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pasta
Save for the dishes that require a little more assembly time, such as lasagna or cannelloni, sauce for pasta is ideally prepared while the pasta itself is bubbling away on the stove. Hearty sauces have their place, but you would hardly want to eat them every day! Fresh pasta tastes wonderful, and really isn’t as difficult (or time consuming) to prepare as some would have you believe. The only thing you need remember is that pasta must never be over-cooked, as this ultimately results in tasteless mush that does not hold its sauce. Not a particularly appetizing thought, that!  

spaghetti aglio e olio (spaghetti with garlic and oil)
3-4 oz. (100g) spaghetti (is the most you will ever need for one person)
a clove of garlic
good quality olive oil
chopped fresh parsley to taste
salt and pepper  

Over a low heat, add a good quantity of olive oil and the finely chopped garlic, sautéing gently until softened, as the pasta is cooking in a pot of boiling, salted water. When cooked, toss through the oil and garlic mixture, scatter over some fresh parsley and season to taste.

Another variation (and one common to the region of Italy from where my family hails, Abruzzio) involves the addition of anchovies and a fiery red pepper or two, though I quite like it without. Similarly, parmesan cheese could also be added, though it really isn’t traditional to do so. Italians are quite particular about the addition of dairy to certain dishes, or in certain combinations. They don’t do cheese with seafood, and coffee taken with milk is referred to as ‘stained’.

pasta with cold tomato sauce
3-4 oz. (100g) angelhair pasta
5 oz. (150g) tomatoes, cored
a garlic clove, finely chopped
olive oil
fresh basil leaves
parmesan cheese, shaved
salt and pepper  

Submerge the tomatoes in boiling water for half a minute or so, then run under cold water, peel, and push through a sieve – retain the juice, lose the seeds. Place in a bowl and add garlic. Douse with olive oil and add torn, fresh basil leaves to taste, mix, and let sit at room temperature for a few hours, after which you would cook your pasta, toss through the sauce, and serve with a little parmesan, adjusting the seasoning as required.

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