Want to Impress? Try These Four Pasta Recipes!

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Pasta is the ultimate go-to meal. It is quick, easy to cook, and an absolute treat for the tastebuds. However, this Italian specialty has the potential to be much more. While a delicious, saucy pasta dish can be the perfect family lunch, it can also be a fabulous entrée for your next dinner party. If you plan to host your friends and family soon, a pasta dish may be just what you need to impress your guests. Here are our four top-rated pasta recipes you can try at your next party.

Tomato and Basil Linguine with Feta

The first recipe we have picked for you is straight out of the menu of a high-end café. With the classic linguine pasta, this recipe includes two classic Italian ingredients, tomatoes and basil. Here is our version of the best tomato and basil linguine with feta. 

Ingredients Steps
Linguine – 1 lb
  1. Cook the pasta as per package instructions. Drain and reserve ½ cup of pasta water. Set aside to cool.
Olive Oil – 1 Cup
Tomatoes– 4 Large (or Cherry Tomatoes – 4 Cups)
  1. Chop the tomatoes into small cubes (or slice in half if using cherry tomatoes)
Red Pepper Flakes – 1 Tsp
  1. Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a skillet and add the garlic and red pepper flakes.
Basil Leaves – 1 Cup
  1. Add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes until soft. Remove from heat.
Garlic Cloves – 3 (minced)
Red Wine Vinegar – 2 Tbsp
  1. Add the vinegar, salt, and pepper and stir well. Add in the pasta.
Salt and pepper – to taste
  1. Stir in the reserved pasta water and stir well to create a creamy sauce.
Feta – 1 lb (cubes)
  1. Add basil leaves and feta cheese, and serve hot. 

Orecchiette with Sausage

The next recipe on our list is a delicious orecchiette with sausage. Orecchiette is a highly underrated pasta type. The concave shape of the orecchiette gives it the ability to hold the perfect amount of sauce. Our favorite orecchiette recipe uses the perfect blend of pasta, meat, and vegetables. Here is how to make the best orecchiette recipe with sausage and kale.

Ingredients Steps
Orecchiette Pasta – ¾ lbs 
  1. Cook the pasta as per package instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.
Ground Italian Sausage – 1 lb
  1. In a skillet, melt the butter and add breadcrumbs and garlic powder. Stir for 1-2 minutes. Remove when golden brown and set aside to cool.
Chopped Kale – 2 Cups
Chicken Broth – ½ cup
  1. In the same skillet, add the sausage and cook over medium-high heat. While cooking, break into crumbles with the spatula.
Heavy Cream – 1/3 Cup
Minced Garlic – 1 Tbsp
  1. Remove the cooked sausage from the pan and cover to keep warm. *Do not remove the grease/oil released from the sausage*
Dijon Mustard – 1 Tsp
Shaved Parmesan Cheese – 1/3 Cup
  1. In the same skillet, add the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. Add red pepper flakes and stir.
Salt & pepper – to taste
  1. Add the broth, cream, and mustard and cook until reduced by half.
Red Pepper Flakes – ¼ Tsp
  1. Add the kale and stir for 2 minutes or until slightly wilted. 
For the Topping 
  1. Add the cooked pasta and parmesan cheese into the sauce and stir until the cheese is melted. Then add the sausage and stir well.
Butter – 2 Tbsp
Panko Breadcrumbs – ½ cup
  1. Season the pasta with salt and pepper and move to a serving dish. Top with the crispy garlic breadcrumbs and serve hot.
Garlic Powder – ½ Tsp

Penne with Chicken and Spinach in White Sauce

We all know of the age-old debate surrounding white sauce pasta. The Americans make a bechamel-based white sauce and call it Alfredo, and the Italians find this nothing short of blasphemy. That is why the next recipe on our list does not claim to be an Alfredo. Instead, this penne recipe is simply the most delicious white sauce pasta dish of your life. 

Ingredients Steps
Penne Pasta – 1 lb
  1. Cook the pasta as per package instructions. Drain and set aside to cool.
Butter – 1 Tbsp
  1. Add the salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce and marinate for 30 minutes.
All Purpose Flour – 1 Tbsp
Milk – 1 Quart 
  1. In a skillet, add the chicken and cook for 5-6 minutes. 
Boneless Chicken – ½ Kg
  1. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour while continuously whisking to make a paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Boiled spinach – 1 Cup
White Pepper – 1 Tsp
  1. Slowly add in the milk while whisking to create the bechamel sauce.  
Chicken Powder – 1 Tbsp
  1. Add the white pepper, garlic powder, mustard powder, and chicken powder to the sauce and whisk well.
Red Pepper Flakes – 1 Tsp
Garlic Powder – 1 Tbsp
  1. Cook the sauce until thickened, and add the spinach. Stir well.
Mustard Powder – 1 Tbsp
  1. Add the red pepper flakes and dried mixed herbs to the sauce.
Dried Mixed Herbs – 1 Tsp
  1. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce and stir well.
Salt & pepper – to taste
  1. Add in the chicken and mix well. 
Worcestershire Sauce – 1 Tsp
  1. Top the pasta with dried herbs and serve hot.

Aglio e Olio

The last pasta recipe on our list today is a classic from Naples. Known as the poor man’s pasta, the aglio e olio is the simplest pasta dish in the world that you can have ready in less than 15 minutes. This easy spaghetti recipe makes for a fantastic main course that everyone loves. Let’s look at how to make the perfect aglio e olio for your next dinner party.

Ingredients Steps
Spaghetti – 1 lb 
  1. Cook the pasta as per package instructions. Drain and reserve 2 cups of pasta water. Set aside to cool.
Sliced/Minced Garlic – 5 Cloves
Olive Oil – 4 Tbsp
  1. In a saucepan, add 3 Tbsp of olive oil and the garlic. 
Red Pepper Flakes – 1 Tsp
  1. Cook the garlic until golden brown, and add in the red pepper flakes.
Chopped parsley – ½ cup 
  1. Cook for 30 seconds and add the pasta water. 
Sliced and Roasted Pine Nuts (optional)
  1. Cook the sauce until reduced by half, then add the pasta.
  1. Top with the parsley, remaining olive oil, and pine nuts. Serve hot.  

Importance of Trying New Recipes

Since pasta is a blank slate, it can perfectly complement whatever sauce it is mixed with. That means you can experiment with plenty of flavors and textures to create your unique recipes. Adding and removing ingredients as you like can create wonderful new recipes that will help you grow your culinary skills

Conclusion

While pasta dishes of all kinds are generally a hit among guests, the above four recipes will be sure to stand out as they tantalize the taste buds of your friends and family. We hope you try these pasta recipes the next time you have people over. We guarantee you’ll get raving reviews. 

 

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