Pasta recipes

Greek moussaka with layers of salted eggplant, zucchini, potatoes, and cinnamon-spiced ground beef under a thick egg-enriched bechamel. A proper taverna-style casserole.

Texas-style chili with cubed beef chuck, no beans, simmered with chili powder, green peppers, tomatoes, and oregano. Topped with cheese and raw onion.

Vegetarian tamale pie with a golden cornmeal crust wrapped top and bottom around a spiced bean-and-barley filling loaded with corn, ripe olives, and sweet red pepper. A hearty meatless main baked until the cheese bubbles.

Fire and ice chili with cubed pork loin, pineapple chunks, jalapenos, green chiles, and a quarter cup of chili powder. A slow-simmered pork chili where sweet fruit meets serious heat.

Chunky beef chili: cubed beef chuck simmered low with tomatoes, green pepper, onion, garlic, and chili powder until tender. Texas-style no-bean chili built for piling toppings on top.

Texas-style Brazos turkey chili loaded with poblano, jalapeno, serrano, and chipotle peppers, simmered with Mexican beer and finished with grated dark chocolate. Bold, smoky, and layered with heat.

Bold, briny spaghetti alla puttanesca with San Marzano tomatoes, capers, black olives, and anchovies tossed in garlicky olive oil. This quick Italian pasta dish hits the table in 40 minutes with layers of salty, savory depth in every forkful.

Shrimp and wine spaghetti in a garlicky tomato sauce with white wine, basil, and oregano. A quick Italian-style seafood pasta dinner ready in under 45 minutes.

Pasticcio di Maccheroni, the Greek baked pasta casserole layered with spiced ground beef, macaroni, grated cheese, and a rich béchamel crown.

No mess lasagna skips boiling the noodles entirely, layering dry pasta with meat sauce and a cottage cheese filling, then baking covered so the noodles cook right in the sauce. Weeknight lasagna without the colander mess.

Noodle salad with cheese: a hearty German-style pasta salad with spiral noodles, cubed Swiss cheese, ham, and dill pickles, all dressed with a tangy mayo-ketchup-cream sauce. A picnic and potluck classic.

Italian-inspired pork liver pesto: a savory blend of seared pig liver, basil, walnuts, garlic and aged cheese folded into a silky olive oil emulsion. Serve as a crostini spread or pasta sauce.