Alright, let’s talk ’bout some quick and easy pasta, you know, the kind you can whip up when you’re tired and hungry. I ain’t got no time for fancy stuff, just good ol’ food that fills your belly.
First thing, you gotta boil your pasta. Don’t matter what kind, really. Spaghetti, them little elbow ones, whatever you got. Just make sure you put enough water in the pot, and a pinch of salt, like my grandma used to say. “Salt the water like the sea,” she’d tell me. Boil it ’til it’s soft, but not too soft, you know? You want it to still have a little bite to it.
Now, for the sauce, or whatever you wanna call it. If you ain’t got much, a little olive oil or butter will do just fine. Heck, I’ve even used lard back in the day! Just melt it in a pan, and if you got some herbs, throw ’em in. Oregano, basil, whatever you got growin’ in your garden or sittin’ in your cupboard. Makes it taste a little somethin’, you know?
Sometimes, if I’m feelin’ fancy, or if I got some extra stuff in the fridge, I’ll add more things. Like, you can throw in a big ol’ spoonful of sour cream, or that cream cheese stuff. Even that plain yogurt, the thick kind, works good. Just stir it all up ’til it’s hot and creamy.
- Spaghetti aglio e olio, that’s a fancy name for garlic and oil pasta. Real simple. Just fry up some garlic in olive oil, toss in your cooked spaghetti, and maybe a little bit of that red pepper if you like it spicy. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it fills you up. My kids used to love this one.
- And then there’s that cacio e pepe stuff. Means cheese and pepper, I think. You melt some butter, but you gotta brown it a little, gives it a nutty taste. Then you throw in your cooked pasta, lots of black pepper, and a whole bunch of grated cheese. Pecorino, they call it, but any hard cheese will do. It’s real tasty, but you gotta eat it quick before it gets cold and clumpy.
If you got some meat, that’s good too. Ground beef, sausage, chicken, whatever you can find. Just cook it up in a pan ’til it’s done, then mix it in with your pasta. You can add some vegetables too, if you want. Spinach, mushrooms, onions, whatever you got lyin’ around. I used to hide vegetables in the sauce when my kids were little, so they wouldn’t complain.
Like, I remember this one time, I made this dish with sausage and mushrooms. I cooked it all up with some tomatoes and onions, and then I tossed it with some pasta, rigatoni they called it, looked like big tubes. It was real hearty and filling, perfect for a cold night. And them chicken pesto meatballs, oh boy, those are good too! You mix up some ground chicken with pesto, roll ’em into little balls, and bake ’em in the oven. Then you serve ’em with pasta and some sauce. Real fancy, but still easy to make.
Or, you know, if you’re in a hurry, you can just make some beef and spinach lo mein. It ain’t exactly Italian, but it’s noodles and it’s quick. Fry up some beef, throw in some spinach, and then mix it all up with noodles and some soy sauce. It’s good, and it’s different. You can even skip the beef and just use vegetables, if you’re tryin’ to eat healthier, like those city folks always talkin’ about.
And if you’re really feelin’ lazy, or if you got some leftover chicken, you can make a chicken caesar salad with pasta. Just cook some pasta, chop up some chicken, lettuce, and whatever else you want in your salad. Then you toss it all together with some caesar dressing. It’s quick, it’s easy, and it’s pretty good, even if it ain’t exactly traditional.
So there you have it, some quick and easy pasta dishes that even an old woman like me can make. It ain’t rocket science, just good food for good folks. You don’t need fancy ingredients or fancy equipment, just a little bit of time and a whole lotta love. Now go on and make yourself somethin’ to eat, you hear?
Tags: [quick pasta, easy pasta, pasta dishes, simple recipes, budget meals, weeknight dinners, comfort food, aglio e olio, cacio e pepe, one-pot pasta, 30 minute meals]