Scott Conant won acclaim for modern, fresh interpretation of Italian cuisine at Alto, L'Impero and now Scarpetta in New York City. In "Bold Italian," his second cookbook, Chef Conant achieves what few chefs can -- a genuine translation of his style into a collection of recipes suitable for an experienced home cook.

The book (published by Broadway, priced at $19.95 and written with Joanne McAllister Smart) is packed with useful advice on everything from kitchen tools -- "A good blender can make all the difference in how much you enjoy pureeing" -- to useful definitions for the terms used throughout the book -- "Thinly sliced in my mind falls between 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch thick."

Even Chef Conant's simplest recipes are more useful than they might seem at first glance, because what they really teach is techniques for enhancing ingredients.

I tried three recipes that take three of the most essential ingredients of modern Italian cuisine -- olives, onions and tomatoes -- and with only the tiniest amount of work turn each into something much greater than the ingredient alone.

ROSEMARY SCENTED OLIVES

PG TESTED

This is a great recipe to play around with. Use different herbs, add citrus zest, play around with the types of olives. Just note that you're going to want to use olives that haven't already been flavored. Serve a bowl of these with cocktails or as an addition to an antipasti plate.

• 2 cups mixed olives, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 small fresh rosemary sprigs
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

In a small saucepan, combine the olives, olive oil, rosemary, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Heat over medium-low heat, tossing occasionally, for 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature and serve, or refrigerate for up to a week.

HERB- AND GARLIC-INFUSED TOMATOES

PG TESTED

Chef Conant recommends serving these tomatoes on grilled or toasted bread, as a side dish for lamb, over a bowl of polenta or tossed with pasta. They would also make a wonderful addition to an antipasti plate or a variety of salads.

• 3 cups cherry tomatoes
• 8 small fresh thyme sprigs
• 5 small fresh rosemary sprigs
• 5 garlic cloves thinly sliced
• Large pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more if needed
• Kosher salt

Combine the tomatoes, thyme, rosemary, garlic and red pepper flakes in a medium saute pan. Add enough oil to submerge the tomatoes about halfway. Season with a few pinches of kosher salt. Heat over low heat until the tomatoes expand as much as possible without splitting (it's OK if a couple of them do), about 30 minutes. Take them off the heat. The tomatoes are delicious when served warm but will keep, refrigerated, for up to a week.

Note: Save the oil the tomatoes cook in; Chef Conant recommends brushing it on steak. Just refrigerate it and use it within a week.

Serves 6 as an appetizer or a side dish.

"PICKLED" RED ONIONS

PG TESTED

These onions will last at least a week in the fridge. They are fantastic in salads, on sandwiches or as a garnish for roast meats such as pork or beef. This recipe can easily be halved or doubled, depending on your needs.

• 2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup red wine vinegar
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt

Combine all the ingredients with 1 cup of water and refrigerate, covered, for at least 8 hours. Drain.

these recipes come from "Bold Italian" by Scott Conant with Joanne McAllister Smart (Broadway, $19.95).