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Quickest, easiest, tastiest pasta dish


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First up, pasta with an improvised amatriciana sauce.  Technically, this should be made with guanciale, but bacon or pancetta will certainly do....

I read somewhere that amatrciana is often eaten w/o cheese because it's already so rich with the pork fat. I'd already reached the same conclusion & stopped adding the parmigiano before I read that.

Con aglio e olio (+ parsley & peperoncino, of course) is still the quickest. And it takes mass quantities of cheese very well! :biggrin:

I've found that my version isn't too rich...though the one I have at my local Italian definitely is, and I usually forego cheese on theirs...

I suspect that I need to pour off more of the rendered pancetta fat. But it's so difficult to be that disciplined..... :raz:

Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea? How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea!

- Sydney Smith, English clergyman & essayist, 1771-1845

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A few stand-bys for me...

Bucatini all'Amatriciana

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Tagliatelle with grapefruit sections in cream sauce (great in summer)

Angel Hair shrimp scampi thing I sorta made up that the daughter loves

Mac and cheese

We cannot employ the mind to advantage when we are filled with excessive food and drink - Cicero

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Spaghetti with Peas. Steam some frozen peas until vibrant green, add some water and hit it a couple of times with a stick blender. You want it to still have a bit of texture. Salt and Pepper and toss with some pasta. I am perpetually amazed by the depth of flavour that you can get with such a simple recipe. It really is a revelation when you have it for the first time pure like that. But it's also a perfect canvas for additions. Garlic, onions, bacon, parmesan, butter, red chilli flakes and chicken stock all work really well in it. I usually like just picking 2 or 3 out of those and seeing how those flavours layer over the top.

We did this last night - peas with bacon, butter and parmesan, and it was fantastic with farfalle, really bright and vibrant. Also super quick! There's so many possibilities with this as well (although I think next time we'll see how it is with just some butter or olive oil). Thanks Shalmanese.

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We did this last night - peas with bacon, butter and parmesan, and it was fantastic with farfalle, really bright and vibrant.  Also super quick!  There's so many possibilities with this as well (although I think next time we'll see how it is with just some butter or olive oil).  Thanks Shalmanese.

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I've been singing praises for Spaghetti with Peas for a long time now.

PS: I am a guy.

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My kids love orrichette (sp?) with peas, fresh ricotta, a lump of butter, chopped mint, a handful of parm, salt, lots of fresh pepper, and a little of the pasta water to loosen if neccessary. Add the peas to the pasta water for the last couple of minutes and then drain using a fine sieve. Garnish with more mint, parm, and a little crushed red pepper.

Heather Johnson

In Good Thyme

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A few stand-bys for me...

Bucatini all'Amatriciana

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

Mac and cheese

All of the above are faves for me, but I have to hear more about this "Tagliatelle with grapefruit sections in cream sauce (great in summer)"?? Do share....

One of my favorite standards that I'll make tomorrow night when I get home from the airport at 8 pm:

Fusilli combined with wilted spinach, some crumbled bleu cheese, and lots of pepper!

my motto: taste, savor, share

circulation manager, imbibe magazine

celebrate the world in a glass

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Spaghetti with Peas. Steam some frozen peas until vibrant green, add some water and hit it a couple of times with a stick blender. You want it to still have a bit of texture. Salt and Pepper and toss with some pasta. I am perpetually amazed by the depth of flavour that you can get with such a simple recipe. It really is a revelation when you have it for the first time pure like that. But it's also a perfect canvas for additions. Garlic, onions, bacon, parmesan, butter, red chilli flakes and chicken stock all work really well in it. I usually like just picking 2 or 3 out of those and seeing how those flavours layer over the top.

Are we talking pureed peas here? Yikes. Until just now I was seeing "stick blender" as "stick of butter." Not reading carefully enough. What is the purpose of putting the blender to them? I would just leave them alone.

In Italy one time I had a spinach farfalle w peas, prosciutto & cream. The peas were left whole & it was totally delicious.

