Creamy Spaghetti Carbonara with Peas and Ham
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 itāll hit the table saucy and creamy.Related: More Pasta Carbonara Recipes
Gluten-Free Spaghetti and Meatballs
Like anyone who enjoys cooking for other people, I always want my table to feel inclusiveāa 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 thatās on the menu. More often than not, though, I find myself playing around with gluten-free dishes. Thatās 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 heād never enjoy again. I donāt mean a sad substitute for the classic (sorry, cauliflower-crust pizza!) but something that truly scratches the itch.Thatās where Gluten-Free Spaghetti and Meatballs comes into play. Iāve known that the gluten-free pasta options have gotten much better in the last few years, and that Dadās favorite is the kind made from corn and rice. I swear, most people canāt tell the difference between it and traditional pasta. So Iāve 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.Thatās rightādehydrated flaked potatoes. For me, theyāre a far more versatile pantry item than any packaged gluten-free breadcrumbs. I try to keep them on hand not for making instant mashed potatoesāI just donāt like themābut instead for thickening soups, breading fish or chicken (foodandwine.com noted thisĀ 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 āhouseā meatballs; I like to make a double batch and freeze some for use later on pizza (my favorite), in grain bowls, or in soups. Itās a win-win: Everyone in my family can enjoy a comforting, family-friendly classic.
Spaghetti with Cacio e Pepe Butter
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.Ā Slideshow:Ā More Spaghetti RecipesĀ
Spaghetti Pie with Wild Mushrooms and Spinach
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 theĀ Top ChefĀ judgeās greatest culinary triumphs, spaghetti pie. Sheās 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 sheās feeling decadent). Bonus: If you donāt finish it all in one sitting, leftovers make possibly the best next-day treat of all time.Ā Slideshow:Ā More Spaghetti RecipesĀ
Spaghetti with Squash Blossom Butter and Summer Beans
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.Ā Slideshow:Ā More Spaghetti RecipesĀ
Thin Spaghetti with Crab and Asparagus
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.Ā Slideshow:Ā More Spaghetti RecipesĀ