You may be wondering why I named this “Pinterest Picks” post “My Life in Pasta”. Well, I’m not a well-versed cook. I know about ten recipes from memory and most of those recipes are pasta dishes. My Mom is an excellent cook and my brother is a chef for a living. Me? Um, that skill skipped me. Until Dan and I started dating, I had no idea what to do in the kitchen. I couldn’t even cut an onion. We lived together for six years and we cooked a lot (he cooked a lot, I helped). After Dan and I broke up, we still lived together so he took a lot of time preparing me for life on my own, which included perfecting the pasta recipes we had cooked together. He’s Italian, so we ate a lot of pasta.
I don’t know about you, but I love pasta. It’s my go-to comfort food. Not that I want to eat pasta every day but given that we’re in quarantine thanks to COVID-19, I’ve been making a lot of delicious pasta dishes. They aren’t crazy expert level dishes. I’m not whipping up homemade pasta noodles or anything. Although if you’re out making your own noodles, you’re awesome. Congrats on your skills! Nah, these recipes I’ve selected are fairly basic. I still eat boxed mac & cheese on the regular so you’re not going to find super fancy here. At least not in this post.
What we have here are some of the recipes I make regularly and a few I love that are on my to-make list. The other night I got real drunk and made that Spicy Garlic Butter Linguine after I saw it on YouTube. And oh my god. I love drinking and cooking. Julia Child knew what was up! If you’re wondering what I’ve been up to during this quarantine it’s a lot of pasta making, wine drinking, and video chats with friends. What have you been up to?
Bucatini Amatriciana | Half Baked Harvest – Pasta Amatriciana is one of my all-time favorite pasta dishes. I make a similar dish with shallots but to me, there is nothing more luscious and salty and satisfying than a tomato sauce with guanciale or pancetta. The addition of the fresh basil really tops it off.
Spicy Garlic Butter Linguini | Marion’s Kitchen – Ah yes, the delicious drunken pasta I made recently. It’s an Asian fusion dish as it requires oyster sauce and soy sauce but it’s those toasted garlic shavings that make this dish. I suggest putting in less red chili pepper, but that’s because I’m a wuss.
Sausage, Greens, and Beans Pasta | Bon Appetit – I couldn’t find an exact recipe for the cannellini bean pasta that I make but this sounds equally tasty. If you need to live cheaply, make this recipe without sausage but if you can, make it with sausage, cannellini beans, and escarole.
Slow-Cooked Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta | Recipe Tin Eats – I had to put a more intensive pasta in here. It even includes soffritto which is a base of cooked carrots, onions, and celery. I’ll be honest, I haven’t made this dish myself but I’ve helped. It’s also on my to-make list as the melt-in-your-mouth shredded beef and egg noodles feel like home.
Samin Nosrat’s Pasta Cacio e Pepe | The Kitchn – This is hands down the easiest of the bunch. Well, if we’re counting ingredients only. Cacio e Pepe is a classic Roman dish that is simple but requires love to get that creamy texture. This beats any boxed mac & cheese. I have a chunk of Pecorino waiting for me in my fridge right now. BRB.
Spaghetti Puttanesca with Boquerones | Food & Wine – If you’re looking for regular Puttanesca, check out this recipe. Yum and easy. However, this particular recipe from Food & Wine is right up my alley with the addition of Castelvetrano olives and boquerones. What can I say, I love salty, briny food.
Anchovy Carbonara Pasta | Style and Cheek – Here’s a more unusual dish for many of you. Anchovy Carbonara. It’s salty and rich and basically heaven. I like it because it’s less heavy than it’s pork counterpart, but still so comforting. Let me know if you try this dish.
Pancetta & Tomato Breadcrumbs Pasta | Gourmet Project – Again, I can’t find the exact recipe for my sun-dried tomato and pancetta pasta but this is close. It’s a great summer dish as the sun-dried tomato adds brightness. Add olives. Or not. I don’t think the pasta needs it but substitute yellow onion for a savory sweetness. Or something like that.
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