Pasta alla Norma is a Sicilian eggplant pasta dish named for the opera, “Norma,” a musical masterpiece, and both reflect the country’s exuberant culture.

The pasta dish was created in the city of Catania, on the eastern coast of Sicily and the hometown of Vincenzo Bellini, who composed the opera in the 1830s. It was said the composer adored the pasta with such a passion that the bold, deeply satisfying dish was eventually named after his opera.

Japanese chicken meatballs, called tsukune, are a standard offering in pub-like izakayas and restaurants specializing in yakitori. Sometimes shaped into cigars rather than orbs, the meatballs are grilled on skewers and finished with tare, a savory-sweet soy-based seasoning sauce.

Unlike tender meatloaf or burgers, these meatballs have a pleasing bounciness, so don’t feel the need to be gentle when combining ingredients to make the meat mixture. In this recipe from “Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year,” we vigorously mix dark meat chicken with grated garlic and ginger, fresh scallions, panko breadcrumbs and an extra savory combination of sesame oil and white pepper. This gives the meatballs their characteristic structure and chew.