Thin Noodles

This modern take on a classic Italian pasta dish relies on ham instead of traditional pancetta for a dose of smoky flavor and richness. Just like cooking an omelet for breakfast, mastering a perfectly luscious carbonara depends on treating the eggs just right. A couple simple steps will ensure success. First, be sure to toss the cooked pasta with the sauce off the heat so that the eggs will cook evenly once they return to the heat. Second, since the sauce will continue to cook after it leaves the skillet, pull the carbonara off the heat a little sooner than you think you should so it’ll hit the table saucy and creamy.Related: More Pasta Carbonara Recipes

Like anyone who enjoys cooking for other people, I always want my table to feel inclusive—a happy, safe place for everyone. This means not just making people feel welcome, but acknowledging with respect, never with complaint, any dietary concerns or issues. This might mean whipping up a festive alcohol-free sipper or making a vegan version of a dish that’s on the menu. More often than not, though, I find myself playing around with gluten-free dishes. That’s because my dad, who lives in the same town as I do (Birmingham, Alabama), was diagnosed with celiac disease several years ago.I love having my parents over as often as possible; I feel lucky that we ended up in the same city, and I like that my children can enjoy a close relationship with their grandparents. I will often make naturally gluten-free meals (roast fish or meat, vegetables), but I absolutely get a thrill from finding a way to deliver a gluten-free version of a typically wheat-based dish, one that will give my dad a taste of something he thought he’d never enjoy again. I don’t mean a sad substitute for the classic (sorry, cauliflower-crust pizza!) but something that truly scratches the itch.That’s where Gluten-Free Spaghetti and Meatballs comes into play. I’ve known that the gluten-free pasta options have gotten much better in the last few years, and that Dad’s favorite is the kind made from corn and rice. I swear, most people can’t tell the difference between it and traditional pasta. So I’ve had Mom and Dad over for pasta with classic ragù or Bolognese. But I wanted to play around with meatballs, and I remembered a secret ingredient that I thought might work well: instant potato flakes.That’s right—dehydrated flaked potatoes. For me, they’re a far more versatile pantry item than any packaged gluten-free breadcrumbs. I try to keep them on hand not for making instant mashed potatoes—I just don’t like them—but instead for thickening soups, breading fish or chicken (foodandwine.com noted this years ago), or making my deviled egg filling a little heftier. I figured they might work well in meatballs, and I was right. They bind ground meat particularly well and add a savory richness unlike typical breadcrumbs. In fact, these have now become my “house” meatballs; I like to make a double batch and freeze some for use later on pizza (my favorite), in grain bowls, or in soups. It’s a win-win: Everyone in my family can enjoy a comforting, family-friendly classic.

Cacio e pepe is a Roman pasta dish prized for its simplicity. Our Mad Genius culinary director, Justin Chapple, one-ups the original with a black pepper and Pecorino Romano compound butter. Just boil the pasta, grate the chilled butter over the top, and dinner is done. Slideshow: More Spaghetti Recipes 

When she was 19, Gail Simmons traveled through New Zealand and quickly became obsessed with a local specialty that appeared at practically every roadside diner: spaghetti sandwiches. Part oozy grilled cheese, part tangy, tomato-sauced noodles, this mash-up was the inspiration for one of the Top Chef judge’s greatest culinary triumphs, spaghetti pie. She’s prepared multiple flavor variations, and it always makes her guests extremely happy. This version, perfect for fall gatherings, incorporates plenty of wild mushrooms, spinach and herbs (plus a spoonful of chopped oil-packed black truffles, if she’s feeling decadent). Bonus: If you don’t finish it all in one sitting, leftovers make possibly the best next-day treat of all time. Slideshow: More Spaghetti Recipes 

2005 F&W Best New Chef Lachlan Mackinnon-Patterson adds a generous amount of crisp green and wax beans to this light summer pasta for crunch and body, so the dish uses fewer noodles. Slideshow: More Spaghetti Recipes 

At Josephine Estelle in New Orleans, chefs Andy Ticer and Michael Hudman serve this sublime, buttery crab pasta with homemade tajarin, a ribbon-type noodle. Thin spaghetti works nicely, too. Slideshow: More Spaghetti Recipes