Pasta is considered one of the most beloved and popular dishes around the world. We consider it originally Italian, but many of its famous variations were prepared in other countries.
In general, pasta is pasta to which various fillings and sauces are added. Some types of pasta use different types of pasta, hence the huge variety of recipes. Each country has its own traditions associated with this dish. Even each region in Italy has its own traditional recipes, which are considered the highlight of the country.
If you want to try real pasta, but don’t know where to start getting acquainted with it, we have selected 5 proven recipes for you that everyone can handle. This is a very simple dinner option that is suitable for both one person and the whole family. We use Parmesan cheese in many recipes, but you can always substitute it with any cheese that melts well. Here everyone will find a recipe to their liking, as we have selected the most common and delicious pasta options. And for most of these recipes you will only need half an hour of free time, as well as a small amount of ingredients. The result is an incredibly tasty and satisfying dinner!
Penne arabiata
The paste is so named because it is topped with arabiata sauce, the main ingredient of which is red chili pepper. Penne pasta or feathers are used as the pasta itself. This pasta is very easy and quick to prepare - you only need 20 minutes of free time and a small amount of ingredients. Some variations may include the addition of red wine, as well as a tablespoon of red wine vinegar - you can add these too if you wish. If you want to prepare a set lunch with this pasta, then meatballs or meatballs cooked in the same spicy sauce will go perfectly with it.
For this spicy paste you only need 10 ingredients:
- Olive oil 1/4 cup;
- Garlic 4 cloves;
- Chili pepper flakes 3/4 tsp;
- Tomato paste 2 tbsp;
- 1 can canned tomatoes;
- Salt 1 tsp;
- Black pepper 1\4 tsp;
- Salt 1 tsp;
- Penne pasta;
- Fresh basil 1/2 cup;
- Parmesan cheese for serving.
Penne arabiata
Preparation:
- Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and chili flakes and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and begins to soften. Immediately after this add tomato paste.
- Add chopped tomatoes, salt, pepper and sugar and wait until the liquid boils. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue cooking for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. While the sauce is cooking, prepare the pasta.
Fill a large saucepan with water and some salt. Place over medium to high heat and wait until the water boils. Add the penne and cook for 8 to 9 minutes or until the pasta is al dente. Rinse the pasta well under running water, add a little butter.
- Stir cooked pasta into sauce. Add basil and stir well. Serve the pasta warm with plenty of grated Parmesan!
Chocolate spread without wheat flour
Another way to make chocolate paste from cocoa. The paste according to this recipe is very tender, with a silky texture. It tastes closer to dark chocolate. To get a creamier shade, some of the milk can be replaced with sour cream.
Ingredients:
- cocoa powder – 75 g
- butter 82% – 180 g
- sugar – 200 g
- milk 2.5% - 200 ml
- sour cream 20% - 180 g
- vanillin - to taste
Cooking method:
- Cut the butter into small pieces. Mix it in a saucepan with cocoa, sugar, milk and vanilla.
- Place on the fire and cook, stirring with a whisk, until the mass becomes homogeneous. Do not bring to a boil.
- Add sour cream, beat a little and continue to cook over low heat for 15 minutes. Make sure that the mixture does not boil too hot and remember to stir so that it does not burn.
- When the paste has boiled to the desired consistency, pour it into a clean jar and cool.
Tuscan pasta with chicken
This pasta originates in sunny Tuscany. This is considered the national dish of the region, so it is served everywhere - from restaurants to the usual dinner table. It has a very creamy and milky taste, all thanks to the special sauce. In addition, there are light notes of garlic in it, and all this is complemented by a small amount of cheese. This pasta is definitely worth making. The recipe calls for the ingredient dried tomatoes. You can buy them at the store or dry them yourself.
Here is a list of ingredients needed for Tuscan pasta:
- Olive oil 2 tbsp;
- Butter 2 tbsp;
- Chicken breast 300 g;
- Salt 1\2 tsp;
- Black pepper 1\8 tsp;
- Italian herbs 1 tsp;
- Garlic 4 cloves;
- Spinach 3 cups;
- Dried tomatoes 150 g;
- Heavy cream 3 cups;
- Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup;
- Penne pasta.
Tuscan pasta with chicken
Preparation:
- How to cook chicken properly: Season the chicken fillets with salt and pepper on both sides, and add a little red pepper if desired. Fill a large cast iron skillet with olive oil and sear the seasoned fillets on both sides over medium-high heat. Cut the finished chicken into pieces and leave it to cool.
- How to make the Creamy Tuscan Sauce: Now make the sauce by frying the butter with minced garlic, then drain the meat completely and add the sun-dried tomatoes and spinach. Fry everything over medium-low heat.
- When the spinach is slightly browned and reduced in size, add the cream and let it simmer. Now remove the sauce from the heat and add salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and grated Parmesan cheese.
