Pasta recipes

Cheese and pasta pie with a baked spaghetti crust filled with ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, and parmesan. An Italian-style quiche that uses pasta for the crust.

Here is a kind of throw together recipe I came up with: If you are entertaining you can garnish with fresh parsley and serve with a caesar salad, garlic bread and a nice chablis. The vegetables can vary. I've used mushrooms, spinach, cauliflower etc. Grouper works well with this because it has a lot of flavor. I've used fresh tuna and halibut but prefer grouper.

A good combination, and very quick and easy to make!

Pasta with sauteed summer vegetables, garlic, fresh basil, and tomato, finished with Parmesan. A flexible, fast weeknight pasta built on what is in season.

A lighter chicken pesto pasta with a yogurt-based spinach pesto, fresh basil, pine nuts, and Parmesan tossed with penne. Half the fat of traditional pesto, all the flavor.

Chinese sesame noodles tossed in a tahini sauce with soy sauce, rice vinegar, chili paste, ginger, and sesame oil. Served with steamed peas and ready in 25 minutes.

This is the most excellent casserole I have ever eaten, good keeper.

Pasta with spinach pesto made from fresh spinach, pine nuts, Parmesan, garlic, and olive oil pureed smooth. A milder, more affordable twist on traditional basil pesto that freezes well for up to 6 weeks.

A succulent dish made with chicken breasts, spinach, ziti pasta and gorgonzola cheese.

Cappellacci stuffed pasta squares filled with ricotta, spinach, and nutmeg, baked in homemade tomato-basil sauce. A from-scratch Italian project worth every fold.

Spinach pasta soup with orzo, tomato paste, and chicken broth, ready in 30 minutes. A light, low-sodium soup loaded with fresh greens and tiny pasta in a savory tomato broth.

Handmade ricotta and spinach stuffed pasta squares folded into triangles, baked in a fresh Roma tomato basil sauce with Parmesan. A hearty Italian main dish worth every minute of rolling.

Whole wheat spaghetti with red lentils, sauteed spinach, and toasted pine nuts. A protein-packed vegetarian pasta dinner with lemon brightness and a hint of nutmeg.

Whole wheat pasta dough: a simple eggless pasta made with whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour, water, and a touch of olive oil. The base for handmade fettuccine, lasagna sheets, or ravioli.

Vegetarian penne baked with broccoli, spinach, and white wine, topped with melted Parmesan and cheddar. A quick green-loaded pasta bake with nutmeg-scented vegetables.

Italian spinach pasta (pasta verde): three-ingredient homemade green pasta of blanched spinach, eggs, and flour. Classic Emilia-Romagna technique for tagliatelle, lasagna, or ravioli.