Internet does not need more pasta recipes! However, you need to learn these three almost no-recipe pasta dishes that you can whip up after a busy workday.
Pasta is a well-loved dish at our home for a few reasons. First, Matthew is great at boiling the pasta, and while he does that, I make the sauce to go with it. Second, while we do that, our 18 monthly old daughter does a ‘dunk in the funk’ dance in the kitchen and tries to eat whatever she can find from the ground.
I keep the pasta recipes vegetarian as my mum does not eat any animal protein in this country. We find these recipes quickly satisfy all of our hungry bellies after a busy workday with multiple allergies and food restrictions.
Pasta is not just food for us; it’s a family affair.
As we have pasta quite often here, I came up with a few toddler-friendly and vegetarian recipes. Although all these recipes are simple, the dish’s taste significantly depends on the quality of the ingredients.
For example, your 89 cents pasta will not do justice to my Penne Alla Vodka! This is Matthew’s grandma’s recipe from Russia. Our Mom makes it quite often, and now I make for Matt. Despite it having Vodka in it, it gets cooked (hence evaporated) well. However, we give this particular recipe in moderation (very little sauce) to Anouk.
The original recipe calls for pancetta, but my Jewish Mom never made it, and I don’t either (as my parents don’t eat pork or beef).
The two Pasta recipe that my Anouk love is Aglio e Olio & Cacio e Pepe. None of these require a great recipe and get cooked simply. However, excellent quality spaghetti is needed here. I also do a squash pasta during fall to use the quality squash we get at the Farmers market. She loves it as well. The best part of the pasta (however she calls it Pata) dinner is she can eat on her own without creating too much mess.
When it comes to Pasta, we pick Garofalo – ALWAYS! Because you can choose the type of pasta based on your recipe. For example, they have 6 different types (number-coded) of long pasta. They also carry whole wheat and Gluten-free (which I ate a lot when I was on a Gluten-Free diet for years). You will taste the quality, attention, and care they are putting into your first bite!
Recipe 1 – Pasta with Vodka Sauce (Below)
Recipe 2 – Aglio e Olio
Who needs a recipe for this?! First, boil a half or an entire bag of Number 14 Bucatini from Pasta Garofalo. While that happens, chop garlic. We use a whole head of garlic but feel free to reduce it to your liking. Next, make the pasta water pretty salt. While the pasta cooks, combine the garlic, olive oil, salt, and the fresh crushed black pepper in a large skillet and warm over low heat, occasionally stirring, until the garlic softens and turns golden, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink, reserving about some of the cooking water. Add the pasta and the reserved water to the garlic mixture. Mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste. Serve topped with grated cheese and herbs if desired.
This recipe is my daughter’s favorite! This is vegan pasta if you omit the cheese.
Recipe 3 – Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta
Pasta with Vodka Sauce
4
servings30
minutes40
minutesYou can serve this recipe as it is with a salad. However, my mother-in-law serves this with roast chicken.
Ingredients
Kosher salt
1 pound Garofalo Penne Rigate
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes
One 4 1/2-ounce tube concentrated tomato paste
One 14 1/2-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
1/2 cup cream or half and half
¾ cup vodka
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup grated Grana Padano or Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons roughly chopped Italian parsley
Directions
- Cook Pasta according to package direction.
- In a thick bottom pot, over medium heat melt butter. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until onions are very soft but not browned, about 12-15 minutes; lower heat if needed to prevent browning.
- Add garlic and cook it for 2-3 minutes or until the raw smell is gone.
- Add red pepper flakes, tomato paste and cook for 3 minutes, stirring, until tomato paste is thick. Stir in canned tomatoes with their liquid. Bring to a simmer, then cook for 10-12 minutes or until sauce is thickened slightly.
- Transfer sauce to a blender, and blend until very smooth.
- Add this back to the pot, add cream of half and half, vodka, salt and pepper. Cook it for 3-4 minutes.
- With a slotted spoon take the pasta out and add to the sauce. Cook it for an another 3-4 minutes. Add more pasta water if your sauce is getting too thick.
- Remove from heat and stir in cheese until thoroughly incorporated into a smooth and creamy sauce.
- Spoon pasta and sauce onto serving plates and top with additional grated cheese. Serve immediately with chopped parsley on top.
This post is sponsored by Pasta Garofalo!
