Some recipes beg to be followed with precision. Many baked goods, for instance. Forget to add the baking powder to a pound cake, and once it’s in the oven, there’s no fixing it. You’ll wind up with a dense, grainy doorstop. But soups and pasta sauces, for instance, are more forgiving. The recipe can serve as a guide. Love garlic add extra. Like things spicy, add some hot pepper. Or maybe you have a bumper crop of garden kale to use up.

Like so much Italian cuisine, saltimbocca relies on just a few quality ingredients. The magic is in its simplicity, the time-tested combination of ingredients, and a careful but straightforward preparation. It’s quick to prepare, less than 30 minutes from start to finish, but special enough for a romantic meal. Bring the magic of Rome to your partner by making Saltimbocca the star of a classic Roman meal.

Tortellini in Brodo, or broth, is a simple, classic Italian soup. With just a few high-quality ingredients, and 15 minutes, you can serve a dinner that is both satisfying and hearty. Homemade chicken broth is best, but Aneto Chicken Broth has that genuine homemade flavor. The soup is endlessly adaptable. We use spinach here, but chanterelles or morels are also wonderful. Served with a rustic baguette for dipping into the broth and extra Parmigiano Reggiano for grating it makes a comforting meal.