Ciao Italia

Tuna takes a creative turn when Mary Ann prepares Tuna Meatballs with Caponata, protein-rich fish topped with tangy Sicilian caponata.

Mary Ann takes to the streets to enjoy one of Sicily's favorites: Panzerotti Palermitani, freshly made dough, stuffed with mozzarella "pearls" and tomato sauce, shaped like a turnover and then fried to a golden crisp.

Don't know what to do with all that zucchini from the garden? Mary Ann begins by creating a rich and distinctive Fig and Zucchini Bread.

Mary Ann visits her good friend, Executive Chef Michele Rabazzi, whose homemade pasta technique is a wonder to behold.

A dessert treat as only the Sicilians could dream up, Mary Ann duplicates these cannoli-like delicacies by first baking them crisp in the oven, coating them with crushed pistachios then filling them with a generous swoosh of sweet ricotta.

And Mary Ann means EVERYONE, as she and her young assistant, Calliope, prepare multipurpose doughs that deliver a mountain of different vanilla and chocolate biscotti combinations, some filled with diced, dried fruit, others with slivered almonds.

Italians love lemons. Mary Ann puts them through the paces, starting with a zesty Naples seaside pasta treat, Spaghetti Procida.

Chicken's the star of this episode, when Mary Ann creates a smoky-rich Chicken with Speck Alto Adige.

Mary Ann and good friend Chef Eddie Payne showcase how focaccia feeds the multitudes.

Krazy for Kale? Mary Ann is, when she creates Farfalle with Kale Sauce; as colorful to look at as it is wonderful to taste.

Savory, not sweet is Mary Ann's Farro Cake. Fiber-packed, whole-grain cooked farro mixed with parsley, sage no rosemary, sorry and thyme makes for an herb-infused treat.

Mary Ann celebrates the abundant seafood of Sardinia, including clams, squid, cod, and shrimp, when she prepares a Sardinian Style Fish Casserole that includes fregola, the distinctive pasta "pearls" that give this soup its hearty appeal.

Mary Ann celebrates Tuscany's distinctive regional dishes when she prepares Tortelli di Patate alla Mugellina a potato-filled ravioli drizzled in a butter and sage sauce.

Mary Ann's busy in Guy's Garden harvesting the fixings for a summertime treat of salads, starting with Red Salad where-you guessed it-everything's red from the lettuce to the beets to the radicchio.

Chef Michele Rabazzo is busy in his Tuscany kitchen preparing Tortelli Maremmani with Carrot Cream and Black Truffle, a creamy, squash-filled ravioli-type dish topped with slivers of redolent, exotic black truffle.

Mary Ann uses leaves of beautifully textured Savoy Cabbage and fills them with a hearty mixture of ground beef, pork, and rice.

Mary Ann visits master chef and dynamic restauranteur Steve DiFillippo at a Northern Italian Steakhouse, where they prepare his light-as-a-cloud Potato Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms and Truffle Sauce.

Mary Ann and cooking school owner Joe Faro celebrate her new teaching series by preparing a classic, mouthwatering Tagliatelle alla Bolognese.

Mary Ann starts off her cooking class by preparing a colossal Cauliflower Casserole packed with Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and crispy bread crumbs.

Cooking student Erica learns the inns and outs of making a mouth-watering Cherry Focaccia from start to finish.

Mary Ann reveals the secret to Crepes in Chicken Broth is to make the savory broth from scratch with fresh ingredients, and by doing so, she elevates the very versatile crepe to new heights.

Mary Ann clears up Italian spelling confusion (no "plums" in it, just the way Italians describe a "pound cake") Then she proceeds to teach her Scuola Culinaria students how to make a beyond-moist-and-tender Apricot Yogurt Pound Cake.

Mary Ann teams up with Executive Chef David Crinieri to wow her cooking students by exploring the world of perfect pestos.

Pizza takes center stage when Mary Ann and eager Scuola Culinaria student John roll up their sleeves and dive into the essential steps need to create an all-time favorite of favorites, Pizza Margherita.

Mary Ann re-creates shows her students how to prepare this traditional rustic cake from the Abruzzo region of Italy.

Mary Ann reminds her students that "a good cook loves a low flame.

"Acqua Pazza" in Italian. And even though Mary Ann may not know the origin of the name of this Neapolitan favorite, she knows exactly how to show her students how to simmer fresh codfish over a tomato based bed of sliced fennel, Castelvetrano olives, capers, garlic, and hot red pepper flakes.

Mary Ann's husband Guy comes up with a quick and simple chicken dish, Guy's Chicken with Olives and Turmeric that you'll make often.

Gnocchi's not hard to make, when Mary Ann shows her Scuola Culinaria student, Karen, the traditional Italian culinary secrets of creating soft-as-a-cloud, pillowy gnocchi every time.

Mary Ann sets sail for seafood shores and reels in three easy-to prepare and great to eat recipes: Fish Chowder, Scallops with Spinach and heads to the oven with a casserole dish filled with the makings of Baked Fish with Lemon and Olives that's a breeze to make and a joy to serve.

Simple is best. As proof, Mary Ann's recipe for Tuscany-inspired Prato Almond Cake is as simple to prepare as it is delicious to eat.