Classic Pasta Recipes: Perfect Pairings for Every Noodle Type

 

🍝 1. Spaghetti with Tomato Basil Sauce

Ingredients:

• 400g (14 oz) spaghetti

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 800g (28 oz) canned crushed tomatoes

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Handful of fresh basil, torn

• Grated Parmesan (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cook Pasta: Boil spaghetti in salted water (1 tbsp salt per 4L water) for 8–10 minutes until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta water.

2. Make Sauce: In a pan, heat olive oil. Sauté garlic for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, simmer 15–20 minutes.

3. Combine: Add spaghetti to sauce. Toss with a splash of pasta water. Add basil.

4. Serve: Plate and top with Parmesan if desired.

🍝 2. Linguine with Clam Sauce (Linguine alle Vongole)

Ingredients:

• 400g linguine

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• ½ tsp red pepper flakes

• 500g (1 lb) fresh clams (or canned, drained)

• ½ cup dry white wine

• 2 tbsp chopped parsley

• Salt to taste

Instructions:

1. Cook Pasta: Boil linguine for 9–11 minutes. Drain.

2. Cook Clams: In a pan, heat olive oil. Sauté garlic and chili flakes for 30 sec. Add clams and wine. Cover and cook until clams open (~5 min).

3. Combine: Add pasta and parsley. Toss to coat.

4. Serve: Plate with pan juices. Add extra parsley.

🍝 3. Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:

• 400g fettuccine

• ½ cup unsalted butter

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1 cup grated Parmesan

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Nutmeg (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cook Pasta: Boil fettuccine for 10–12 minutes. Drain.

2. Make Sauce: In a pan, melt butter. Add cream, simmer 5 min. Stir in Parmesan until melted. Season.

3. Combine: Toss pasta in sauce. Add splash of pasta water if needed.

4. Serve: Sprinkle with more cheese and a dash of nutmeg.

🍝 4. Tagliatelle with Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients:

• 400g tagliatelle

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, diced

• 1 carrot, diced

• 1 celery stalk, diced

• 400g ground beef (or beef/pork mix)

• 100ml dry white wine

• 400g canned tomatoes

• Salt, pepper, and oregano

• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Instructions:

1. Cook Pasta: Boil tagliatelle for 7–9 minutes. Drain.

2. Make Sauce: Sauté onion, carrot, celery in olive oil. Add meat, brown it. Add wine, reduce. Stir in tomatoes and simmer for 30–45 min.

3. Combine: Mix sauce with pasta.

4. Serve: Top with cheese.

🍝 5. Bucatini all’Amatriciana

Ingredients:

• 400g bucatini

• 150g pancetta or guanciale, diced

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 1 chili or red pepper flakes

• 1 can (400g) crushed tomatoes

• ½ cup grated Pecorino Romano

Instructions:

1. Cook Pasta: Boil bucatini for 8–10 minutes. Drain.

2. Make Sauce: Cook pancetta in oil until crispy. Add chili and tomatoes. Simmer 10–15 min.

3. Combine: Toss pasta with sauce. Add cheese.

4. Serve: Top with extra Pecorino.

🍝 6. Capellini with Garlic and Olive Oil (Aglio e Olio)

Ingredients:

• 400g capellini (angel hair)

• ⅓ cup olive oil

• 3–4 garlic cloves, sliced

• ½ tsp chili flakes

• Salt and parsley

• Grated Parmesan (optional)

Instructions:

1. Cook Pasta: Boil capellini for 2–3 minutes. It cooks very fast! Drain.

2. Make Sauce: Heat olive oil, sauté garlic until golden. Add chili flakes.

3. Combine: Toss pasta with sauce. Season with salt, garnish with parsley.

4. Serve: Add Parmesan if desired.

🍕 Neapolitan Pizza Recipe: Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil

🍕 Neapolitan Pizza : Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil

 

Neapolitan pizza is the original masterpiece of the pizza world. Hailing from Naples, Italy, it’s a culinary tradition protected by strict standards, emphasizing simplicity, quality, and freshness. At its core, the Neapolitan pizza is a minimalist yet deeply flavorful creation: a thin, soft crust with a slightly chewy and charred edge, topped with just three key ingredients—fresh tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fragrant basil.

The dough is made from finely milled ‘00’ flour, water, salt, and yeast, allowed to ferment slowly for a light, airy texture. San Marzano tomatoes, grown in the volcanic soil of Mount Vesuvius, are often used for their sweet, robust flavor. Fresh mozzarella—ideally buffalo mozzarella—melts beautifully, blending with the tomato in perfect harmony. A few fresh basil leaves and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil complete the pizza, symbolizing the colors of the Italian flag.

Traditionally baked in a wood-fired oven at over 900°F, the pizza cooks in just 60–90 seconds. The result is a blistered, yet tender crust with rich, balanced flavors. Neapolitan pizza is not just food; it’s a slice of Italian heritage, artistry, and pride—honoring the beauty of less being more.

Neapolitan Pizza Recipe: Tomato, Mozzarella & Basil

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• Pizza Dough:

  • 2 cups ‘00’ flour (or all-purpose flour)

  • ¾ cup lukewarm water

  • 1 tsp salt

  • ½ tsp dry yeast

  • 1 tbsp olive oil

• Toppings:

  • ½ cup San Marzano tomato sauce (or quality crushed tomatoes)

  • 4 oz fresh mozzarella (preferably buffalo mozzarella)

  • Fresh basil leaves (6–8)

  • Olive oil for drizzling

  • Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Make the Dough:

   • In a bowl, mix flour and salt. Dissolve yeast in warm water, let sit for 5 minutes.

   • Combine flour, yeast-water, and olive oil. Knead into a soft dough for 8–10 minutes.

   • Cover and let rise for 1–2 hours until doubled in size.

2. Preheat Oven:

   • Preheat your oven as hot as it will go (ideally 500°F/260°C+). Use a pizza stone or steel if possible.

3. Assemble Pizza:

   • Roll out dough thinly. Spread a thin layer of tomato sauce, tear mozzarella over it, and add basil leaves.

4. Bake:

   • Bake 7–10 minutes until crust is golden and cheese bubbly. Drizzle olive oil before serving.