Spaghetti, noodles, macaroni, or cannelloni are all good options. Pasta has nearly limitless possibilities because it can be mixed with a wide range of savory and sweet ingredients, yielding a wide range of delectable recipes, many of which originate in Italy, where it is usual to eat it every day. Ideally, you should make homemade fresh pasta, which is a real treat for the taste buds. Invest in a top-rated food processor, as this device helps you to make pasta at home quickly and without making a mess.
Although they are not the only ones, meat lasagna and spaghetti carbonara are two of the most well-known dishes. The meat-and-bechamel-sauce cannelloni, as well as the spinach or vegetable-stuffed lasagna and, in general, any pasta to which the famous Bolognese sauce is added, giving rise to the classic spaghetti Bolognese that they adore.
Recipes for Pasta
Before you read the recipes below, keep a tip in mind: if you use homemade pasta, you only need to boil it for less time. If you use store-bought dry pasta, check the packet for boiling time.
GALET PASTA
During the winter months, a wonderful homemade spoon dish feels great, soothing, and warm, and we don’t forget that concept at home during the holidays. In reality, there are a plethora of traditional spoon recipes for this time of year, many of which are regionally specific, such as this Catalan one. This soup of stuffed galet pasta is a popular Christmas recipe that must be included on your menus if you want a hearty dish prepared with care. The galet pasta, also known as snails or sharks, is the most distinctive, a huge sort of pasta that begs to be filled.
The filling is meat-based as if we were stuffing them with classic stew balls or making meatballs, and it’s cooked to perfection at the same time as the pasta. You have numerous broth options in the recipe, but the best is to make your own, either with chicken if you want something simple and rich, or with the traditional Catalan broth, which is much more complete of ingredients (and takes longer to prepare) but tastes like few others.
Ingredients:
20g galet pasta (big) (equivalent to about 200-250 gr). This quantity will serve 5 people.
400g Minced meat. The best-minced meat is the one you choose at the butcher’s and have chopped for you right immediately; avoid pre-packaged minced meat.
30g white bread crumbs (or whole slices if the crust is thin)
To soak the bread, a little milk is used.
a single egg
salt and black pepper, ground
1 and a half liters of broth It’s best to make it yourself, but you may also buy one that’s pre-made and is of good quality. A basic chicken broth is a fairly simple and rich one.
Steps:
1. Place the breadcrumbs or slices in a basin, pour a little milk over them, flatten a little so they are completely soaked, and set them aside to soften for a few minutes.
2. Combine the minced meat, the egg, the bread that has been slightly drained with your hands, the egg, and a pinch of ground black pepper and salt in a mixing dish.
3. You can mix everything with a fork, but I recommend doing it with your hands because it is much more uniform and takes less time.
4. With the help of a spoon, fill the galet pasta with the meat mixture and squeeze until they are entirely filled.
5. Heat the broth in a pot over high heat until it boils. Then, add the stuffed galet pasta and lower the heat so it is a little softer but still bubbling. Cook for the time specified on the package.
6. Serve Hot!
FETTUCINI ALFREDO
Pasta recipes are essentially unlimited because we may combine many different types of pasta with a broad variety of sauces, dressings, and preparations; as a result, I rarely create a pasta dish at home. When it comes to cooking, you want to try new things and come up with fresh recipes, but it’s also great to stick to the tried-and-true classics, and this is one of them. Best of all, the sauce can be made while the pasta is cooking, making it not only tasty but also quick to prepare. Cream is generally added over time, in addition to butter and Parmesan cheese. It is also possible to find it in many variants with garlic, onion, bechamel, and even fish or poultry. The addition of a pinch of ground black pepper is also fantastic.
Ingredients:
1. 400g Fettuccini (400 g). Depending on taste and whether or not it is the only dish on the menu, a portion can range from 80 to 120 grams per person.
2. 300ml of cream. Although the original recipe does not include cream, it has grown increasingly fashionable to do so over time. However, if you like the original, simply leave it out.
3. 80g Parmesan cheese
4. 60 g butter (unsalted)
5. Salt and ground black pepper
Steps:
1. First, we’ll make the fettuccine: boil a large pot of water (enough to cover the pasta) over high heat until it boils. When it comes back to a boil, add a teaspoon of salt and the fettuccini, and cook for the time specified on the package.
2. Meanwhile, the Alfredo sauce can be made. Using a grater or a robot, grate the Parmesan cheese.
3. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter and add the cream once it has melted.
4. Wait for it to come to a boil, then add the grated Parmesan cheese, a pinch of salt, and some ground black pepper, and cook for 3 minutes.
If you want it thicker, cook it for a few minutes longer, and if it gets too thick, you can always add a little more cream or milk. If you need to add salt to it, taste it beforehand.
5. Drain the pasta and add it to the saucepan when it’s done. Mix in the Alfredo sauce thoroughly. Another alternative is to place the pasta on the plates of the diners and then pour the sauce over it.
6. When serving the pasta on plates, sprinkle a little ground black pepper on top. Serve Hot!