Puttanesca and Amatriciana are my favorites. For Puttanesca, I do a one-pot recipe that’s basically: melt anchovies (to taste) in olive oil, add a bunch of garlic (also to taste, I usually use a whole head), then crushed or other canned tomatoes (can substitute Rao’s if that’s what you have), add sliced black or Kalamata olives and capers. I then pour in 3 cups of water and boil the pasta in the same pot, but you can also do it separately.

For Amatriciana - sauté guanicale lardons until crispy, then add red pepper flakes, and optionally onion (sauté more if using), a splash of white wine, and then canned tomatoes. Cook down and then add pasta.

And finally, a simple but amazing recipe a friend’s dad taught me - saute halved cherry tomatoes in olive oil, add cream once cooked, and finally diced cold smoked salmon in the last minute of cooking. Boil pasta separately and mix the pasta into the sauce. It’s really good for how simple it is!

Anonymous wrote:My go-to when I can't be bothered to do anything more complicated: quick-roast cherry tomatoes by tossing them with olive oil and putting them in the oven (I use the toaster oven) until they pucker and burst. Toss with pasta of your choice and either fresh mozzarella or fresh feta and whatever herbs you have on hand. Best in summer when there are good ripe tomatoes and the hot-cold contrast of the fresh cheese and cooked tomatoes and pasta is satisfying, but honestly I'd do this whenever.

I make something very similar each week of the summer, but have found that the tomatoes are completely devoid of flavor when they're out of season, and to me at least, not worth buying when they don't taste good.

Pasta w/ chicken apple sausage
Padra w/ chicken breast and pesto
Pasta w/bolognese

Store bought mushroom ravioli (Rana brand)

I like rigatoni, bowties, bucatini

Anonymous wrote:Marcella Hazan's simple and brillant sauce--a can of good Marzano tomatoes, 4 tbsps butter, 1 onion cut into wedges. That's it. Simmer until the onions are soft and add salt.

This is the best sauce. But it is 5 TBSP of butter. I cringe when I make it with so much butter, but it is so, so good.

My new crowd favorite is baked spaghetti. Spaghetti noodles combined with meaty sauce in a casserole dish and baked for 30 min, so the sauce is infused into every noodle. I add cut spinach for some color

sometimes I sprinkle cheddar on top before baking, but it’s still a lot less added cheese and fat like ziti or lasagne.

My go-to when I can't be bothered to do anything more complicated: quick-roast cherry tomatoes by tossing them with olive oil and putting them in the oven (I use the toaster oven) until they pucker and burst. Toss with pasta of your choice and either fresh mozzarella or fresh feta and whatever herbs you have on hand. Best in summer when there are good ripe tomatoes and the hot-cold contrast of the fresh cheese and cooked tomatoes and pasta is satisfying, but honestly I'd do this whenever.

Marcella Hazan's simple and brillant sauce--a can of good Marzano tomatoes, 4 tbsps butter, 1 onion cut into wedges. That's it. Simmer until the onions are soft and add salt.

Made something off a video I saw.

1-2 sliced onions and 400 grams of sliced mushrooms (I used King Oyster since DD doesn't like other mushroom) with salt, pepper, olive oil, and thyme. Cut off the end of a whole head of garlic and pop in there, pouring some olive oil on top of that too. Roast in a sheet pan at 350 for about an hour. Toss in 8 oz. block of cream cheese pinched off into blobs, about 20 minutes before done.

Have pasta (penne, farfalle, etc.) ready by the time the onion is done. Take out the pan of onions, press out the cloves of garlic, and mash it into the tray with the onions. Toss hot pasta with baby spinach and the caramelized onions/mushrooms.

Anonymous wrote:Ina Garten shrimp lemon pasta

Can you link recipe? She has various shrimp lemon pastas. Thanks!

This is the best bolognese imo.. and it only takes 30 minutes, can leave out the bacon and it won’t change the recipe either (I’ve made it both ways): https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pasta-bolognese---qfs

I really love this recipe with caramelized onions and instead of blue cheese I use Gorgonzola.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/20708/caramelized-onion-and-blue-cheese-orzo/

Spaghetti Carbonara
https://www.recipetineats.com/carbonara/

Marcella Hazan's bolognese if you want to go to town:
https://leitesculinaria.com/84057/recipes-marcella-hazan-bolognese-sauce.html

This one with onion and bacon is great for a simple and delicious meal:
https://salt-to-taste.com/2010/03/02/pasta-with-bacon-onions/

Anonymous wrote:Home made Alfredo
Butter, cream, Good park cheese. I do a pinch of S&P and garlic as well.
Whatever pasta you like, we do tortellini generally.

Skip the cream next time. Just the butter, parm, and pasta water make the most silky, delicious sauce.