- Then add the cooked hot penne pasta to the sauce and add the chopped chicken to it. Give it a quick stir and serve warm with a basil leaf.
Pasta with Alfredo sauce
Next we will prepare pasta, which is beautifully called “Fettuccine Alfredo”, and it was first prepared in Rome, at the beginning of the 20th century. Pasta gained popularity so quickly that today it is prepared no less often than Carbonara or Bolognese. Its main feature is considered to be a creamy sauce, thanks to which the taste of pasta softens and becomes incredibly tender. If you wish, you can add chicken or bacon fried in butter to the recipe - all this will perfectly complement the taste of the pasta. This is a very popular homemade dish that Italians prepare almost every day.
Well, we’ll try to repeat the original recipe, here are the ingredients we’ll need for it:
- Butter 6 tbsp;
- Garlic 3 cloves;
- Flour 2 tbsp;
- Cream 1.5 cups;
- Milk 1.5 cups;
- Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup;
- Any well-melting cheese 1/2 cup;
- Salt 1\2 tsp;
- Black pepper 1\4 tsp;
- Fettuccine pasta;
- Fresh parsley for garnish.
Preparation:
- First, you need to boil the fettuccine according to the instructions on the package; al dente is also allowed. While the pasta is cooking, prepare the cream sauce.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and fry it for 1 minute. Carefully add the flour to the pan and whisk it lightly. Gradually add heavy cream, then milk, whisking constantly. It is best to add 1/4 cup of cream/milk at a time. Reduce heat to low when sauce begins to bubble. It will continue to thicken as it simmers.
- As soon as the sauce begins to boil, slowly add the finely grated cheese, continuing to whisk the sauce.
- Drain the pasta and carefully mix it into the sauce until smooth. The paste will absorb the sauce and become even thicker. Garnish with finely chopped parsley and serve the beauty to the table!
Recipe 2: Chocolate spread with nuts
Chocolate spread at home is prepared simply from ordinary products, it always turns out very tasty and contains only natural ingredients, unlike store-bought ones.
- milk - 2 cups
- sugar - 2 cups
- ground walnuts - 2 tbsp.
- flour - 2 tbsp.
- cocoa powder - 3 tbsp.
- butter - 100 g
- salt
Mix sugar, cocoa, flour.
Gradually add milk and mix with a whisk. Bring to a boil and stir constantly.
Then add chopped, fried nuts, butter, salt. Cook until done.
Transfer the paste into a glass container and store in the refrigerator. Bon appetit!
Recipe 3: chocolate cocoa paste (step-by-step photos)
A recipe for homemade chocolate cocoa paste will be useful for preparing sweets for your morning coffee; the paste will be a wonderful decoration for pastries, rolls or cakes.
- 150 ml of cold boiled milk;
- 3-4 tbsp. l. powdered sugar;
- 1 pack of vanilla sugar;
- 4 tbsp. l. milk powder;
- 3-4 tbsp. l. cocoa powder;
- 350 ml refined vegetable oil.
Pour powdered sugar and vanilla sugar into a liter jar, pour in cold milk.
Beat milk and sugar using an immersion blender. Then add powdered milk to the jar, beat with a blender until smooth. Continuing to beat, add vegetable oil in a thin stream. During the beating process, the mass will gradually thicken (this will take 1-2 minutes).
The mass will become thick, as in the photo.
Place 3-4 tablespoons of the resulting mass in a separate container. Add cocoa powder to the mixture remaining in the jar and blend again with a blender until smooth.
Place the paste in a clean jar, alternating white and chocolate layers, and put it in the refrigerator.
The chocolate cocoa paste is ready, you can eat it immediately or let it harden a little in the refrigerator. The pasta freezes well in the refrigerator.
Recipe 4: chocolate-nut butter (with photo)
- cow's milk – 200 ml;
- cocoa powder – 2.5-3 tbsp. l.;
- granulated sugar (powdered sugar) – 3 tbsp. l.;
- unsalted butter – 60-80 g;
- vanillin or vanilla sugar - to taste;
- wheat flour - 3 tbsp. l. (without slide);
- walnuts (hazelnuts, peanuts) – 1-2 handfuls (optional);
- chocolate (milk or black) – 50 g (optional).
Pour the milk into a small saucepan or sauté pan. Add oil. Place on low heat. Stirring, heat the milk until the butter dissolves.
Mix sugar (regular and vanilla, if you add), cocoa powder (preferably sifted) and flour. The flour must first be calcined in a dry frying pan to remove the floury taste from the finished chocolate paste.
Stir.
When the butter is melted, remove the pan from the heat.
Add a mixture of flour, sugar and cocoa.
Stir, trying to break up all lumps. Return the saucepan to the stove. Constantly stirring with a whisk so as not to burn, cook the mixture for 5-7 minutes until thickened. The finished chocolate paste should be smooth and shiny. If your pasta has lumps, strain it through a fine metal sieve.
