Spaghetti

Creamed spinach, bacon and mushroom spaghetti

Let me explain the dish. The first time I made it was in 2011. I was so smitten with creamed spinach that I was pairing it with meat, seafood and chicken. Finally, I tried it with pasta and I loved it. Still, being more carnivore than herbivore, I just had to add bacon. In this updated recipe, mushrooms join bacon to give an already excellent dish even more flavor and texture.

Cook time: 30

Servings: 3 people

Spaghetti with sardines in brandied tomato sauce

Inspired by Aria Cucina Italiana's pasta al fume, the tartness of tomatoes is beautifully balanced by the subtle sweetness of brandy. Note that by the end of cooking time, you won't taste nor smell the brandy in the sauce.

Cook time: 15

Servings: 2 people

Creamy shrimp and broccoli spaghetti

Garlic sauteed in butter, sour cream, shrimps, pasta and broccoli florets are tossed in sour cream for an easy and delicious meal. Only one pot is required from start to finish.

Cook time: 15

Servings: 3 people

Spaghetti and meatballs

An Italian-American dish, spaghetti and meatballs is comfort food for generations. I’ve cooked it so many times but I have to admit that it’s only recently that I found the real secret to the best meatballs for this dish. Lighter and bouncier meatballs. Not overbearingly dense. That’s how I like them.

Cook time: 20

Servings: 4 people

Spaghetti carbonara

Pasta carbonara has no cream in it. The creamy sauce is actually an emulsion made with beaten raw eggs and grated Pecorino. Spaghetti is the noodle most commonly used but fettuccine, rigatoni, linguine, or bucatini may be substituted.

Cook time: 15

Servings: 3 people

2-cheese spaghetti and fresh mussels in white wine sauce

No butter. No olive oil. The pasta sauce is reduced mussel broth and white wine thickened with melted cheeses.

Cook time: 15

Servings: 1 person