Below are five ~5 minute sauce recipes to prepare while your pasta is cooking. I’ve tested each of these recipes dozens of times and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Want to share your ~5 minute sauce recipe? Email me a link at pastafarian@pastamizer.com
#1: Rosemary Lemon - this will become your new signature dish!
Ingredients per serving:
- 1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, ideally from your window box, minced
- 1 clove of garlic, mashed into a pulp
- Zest of ½ of a lemon
- 1 tablespoon of Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions:
Mince your rosemary finely. Mash your garlic by chopping, add salt, and then mash with the flat part of a knife until nearly liquified. Zest the lemon with a grater. Mix the rosemary, garlic, lemon zest and pepper in the olive oil. Mix all with the cooked pasta including the grated cheese. 😎🙌!
#2: Prosciutto di Parma and Spinach - once you know how to make this it is like being a member of an exclusive club !
Ingredients per person:
- 3 or 4 thin slices of Prosciutto di Parma, cut into little strips
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 1/4 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
- 1 cup of tightly packed spinach
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Cut the prosciutto into thin strips. Once the pasta is cooked, add the butter to the empty pot and, on medium-high heat, fry up the prosciutto for a minute or two. Turn off the heat and add the spinach along with the cooked pasta. Mix thoroughly until the spinach is wilted. Add the cheese, salt and pepper, and mix again. Q.E.D.!
#3: Caprese - for tomato lovers!
Ingredients per person:
- 1 heirloom tomato, ideally from your garden or greenmarket
- 2 tablespoons of fresh basil, washed well and roughly chopped
- 2 ounces of fresh mozzarella (about 1/4 of a ball)
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
Peel the tomatoes by boiling them in the boiling pasta water for 1 minute. Remove and dunk them in an ice bath to cool them down; then peel the skins. Next, slice the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Chop the tomatoes into ¼-inch pieces. Chop the mozzarella into ¼-inch pieces. Mix tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, olive oil, and salt and pepper with the cooked pasta. TADA!
#4: Spicy Garlic and Herbs - everything you need is probably already in your pantry!
Ingredients per person:
- 1 clove of garlic, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Pinch of hot red pepper flakes or cayenne powder
- 1 teaspoon of dried herbs (Italian, French, Oregano, or nearly anything green will do)
- Salt
Instructions:
Slice your garlic as thinly as you can. Once the pasta is cooked, add the olive oil to the empty pot and on medium heat, fry up the garlic until golden brown. Remove the pot from the heat and add the hot pepper, herbs, salt and cooked pasta. Mix well. Mission accomplished!
#5: Pesto - fast, cheap and always satisfying!
Ingredients per person:
- 1/2 cup of slightly packed fresh basil leaves, washed well
- 1 clove of garlic
- 1 tablespoon of water
- 1 tablespoon of pine nuts or slivered almonds (note: I recommend almonds because pine nuts often have unpredictable quality)
- 1 tablespoon of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, roughly chopped or grated
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
Using a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, water and nuts until smooth. Add the basil and olive oil and grind until smooth, adding a bit more water if necessary. Add the cheese, salt and pepper, and grind again. Combine with the pasta. Done!!!1!
