Pasta recipes help ease the "what's for dinner tonight" burden.
Add some pasta recipes to your repertoire. These make everyone's favorite no-fuss dinner even better. Sandra Rose Gluck, Everyday Food
Linguine With Spring Vegetables Serves 4.
Get an instant taste of spring with this one-pot pasta.
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 3/4 lb. linguine
• 1 lb. asparagus (tough ends removed), cut into 1-in. lengths
• 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise (quartered if large) and thinly sliced
• 4 oz. sugar snap peas (stem ends trimmed), halved
• 1/2 c. heavy cream
• 1 tbsp. butter, cut into pieces
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tbsp. fresh tarragon leaves
Directions
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 4 minutes short of al dente; add asparagus, zucchini and snap peas. Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3 minutes.
Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water; drain pasta mixture and set aside.
In the same pot, bring cream and butter to a simmer. Toss in pasta mixture and enough pasta water to create a thin sauce (it will thicken as it stands). Season with salt and pepper, and top with tarragon.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories475Fat15 gSaturated fat9 gCarbohydrates71 gProtein15 gDietary fiber5 g
Broken Noodles With Tomato Sauce and Ricotta Serves 4.
• 4 c. homemade or store-bought marinara sauce
• 1 pkg. (9 oz.) pappardelle (wide pasta), broken into large pieces
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/2 c. part-skim ricotta
• 1/2 c. fresh basil leaves, torn
• Black pepper
Directions
In a large saucepan, bring sauce and 2 cups water to a boil; reduce to a simmer.
Add noodles and simmer, stirring frequently, until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Season with salt. Serve with a dollop of ricotta, basil and sprinkle of pepper.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories418Fat8 gCarbohydrates70 gSaturated fat2 gProtein16 gDietary fiber6 g
Southern Mac-and-Cheese Serves 4.
Homemade mac-and-cheese is often prepared with a flour-based sauce. This Southern version uses a base of eggs and half-and-half for a tasty, custardy alternative.
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1 tbsp. butter, melted, plus more for ramekins
• 1/2 lb. elbow macaroni
• 2 c. shredded sharp Cheddar (8 oz.), divided
• 2 eggs
• 1 c. half-and-half
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 2 slices white sandwich bread, torn
Directions
Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter four (10-ounce) ramekins. Cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain.
In a large bowl, whisk together 11/2 cups Cheddar, eggs, half-and-half, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add pasta and stir to combine; divide among ramekins.
In a food processor, pulse bread and melted butter until coarse crumbs form; season with salt and pepper. Dividing evenly, top pasta mixture with 1/2 cup Cheddar, then sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Place ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until mac and cheese is golden and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories611Fat32 gCarbohydrates5 g Protein27 gSaturated fat19 gDietary fiber2 g
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