Thank God for tea! What would the world do without tea? How did it exist? I am glad I was not born before tea!

- Sydney Smith, English clergyman & essayist, 1771-1845

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not real italian pasta but tastes good + is very quick.

fry chicken breast, add in vegetables (i use brocolli), then cream cheese and a chopped tomato. mash the tomatos and a dash of herbs (i use dried oregano but you really can use any italian herb) , add in salt and black pepper. tada

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To get ready, make a tomato sauce:

<blockquote>

1 pound diced yellow globe onion

<br>

1/2 C virgin olive oil

<br>

1 C dry red wine, e.g., Chilian Cabernet-Merlot

<br>

1/4 C minced fresh garlic

<br>

1/2 C dry parsley

<br>

2 T dry oregano

<br>

2 T dry basil

<br>

50 twists of pepper mill

<br>

4 cans, 28 ounces per can, crushed tomatoes, e.g., Tuttorosso

(Sam's Club)

<br>

6 ounce can of tomato paste, e.g., Contradina

</blockquote>

Cook onion and olive oil until onions softened, translucent,

and somewhat reduced. Add garlic and heat through. Add wine

and reduce until nearly all wine gone. Add one can of the

tomatoes and mix. Add spices and mix. Add tomato paste and

mix. Add rest of tomatoes and mix. Heat to simmer. Let cool

uncovered to room temperature. Refrigerate uncovered and, when

chilled, cover.

<br><br>

It's good. The wine does help, a little.

<br><br>

Next, fry some hamburger:

<blockquote>

about 6 pounds of 80% lean ground beef

<br>

2/3 C virgin olive oil

<br>

1 pound of diced yellow globe onion

<br>

1/4 C fresh minced garlic

<br>

50 twists on pepper mill with black pepper

</blockquote>

In the olive oil, saute the onions until

soft.

Add the garlic and mix.

Add the beef, saute, and break

into small pieces.

Cook the beef until lightly brown.

Drain and let cool to room temperature.

Likely do the above in two batches with

half the quantites in each batch.

Freeze loosely.

<br><br>

In 2 quart Pyrex casserole dish, add

<blockquote>

1 C 80% lean ground beef, as above

<br>

1 C frozen shredded part skim Mozzarella cheese

<br>

1 C of the tomato sauce above

<br>

2 cans, 15 ounces per can, of canned ravioli, e.g.,

Chef Boyardee Beef Ravioli

</blockquote>

Shake dish, cover, heat in microwave oven at 100% power for 15

minutes, rotate 180 degrees,

and heat at 100% power for 10 minutes. Top

with about three ounces of

freshly grated Pecorino-Romano cheese.

<br><br>

It's good. Also good with the red wine!

What would be the right food and wine to go with

R. Strauss's 'Ein Heldenleben'?

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I whip up a parsley pesto-like sauce whenever I have a bunch of parsley lying around and I need a quick dinner.

Throw a hand-full of parsley in a food processor with a clove of garlic, a smaller hand-full of walnuts, a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of cayenne and salt/pepper. Blend in just enough chicken stock to make it saucey. It's a pretty versatile recipe because you can change up the herbs, nuts, stock, etc. based on what you have on-hand.

I serve it with whatever proteins and vegetables I have -- or just with pasta if the fridge is really bare (I like broccoli, roasted red peppers and roasted chicken).

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I'm having a hard time imagining parsley pesto, jende. Obviously it's good and works well enough for you to do it over and over, might have to try it sometime.

One of my favourites (using Mafalde this week), includes tiny beef/lamb meatballs and a smokey aubergine pesto. Very good with a side of steamed broccoli.

Please take a quick look at my stuff.

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I'm having a hard time imagining parsley pesto, jende. Obviously it's good and works well enough for you to do it over and over, might have to try it sometime.

One of my favourites (using Mafalde this week), includes tiny beef/lamb meatballs and a smokey aubergine pesto. Very good with a side of steamed broccoli.