Remove the shells from the nuts (if required). If you want pieces of nuts to be clearly felt in the finished paste, then chop the kernels with a knife. If you plan to achieve a more uniform texture, then turn the nuts into flour using a blender or coffee grinder.
Add the nuts to the paste and let the dessert cool completely. If desired, you can add coarsely grated chocolate to the cooled treat. It will be even tastier. The hardened paste will become thick and silky. You can taste it! Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Pasta Caesar
A very unusual pasta recipe that you will definitely love! It is suitable for those who are already tired of regular pasta and want to try something new. Plus, it’s very easy to prepare; you don’t have to stand at the stove all day. It is also perfect for Caesar salad lovers, since we will use a special dressing that gives the pasta the desired taste.
You definitely need to try this recipe and here's what you'll need:
- Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup;
- Milk 3\4 cups;
- Boneless chicken breast 2 pcs.;
- Lemon juice 3 tsp;
- Olive oil 2 tbsp;
- Garlic 4 cloves;
- Chicken broth 1.5 cups;
- Any pasta of your choice;
- Black pepper 1\8 tsp;
- Fresh parsley for garnish.
For the sauce:
- Olive oil 1/2 cup;
- Cheese 1/3 cup;
- White vinegar 1 tbsp;
- Egg yolk 1 pc.;
- Lemon juice 1 tsp;
- Salt 1\2 tsp;
- Black pepper 1\4 tsp;
- Garlic 2 cloves;
- Canned anchovy fillet (optional).
Pasta Caesar
Preparation:
- To prepare the Caesar dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients except the garlic cloves and anchovy fillets. Beat with a fork or whisk for 60 seconds until well combined. Add the creamed mixture to a blender along with the garlic cloves and anchovy fillets, if you are adding them. Beat until smooth. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving; it will thicken as it sits. This sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- For the pasta: Cut each chicken breast in half to create thinner pieces of equal size. Season each side with lemon juice, black pepper and salt.
- Meanwhile, shred the Parmesan cheese and set aside. When adding to the sauce, it should be at room temperature. Place the chicken in a thick plastic bag, and add about 3/4 cups of the entire sauce to it. Gently whisk until the sauce evenly coats the chicken on all sides. Leave it to marinate in the refrigerator for about half an hour.
- Take the remaining amount of sauce and whisk it together with a glass of milk. Leave the sauce at room temperature for about 15 minutes.
- Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, high-sided skillet. Place the marinated chicken in the pan and let the meat fry for 4-5 minutes. Once the time has passed, carefully turn the chicken over and fry the other side until it is golden brown. Place chicken on a plate. Let sit for 5 minutes, then cut into strips. Make sure the middle is cooked enough.
- Reduce heat to medium and add minced garlic to the pan. Fry it for about 1 minute. Then add chicken broth, our sauce, mixed with milk to the pan and leave for a couple of minutes. Then carefully add the pasta to the liquid and cook over medium heat until done. Reduce heat to low. Gradually sprinkle in Parmesan and stir with a wooden spatula until the cheese has melted. Add the chicken to the pasta and sauce along with the lemon juice. Stir. Garnish the finished dish with fresh chopped parsley. Add freshly ground pepper and serve!
Recipe 5: Homemade coffee chocolate spread
Sweet, with a pronounced chocolate-nut taste, the paste will be perfectly spread both on regular bread and on cookies or croutons.
- granulated sugar - 1 cup,
- wheat flour - 1 cup,
- cocoa powder – 1 tablespoon,
- instant coffee – 0.5 teaspoon,
- butter – 50 grams,
- milk – 0.5 cups,
- vanilla sugar – 0.5 sachet,
- walnuts - to taste.
In a metal bowl, combine the dry ingredients of homemade chocolate spread: flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, coffee and cocoa.
Mix them thoroughly or even sift them through a sieve.
Pour cooled milk into the combined ingredients and mix again until a thick paste forms.
Place the bowl over low heat and cook the chocolate mixture, stirring continuously, for 5-6 minutes from the moment it boils.
Then remove from heat and immediately add butter.
Let the butter melt and carefully mix the resulting chocolate mass.
Finely chop the walnuts with a knife and add to the pasta.
Pour the paste into a glass container, let cool at room temperature, and then refrigerate for at least one night.
Italian pasta in 10 minutes
And we’ll end our article with the simplest recipe, which will only take you 10 minutes! This is a classic Italian pasta recipe, all you need is a few ingredients that everyone has in their refrigerator and a ridiculous amount of time. And this pasta turns out incredibly tasty and aromatic, with notes of garlic and spices.
Let's start preparing it, and the ingredients we will need are:
- Spaghetti;
- Olive oil 1/2 cup;
- Garlic 4-5 cloves;
- Red pepper 1\4 tsp;
- Fresh parsley 1/4 cup;
- Parmesan cheese\any other cheese 1\4 cups;
- Salt to taste.
Italian pasta in 10 minutes
