Italian cuisine is one of the most popular on the planet. And for good reason. It combines traditional methods with fresh Mediterranean flavors that we all know and love.
And if you’re not able to get to Italy yourself right now, you can always bring the taste of Italy home and make it yourself. Besides, if you and your family love Italian food, it makes sense to learn and perfect your favorite dishes.
So in this article, we’ve got some awesome pasta recipes for you to try right now. They’re simply delicious and perfect for the foodie in you.
How to Make Handmade Pasta
If you’ve ever had fresh pasta before, you’ll know there’s no comparison to the dry stuff. There’s so much more body and flavor that almost melts in your mouth. Fresh is always best, so why not learn how to make it yourself? It’s easier than you think and totally worth the effort.
Preparation Time: 1 hour |Serves: 4
Ingredients:
200 g (7 oz) of “00” Italian Wheat Flour
200 g (7 oz) of durum wheat flour
4 eggs (1 egg for every 100g of flour)
Step 1 – Put the flour in a bowl, make a well, and pour in the eggs.
Step 2 – Mix it all together with your hands to form a dough. Place the dough on the counter and knead it for about 10 minutes. Add a little flour if too sticky, and water if too dry.
Step 3 – Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in cling film, and rest it for about 30 minutes.
Step 4 – Dust the counter with durum flour and flatten out the dough with your hands. You can either use a rolling pin or pasta machine on a wide setting.
Step 5 – Fold the pasta sheet in half, then in half again before rolling out again. Repeat this process of folding and rolling 4 times to get it nice and smooth.
Step 6 – Roll the dough to your desired thickness, depending on the type of pasta you want to make (tagliatelle and lasagne should be about 1mm, whereas ravioli or tortellini is slightly thinner).
Step 7 – Once rolled out, cut into pasta. A pasta machine makes this much easier, but you can simply use a knife to cut out strips however you like.
Step 8 – Cook it! Because it’s fresh it cooks in very little time. About 60-90 seconds should do it to get it nice and al dente.
Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca
Once you’ve got the pasta, all you need is a traditional sauce to go with it. And this one is very quick and simple to make. There are no specific measurements required. Just add each to your liking for quick and tasty food to go .
Over a medium-high temperature, heat some oil and add some chopped/crushed garlic and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, chopped olives, a pinch of chili flakes, some capers, and half a cup of water. Allow to simmer on a low heat for about 3 minutes.
Toss into your pasta, top with grated Parmesan and parsley, then enjoy!
Spaghetti Carbonara
If you prefer a richer, creamier sauce, there’s no better than the traditional carbonara. It takes about 20 minutes in total (serves 6), and all you need are spaghetti, eggs (6), bacon (6oz sliced), salt and pepper, and grated Parmesan.
Step 1 – Cook the spaghetti
Step 2 – While spaghetti is cooking, in another pot, brown the bacon in olive oil and some pepper.
Step 3 – Separate the eggs and whisk the whites until frothy before adding the parmesan.
Step 4 – Simmer the bacon in a little water and then toss with the cooked spaghetti.
Step 5 – Add the egg whites and Parmesan and coat the spaghetti fully.
Step 6 – Portion out the pasta and stir an egg yolk into each, allowing it to cook through. Then add some more Parmesan and pepper and eat!
Perfect Pasta Recipes
These traditional pasta recipes are perfect for those attempting Italian cuisine for the first time. They take little time, effort, even ingredients, yet they make for truly delicious tasting food.
Once you master the basics of Italian cooking, you won’t want to stop. And if you’re after more great food tips, be sure to check out what’s on offer in our blog today. Belissimo!
Author: Ester Adams