I actually made some parsley pesto for the first time a couple of weeks ago. I'm so tired of my herbs going to waste that I figured what could be the worse thing that happened. I did a more traditional pesto combo though - parsley, walnuts, garlic and parm cheese. I like the idea of adding some stock to make it more like a sauce.

I like cows, too. I hold buns against them. -- Bucky Cat.

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Tonight, I very gently browned some linguicia, red pepper flakes and garlic in EVOO and then tossed in anchovies, clams and a splash of white wine. Clamp on the lid for 3 minutes and then toss in some lemon zest, parsley and lemon juice and serve. Absolutely delicious.

PS: I am a guy.

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Tonight, I very gently browned some linguicia, red pepper flakes and garlic in EVOO and then tossed in anchovies, clams and a splash of white wine. Clamp on the lid for 3 minutes and then toss in some lemon zest, parsley and lemon juice and serve. Absolutely delicious.

Depression Spaghetti

Fry a pound of bacon then dice.

Add it (grease and all) to cooked spaghetti

Add a large can of stewed tomatoes

Add several chunks of Velveta Cheese

Stir to partially melt cheese

Salt and pepper to taste.

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  • 7 months later...

Brand new for me tonight, but I think will be a late summer staple:

peeled tomatoes and salted butter cooked together while the pasta cooked. Drain pasta, top with sauce. It was very good. :wub:

Whoever posted about cooking tomatoes in butter, thank you! It was my (patchy) memory of the existence of such a recipe that caused tonight's experiment.

"You dont know everything in the world! You just know how to read!" -an ah-hah! moment for 6-yr old Miss O.

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Mark Bittman had a great recipe in his New York Times Minimalist column a few months ago. I tried it once and have since made it regularly. Great value for time and money.

Brown whole peeled garlic and dried chillies (I use chilli flakes) in olive oil. Bittman suggests ten cloves. Add decent quality, whole anchovies, essentially the point of the dish. Bittman says twenty, but five to ten will work. He steers you away from canned, vegetable oil-packed varieties and urges the olive oil-packed, imported kind. It's worth the investment. Cook until the anchovies melt, stirring a bit. Drop in cut cherry tomatoes. He says two cups. Stir and simmer for five minutes. Toss with pasta and freshly chopped parsley.

This was a revelation for me. Intensely savory, fifteen minutes of work, a few bucks a head. If I have the patience I throw in freshly made breadcrumbs for crunch. A few thyme leaves work well too. In Bittman's house it serves six. Fewer in mine!

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Marcella Hazan's Butter and Onion Sauce. Could not be simpler or more delicious. It's like my guilty secret, it's so yummy and just could NOT be easier.

If I'm feeling we've fallen short of protein, I might add some sliced Aidell's sausages. Usually not, the sauce is so good by itself.

Takes about 5 minutes to get started and then is done by the time I've changed, let the dogs out, and gotten the table set.

“Don't kid yourself, Jimmy. If a cow ever got the chance, he'd eat you and everyone you care about!”
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Triumvirate Pasta

Time: 20 minutes at most

Details: Boil the broccoli rabe in the pasta pot, make sure you have a slotted spoon to take it out without draining the water.

* 1 lb broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 1″ pieces

* 1 lb spicy Italian sausage, without casings

* 1 lb cavatelli pasta (or any small noodle)

* garlic cloves to liking (I use 4 cloves)

* parmigiano reggiano cheese to liking (I use two–or maybe a bit more–handfuls)

* Olive oil for coating pan

1. Boil water in pot. Add in broccoli rabe and cook until tender but still firm (2 minutes maybe)

2. Meanwhile, break up sausage in a pan coated with olive oil over medium heat. Add in whatever amount of chopped garlic you choose.

3. When broccoli rabe is done transfer it to sausage pan, don’t worry if water gets in the pan, that is needed later.

4. Cook pasta according to directions. Drain. Add back to pot, over medium to medium high heat. Add in contents of sausage pan. Stir and add in cheese. Stir until well mixed. Serve!

Robin

“Cooking is an art, but you eat it too.”

Marcella Hazan

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