy and Ferrara in Emilia-Romagna. Although recipes vary, tortelli di zucca are generally filled with local pumpkin, sharp cheese, amaretti biscuits, and mostarda di frutta, a candied fruit preserve in a mustard-flavored syrup. I’ve swapped some of the harder-to-find ingredients for other savory-sweet notes: creamy squash, rich brown butter, nutty Brussels sprouts, and tangy balsamic. Together, they create absolute holiday heaven.

Stuffed Gnocchi (Gnocchi Ripieni) with Mushrooms, Parmesan & Thyme
When I’m in the mood for cold-weather comfort food, a generous plateful of pillowy potato gnocchi immediately comes to mind. But what if we take things up a notch and tuck a luxurious filling in the center of those little potato dumplings, then cover them in butter? Or pan fry them until crisp and eat them like popcorn? Yeah, I know.