Easy Pasta Recipes

I’ve always been a great fan of cooking, I love to cook, to learn and to share the experiences of cooking and tasting. In this hub I will share with you 3 very easy, quick and delicious pasta recipes that I use all the time and are great for a lot of different occasions, especially when you have a big group of people all at the same table. Some good pasta and a bottle of wine is always a success.

Pasta carbonara

Ingredients:
1 Pound spaghetti
6 Strips bacon, diced
1/4 tsp Black pepper
1/2 Cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
4 Egg yolks
1 Cup grated Parmesan
1/2 tsp Kosher salt

Method:
Cook the spaghetti as per the package instructions.
Fry the bacon in a skillet over medium heat.
Put the fried bacon on a paper towel. Reserve the drippings.
Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl.
Add 2 tbsp of the drippings while whisking the egg constantly.
Add the Parmesan and drained pasta to the egg yolk mixture.
Toss to mix.
Add parsley, bacon, pepper and salt.
Serve immediately

Pasta Aglio e olio

Ingredients:
250 gr. spaghetti,
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil,
chopped parsley,
basil and fresh thyme,
1 pinch chili flakes,
1 tbsp. minced garlic,
salt,
Parmesan cheese,
salt and fresly ground black pepper to taste.

Method:
Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium-high temperature. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown. Be careful to not brown the garlic too much, as the pasta will have unpleasant smell. Add the boiled and strained spaghetti to the pan and toss with the chili flakes and chopped fresh herbs. Season to taste. Serve with grated Parmesan cheese.

Macaroni with Cheese

Ingredients:
8 oz. Elbow Macaroni, uncooked
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
2 tbsp. butter or margarine
1 tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups skim milk
2 cups grated hard cheese (such as Cheddar)
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Method:
Prepare pasta according to package directions; drain in colander. Preheat oven to 375-o F. Slice the tomatoes into 1/2-inch thick slices. Set aside on a small plate. Crumble the bread crumbs with your fingertips. Set aside on another small plate.
Into a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter or margarine. Add the flour, dry mustard and salt, then cook together for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the milk little by little and continue stirring until mixture thickens. Add cheese and stir until melted. Place two slices of tomato in bottom of pan, then half the pasta. Place another two slices of tomato, the remainder of the pasta, and pour the sauce over all. Arrange three slices of tomato on top and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake for 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

These are all very quick and inexpensive dishes that can be serve in any occasion, from a dinner with friends accompanied by a good red wine, to a quick lunch or even when you return starving from a long night partying.

There are an infinite number of recipes and combinations you can make with pasta and various ingredients, and of course, you can make your own recipes, with your own twists and favourite ingredients. There are also a lot of good books with thousands of pasta recipes you can use anytime.

Tomato sauce is one of the most used sauces with pasta. This would not be a true hub about pasta without a tomato sauce recipe.