3 Recipes To Cook A Delicious Italian Pasta

Italian pasta is undoubtedly one of the most popular and well-known foods in the world. It is a food that is made up of wheat flour, water, salt and egg. And despite the fact that today it is an iconic ingredient in Italian cuisine, its origin is not European.

According to historical evidence, this food comes from China but was introduced to Italy during the Middle Ages and, since then, it has enjoyed wide acceptance and, of course, assimilation.

The texture, the flavor, the dozens of possible combinations that exist and, above all, the simplicity of its preparation make Italian pasta a very common food on the table of almost any home.

Italian pasta is a blank canvas for culinary imagination, and in honor of the exquisiteness and simplicity of each of the possible preparations, we present three super easy recipes to incorporate on your table.

Recipes to prepare Italian pasta

Many prefer to avoid pasta in their diet because they think it is a food that contributes to weight gain. However, according to the findings of a recent study published in Nutrition and Metabolism , pasta does not cause any gain in weight or body fat.

As with other foods, the key to enjoying it in a balanced diet is to moderate your portions. Also, choose sides that are nutritious and low in calories. Here are some recipes.

1. Spaghetti carbonara

Within Italian pasta, there are different types of cuts and presentations. One of the most popular types is spaghetti, or long-cut, circular-section pasta.

Ingredients

• 4 egg yolks.
• 150 g of bacon.
• 1 tablespoon of salt (15 g).
• 1 cup of grated pecorino cheese (100 g).
• 2 ½ cups of Spaghetti type pasta ( 350 g).
• ½ tablespoon of ground black pepper (8 g).

Preparation

• Beat the eggs together with the grated cheese and salt in a bowl.
• Then carefully cut the bacon into small pieces.
• Place everything in a pan, with a little water, and let everything melt over high heat.

• At the same time, cook the pasta in a liter of boiling water (previously salted). When the pasta is almost done, drain it well and transfer it to the pan along with the bacon.
• Turn off the heat and add the beaten eggs and a tablespoon of cooking water to the pan.
• Mix for about 30 seconds without stopping stirring.
• Once ready. Turn off the heat, serve and sprinkle the cheese on your plate.

2. Pasta alla puttanesca

This Italian pasta preparation is originally from the city of Naples. It is very easy to distinguish by its bright colors (provided by its main ingredients: tomato, parsley and anchovies).

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of salt (15 g).
• ½ can of anchovies (25 g).

• Spaghetti type pasta (350 g).
• 2 tablespoons of capers (30 g).
• 1 or 2 cloves of crushed garlic (10 g).
• 5 cups of tomato pulp (500 g).
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley (25 g).
• 1 ½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (30 mL).
• To give it more color you can add, if you like, 4 tablespoons of black olives (50 g).

Preparation

• Peel and crush the garlic.
• Then sauté the garlic with a little extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• Once the garlic is browned, add the anchovy fillets and capers.
• Continue cooking over low heat for 2 minutes.
• Add the tomato pulp and cook it over high heat for 5 minutes.
• Add a pinch of salt and then the black olives.
• Cook the pasta in 1 liter of boiling water. When the pasta is al dente , drain it well and add the sauce.
• Sprinkle some fresh parsley on your plate and serve.

3. Spaghetti a la amatriciana

The name of this delicious Italian recipe comes from the town of Amatrice, where the preparation originated. It is one of the most consumed Italian pasta recipes due to its simplicity in preparation.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of salt (30 g).
• 1 teaspoon of sugar (15 g).
• ½ tablespoon of butter (15 g).
• 5 cups of ripe tomatoes (500 g).
• 3 cups of Spaghetti type pasta (350 g).
• 2 cups of bacon cut into strips (150 g).
• 1 tablespoon of ground black pepper (15 g).
• 3 cups of grated Parmesan cheese (300 g).
• 1 red chilli, chopped and seeded, (5 g).

Preparation

• Make sure to wash and peel the tomatoes very well.
• After cutting the tomatoes and removing all the seeds and skin from the tomatoes, put them through the grinder. As a result, you will have a puree.
• Cut the bacon into long strips that are the same thickness.
• With the help of the butter, proceed to brown the chilli and the bacon in a pan over medium heat.
• When getting the bacon to brown, be sure to add salt, tomatoes, and a pinch of black pepper.

• Stir the mixture and add half a tablespoon of sugar to avoid the sauce being acidic.
• In a separate pot, cook the pasta for 5 minutes. Once ready, let it sit in the water for 2 more minutes.
• Drain the spaghetti and serve on a plate along with the tomato sauce.
• Spread the Parmesan cheese on your plate and enjoy.

Finally, as a curiosity … Did you know that whole wheat pasta could be more satiating? This is suggested by a study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism , which also highlights it contains more fiber. Therefore, when choosing it, we advise you to opt for the integral.