Join “Jayni’s Kitchen” this week for “Italian Cooking Lessons with Lidia Bastianich.”

Bastianich will prepare the following recipes. Jayni Carey is host.

A new show airs at 6:30 p.m. each Tuesday on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6. The show also is broadcast at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday; 9 a.m., 5:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. Wednesday; 9:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. Friday; 9:30 a.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. Monday.

Spaghettini with shrimp, oil and garlic

Salt

1 pound spaghettini or vermicelli

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

10 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced

1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper, or more to taste

1 pound medium shrimp, shelled, deveined and cut in half

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese or Pecorino Romano (optional)

Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat. Stir the spaghettini into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until tender but still very firm, about 6 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, shaking the skillet and stirring, until pale golden, about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper and the shrimp and cook for 1 minute more.

Ladle about 1 1/2 cups of the pasta-cooking water into the sauce. Add the parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and salt to taste.

If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in the sauce. Bring the sauce and pasta to a simmer, tossing to coat with sauce. Cook until the pasta is coated with the sauce and done, about 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat and toss in the grated cheese, if using. Check the seasoning, adding salt and crushed red pepper if necessary. Serve immediately in warm bowls. Makes 6 servings.

Rigatoni with pancetta, tomato and onion

One 35-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes (preferable San Marzano)

Salt

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or to taste

1 medium onion, sliced thin (about 2 cups)

Four 1/4-inch slices pancetta (about 6 ounces), cut into 1 1/2-inch julienne strips (about 1 1/2 cups; see note below)

2 whole dried red peperoncino hot red peppers, or 1/2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes

1 pound rigatoni, bucatini or perciatelli pasta

1 cut grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for passing

Pass the tomatoes and their liquid through a food mill fitted with a fine disc. Set aside. Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until wilted, about 4 minutes. Stir in the pancetta and cook 2 minutes. Add the hot red peppers and the strained tomatoes and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to a simmer, and season lightly with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, stir the rigatoni into the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until done, about 12 minutes.

Check the seasoning of the sauce, adding salt if necessary (remember, the Pecorino is mildly salty).

Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta-cooking water. Drain the pasta, return it to the pot, and pour in half the sauce. Bring the sauce and pasta to a boil and drizzle in the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add some of the pasta-cooking water, if necessary, to make enough of the sauce to coat the pasta lightly. Check the seasoning, adding salt if necessary. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in 1 cup grated cheese, and transfer to a large, heated serving platter or bowl. Spoon the remaining sauce over the top and pass additional grated cheese separately, if you like. Makes 6 servings.

Note: To cut the pancetta into julienne strips, first unroll each slice, and then cut the long strip crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Cut the strips lengthwise into 1/4-inch strips.

Gnocchi with mushrooms, garlic and parsley

Salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

8 garlic cloves, chopped fine

1 1/2 pounds assorted mushrooms, cleaned and sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 6 cups)

Freshly ground black pepper

8 fresh sage leaves, chopped

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 pound fresh gnocchi

1 cup vegetable stock or water

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Scatter the garlic over the oil and cook, shaking the pan, until golden, about 2 minutes. Add as many of the mushrooms as will fit comfortably into the skillet. Season lightly with salt and pepper and toss in the sage. Add the remaining mushrooms as the mushrooms in the skillet wilt and make room. Cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until the mushrooms are sizzling and brown, about 10 minutes. (If the mushrooms have given off a lot of water during cooking, you’ll have to wait for that liquid to boil off before the mushrooms begin to brown.) Stir in the tomato paste.

Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water a few at a time stirring gently and continuously with a wooden spoon. Cook just until they rise to the surface and roll over, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the vegetable stock or water to the mushrooms and bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid is reduce by about half, about 5 minutes.

If the skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and gnocchi, fish the gnocchi out of the boiling water with a large wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain the gnocchi, return it to the pot, and pour in the sauce. Toss in the parsley and bring the sauce and gnocchi to a boil, stirring gently to coat the pasta with sauce. Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the cheese, and serve immediately in warm bowls. Makes 6 servings.

Tip: Your favorite dried pasta may be used in place of gnocchi.