Lucia Luhan

Breakfast in Italy is a sweet and simple affair that typically consists of a cup of cappuccino and a pastry. This cake is like tender shortbread.

Dried porcini are sold at Italian delis and in many supermarkets.

As in all of Italy, pasta is served as a first course (primo) in Tuscany.

Serve this rustic tomato mixture over pasta or as part of an antipasto platter.

An easy substitute for the mascarpone, a soft Italian cream cheese, is 12 ounces cream cheese blended with six tablespoons whipping cream and 1/4 cup sour cream.