Best 3 Italian Pasta Recipes and Top Tips for Pairing Them with Authentic Sauces
Before we begin discussing pasta recipes, there are three important integral elements of the Italian kitchen that can't be overlooked. One of the top challenges in creating authentic Italian pasta recipes is choosing the proper pasta shape and the best sauce to compliment. The second is how much sauce is needed, and the third is how long to cook the pasta. Once you've got these basics down, the tasty and comforting possibilities are endless. It's National Pasta Month, National Sauce Month, and Italian-American Heritage Month, and tomorrow, I have the pleasure of sharing my best three pasta recipes and top tips for pairing them with sauce on Good Morning Washington. Click here to watch the live stream Tuesday, October 18 at 10 AM EST. This topic is so important to me that I listed dozens of the most common pasta shapes with their definitions and recommended pairings in my newly released Italian Recipes for Dummies book.
Did you know that Italy enjoys more than 500 different pasta shapes, with numerous toppings, accompaniments, and sauces to be paired with? The Italian obsession with serving the right pasta with the proper sauce might seem daunting to newcomers, but it is important to learn the magic behind the right combinations that make both the sauce and the pasta better. If you’ve ever met a lovely couple—people who are fantastic on their own but really bring the best out of each other when they are together—then you get the idea.
This is how the right sauce can complement its culinary partner:
1. Honor the classics
Many of us are used to eating pasta a certain way, so we never give it a second thought; linguine with pesto, tagliatelle with ragù, pappardelle with a thick tomato sauce, and so on are all classic combinations of sauces that are paired correctly.
2. Consider weight and texture
As an example, think about light, airy angel hair pasta and how heavenly it tastes tossed simply with EVOO, herbs, and lemon or a fresh tomato sauce. Now imagine that same angel hair pasta weighed down with heavy gobs of a meat sauce; the meat sauce would take over the dish. The same thing can happen conversely. If you have a thick, pappardelle pasta and you dress it with lemon and herbs, the pasta seems too heavy for the dish.
3. Factor in what the pasta is made of
Some pasta recipes, such as ravioli and typically Northern Italian ones, use eggs when making the dough. The heavy egg taste from the pasta overpowers the lightness of condiments made strictly from extra-virgin olive oil, fresh herbs and citrus. In this case, a meat ragù or a heavier tomato sauce would be the perfect partner, as would a dairy based sauce such as a Besciamella (Béchamel). Learn the origins of this classic Florentine recipe here.
Amy Riolo Selections DOP Sun-dried Red Pesto with Genovese Basil
I am proud to partner with the world-renown Anfosso brand to introduce my privately-labelled Ligurian twist on classic basil pesto. This product is a winner of the 2019 SOFI Gold award for best pasta sauce, and I consider it to be the perfect pantry staple.
Pesto Genovese is the most famous pesto in all of Italy. Only pesto made in a precise manner with fresh Ligurian DOP basil can carry the DOP label. At the heart of this DOP Sun-dried Red Pesto are five ingredients: peeled sun-dried tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil from Anfosso, fresh Ligurian DOP basil, Grana Padano cheese, and pine nuts. I believe that the intense aroma, bright, red color and sweet taste of this pesto are perfect for pairing with pasta, panini, risotto, pizza, easy appetizers, and even roasted vegetables and meats.
This is my go-to sauce when I'm in a hurry and running low on produce but what to infuse artisan pasta with fresh Italian flavor. I dredge a tablespoon per serving of this vibrant pesto into fresh, hot, spaghetti, farfalle, trifle, or penne with a tablespoon of hat pasta water, drizzle with additional EVOO, and sprinkle with freshly grated parmigiana-reggiano and black pepper.
When pairing this sauce with spaghetti, I use the Verrigni brand which is cut with gold dyes for better texture and dried slowly for improved nutrition and taste. Both products are available in my Amy Riolo Italian Primi Essentials Gift Box. Use discount code "amy riolo" at checkout to save 10% on all DITALIA items and enjoy free shipping on my gift box.
Salsa di pomodoro/Fresh Tomato Sauce
I've got a special announcement regarding the pasta I'm pairing this classic sauce with on TV tomorrow morning! Tune in to watch! Salsa di pomodoro is the most adaptable of Italian sauces, and, depending on how much you use, it could pair with any pasta shape. Spaghetti, penne, paccheri, and many versions of ravioli are often paired with this sauce. It's also used as a base for Parmigiana style dishes, tomato soups, and more elaborate sauces.
