10 Weeknight Pasta Recipes

Adapt recipes for allergies and dietary needs (gluten-free pasta works for all of these), and make sure meat, fish, and eggs are cooked safely.

Before You Start

• Every recipe serves 4 and uses about 350–400 g dried pasta.

• Salt your pasta water well and bring it to a rolling boil before adding pasta.

• Save a mug of pasta water before draining. It turns sauces silky.

• Finish pasta in the sauce pan, tossing over heat for a minute.

• Start the water first. Most sauces are made while the pasta cooks.

1. Spaghetti with Garlic, Oil and Chilli

Ready in 15 minutes

You need: spaghetti, 6 tbsp olive oil, 4 garlic cloves (sliced), chilli flakes, a handful of parsley (chopped).

1. Cook the spaghetti.

2. Meanwhile, warm the oil and garlic in a large pan over low heat until the garlic is pale gold. Add chilli.

3. Add the drained pasta and a ladle of pasta water. Toss hard until glossy. Add parsley.

2. Penne with Quick Tomato and Basil

Ready in 25 minutes

You need: penne, 1 tin (400 g) whole tomatoes, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 garlic cloves (crushed), fresh basil, Parmesan.

1. Gently cook garlic in oil, add tomatoes, crush them, season with salt, and simmer 15 minutes.

2. Cook the penne. Toss with sauce and a splash of pasta water.

3. Tear in basil, serve with grated cheese.

3. Lemon, Parmesan and Black Pepper Linguine

Ready in 15 minutes

You need: linguine, 50 g butter, zest and juice of 1 lemon, 70 g grated Parmesan, plenty of black pepper.

1. Cook the linguine.

2. Melt butter in a pan with lemon zest and a ladle of pasta water.

3. Add pasta, then cheese gradually off the heat, tossing with more pasta water until creamy. Add lemon juice to taste and lots of pepper.

4. Pasta with Peas and Pancetta

Ready in 20 minutes

You need: short pasta (farfalle or conchiglie), 150 g diced pancetta, 1 small onion (chopped), 250 g frozen peas, 2 tbsp cream or a knob of butter (optional), Parmesan.

1. Fry pancetta until crisp. Add onion and soften for 5 minutes.

2. Add peas and a ladle of pasta water; simmer 5 minutes.

3. Toss with pasta, cream or butter, and cheese.

Vegetarian swap: skip pancetta, add a pinch of chilli and some lemon zest.

5. Puttanesca-Style Spaghetti

Ready in 25 minutes

You need: spaghetti, 3 tbsp olive oil, 2 garlic cloves, 4 anchovy fillets (optional), chilli flakes, 1 tin chopped tomatoes, a handful of black olives, 1 tbsp capers, parsley.

1. Gently cook garlic, anchovies, and chilli in oil until the anchovies melt.

2. Add tomatoes, olives, and capers. Simmer 10–15 minutes. Taste before adding salt; olives and capers are salty.

3. Toss with spaghetti and parsley.

6. Creamy Mushroom Tagliatelle

Ready in 25 minutes

You need: tagliatelle, 400 g mushrooms (sliced), 2 tbsp olive oil, 20 g butter, 2 garlic cloves, thyme, 150 ml cream (or crème fraîche), Parmesan.

1. Fry mushrooms in oil and butter over high heat until golden (don't crowd the pan).

2. Add garlic and thyme for a minute, then cream. Simmer briefly.

3. Toss with pasta, a splash of pasta water, and cheese.

7. Broccoli, Garlic and Chilli Orecchiette

Ready in 20 minutes

You need: orecchiette (or any short pasta), 1 head broccoli (small florets, stalk diced), 5 tbsp olive oil, 3 garlic cloves, chilli flakes, Parmesan or pecorino, toasted breadcrumbs (optional).

1. Add broccoli to the pasta water for the last 4–5 minutes of cooking time.

2. Meanwhile, warm oil, garlic, and chilli gently.

3. Drain pasta and broccoli, add to the pan, and toss, squashing some broccoli into the sauce. Top with cheese and breadcrumbs.

8. Tuna, Tomato and Caper Fusilli

Ready in 20 minutes

You need: fusilli, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 garlic clove, 1 tin chopped tomatoes, 1 tin tuna (drained), 1 tbsp capers, parsley, lemon.

1. Cook garlic in oil, add tomatoes, simmer 10 minutes.

2. Stir in tuna and capers to warm through.

3. Toss with pasta. Finish with parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

9. Spinach and Ricotta Pasta

Ready in 20 minutes

You need: rigatoni or penne, 200 g spinach, 250 g ricotta, 1 garlic clove, 40 g Parmesan, nutmeg, lemon zest.

1. Wilt spinach with garlic in a little olive oil; chop roughly.

2. In a large bowl, mix ricotta, Parmesan, a pinch of nutmeg, lemon zest, and a ladle of hot pasta water until smooth.

3. Add drained pasta and spinach. Toss until creamy, adding more pasta water if needed.

10. Sausage and Fennel Seed Rigatoni

Ready in 30 minutes

You need: rigatoni, 4 good sausages (casings removed), 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 onion, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tin chopped tomatoes (or 100 ml white wine and a splash of cream for a white version), Parmesan.

1. Brown the sausage meat in a little oil, breaking it up, until cooked through.

2. Add onion and fennel seeds; cook 5 minutes. Add garlic.

3. Add tomatoes and simmer 10–15 minutes.

4. Toss with rigatoni and cheese.

Which Pasta When?

Your Week of Pasta

Buon appetito!

Sample product from a Fora-made demo creator page.