...the south side, that is! --- Where Wednesday is spaghetti day and the recipes are passed down from generation to generation. We've got a few, both old and new, that represent the delicious culinary contributions of Italians to America's melting pot!

Chicken Vesuvio - A favorite dish all over Chicago, although its origin hasn't been nailed down for certain. Most think it was birthed at the Vesuvio restaurant. At any rate, this is a great dish with roasted & deeply caramelized potato wedges & chicken pieces served with a brothy, buttery, garlicky lemon sauce.

Crusty Rustic Italian Bread - The chicken dish is worthy of a homemade crusty bread to mop up all those juices. If you've got a stand mixer and a dough hook, baking bread is a snap.

Fried Egglant 'Meat'balls - you won't find any meat in these melt-in-your-mouth treasures with a crispy shell. Try 'em even if you think you don't like eggplant.

Italian chopped salad - a cross between an antipasto platter and a chopped salad, lightly dressed then adorned with a garlic drizzle. Perfectly balanced and fabulously good

Orange Ricotta Tart with Almonds - ricotta makes a crazy-good cheesecake. You'll love the texture of this tart, enhanced with the freshness of oranges and a nutty crunch.