Credit: @just_wendyjo and @reminiscewithus
PREP TIME: 5 MIN
COOK TIME: 20 MIN
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
* 2 tablespoons Amy Riolo Selections or other good-quality extra virgin olive oil
* 2 large garlic cloves, peeled and minced
* 1 1/2 pounds strained (seeded and skinned tomatoes) boxed or jarred tomatoes, such as Pomi brand, or 21/2 pounds fresh, ripe tomatoes (if in season)
* Unrefined sea salt, to taste
* Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
* 4-5 leaves of fresh basil, oregano, or parsley
* Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly grated, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, and reduce heat to low.
2. When garlic begins to release its aroma (before it turns color), add tomatoes.
3. Stir and allow mixture to come to a boil to create caramelization on the side of the pan.
4. Add salt, pepper, and fresh herbs; stir and cover. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10-20 minutes, or until it has thickened slightly. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve with grated cheese.
TIP:
If you are using fresh tomatoes, place them in boiling water until their skins peel (just a few minutes), strain, and allow to cool to touch. Peel them, remove the seeds, and cut them into chunks. Then use them in place of boxed or jarred tomatoes in Step 2 above.
Most Italians make large batches of this sauce so they can have one recipe on hand at all times in the refrigerator and a spare or two in the freezer. This sauce keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for a few months.
NOTE:
If you are serving this sauce with pasta as a first course, the second course should not contain tomatoes. Simple grilled or pan-fried chicken, veal, beef, or seafood are natural accompaniments. This simple sauce is the base for Italian tomato soups, as well as the Arrabbiata, Norma, Amatriciana, and Aurora sauces in this section. In addition to pasta, you can use it to top pizza, eggplant parmigiana, and keep a little extra on hand to dip meatballs and croquettes into.
VARY IT!
If using fresh tomatoes, try experimenting with different varieties including heirlooms. You may be surprised how much the recipe changes with each new type. Stir leftover beans and vegetables into this sauce and toss with pasta for a quick weekday meal. My personal favorite variation is to stir in 1 cup heavy cream and 4 cups fresh baby arugula to the cooked sauce. I simmer it for another few minutes and toss it into farfalle or penne-shaped pasta with a handful of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
Ragù alla Bolognese/Bolognese-Style Meat Sauce
Credit: @just_wendyjo @reminiscewithus
This is a thick, rich sauce that requires a thick pasta that can stand up to it's strength, Rigatoni, fusilli, tagliatelle, and ziti are great choices. This sauce is also layered in baked pasta dishes, such as the one in the picture, and classic Bolognese-style lasagne.
PREP TIME: 10 MIN
COOK TIME: 3-4 HOURS
YIELD: 6 SERVINGS
INGREDIENTS
* 2 tablespoons Amy Riolo Selections or other good-quality extra virgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons butter
* 1/4 cup diced yellow onion
* 1/4 cup diced celery
* 1/4 cup diced carrot
* 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (try to avoid lean varieties), or veal
* 1 cup white wine
* 4 cups tomato puree, preferably from San Marzano tomatoes
* 1 cup beef stock, preferably homemade
* 1 dried bay leaf
* 1/2 teaspoon unrefined sea salt, plus extra to taste
* 1 cup whole milk
* Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, 3-5 minutes.
2. Add the meat and stir, allowing to brown completely. Add the wine, and stir until wine is completely evaporated.
3. Add the tomato puree, stock, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and stir.
4. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
5. Add the milk, stir, and continue simmering for another 10 minutes.
6. The sauce is ready when it reaches a thick consistency (it will have cooked down to about half of its original volume). Stir and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
TIP:
This sauce can be made a day ahead of time, or made in large quantities and frozen until serving. Serve ragù alla Bolognese with thick pasta such as tagliatelle (as is done in Bologna), fettucine, pappardelle, or rigatoni if you prefer a shorter pasta.
NOTE:
Several Italian regions have their own ragù (meat sauce) recipes that were traditionally made on Sunday morning and enjoyed after families came home from church. Since the Catholic Church promoted abstaining from meat from Friday until after receiving the Eucharist on Sunday, a meat-based sauce was the ultimate feast-worthy meal to celebrate with.
VARY IT!
You can use whatever kind of meat you choose in this recipe. Goat, lamb, pork, beef, veal, or combinations of your favorites all produce a fantastic sauce.
Credit: @just_wendyjo @reminiscewithus
Italians happily follow rules that have stood the test of time in the kitchen. There are, of course, always exceptions to the rules, and if you really love a combination that is not normally paired together, continue to enjoy it. In my opinion, however, if a classic combination has stood the test of time, it's best not to continue to honor its legacy! Let me know your favorite combinations in the comments!