Easy Italian Pasta Recipes

When you think of Italian cuisine, pasta is the first thing that comes to mind. Although it has its origins in Italy, pasta has become a popular food practically all over the world. Pasta is akin to noodles, made from the flour of certain grains, mixed with water and sometimes eggs. Pasta comes in a variety of forms and shapes, each with its distinctive name. For example, the string shaped pasta is known as spaghetti, the thinner ones called vermicelli. Pasta shaped in short tubes are called penne and elbow macaroni. Then there is pasta shaped like grains of barley which is known as orzo and couscous, while large shaped
ones are called lasagna. There are also hollow shaped pastas like manicotti, ravioli and tortellini, which you can stuff with fillings. Then there is a pasta made of small dumplings, known as gnocchi, which is usually boiled or baked and served with grated cheese or a sauce.

A pasta dish makes a delicious and hearty meal. Here are a few easy pasta recipes that you and your family will relish.

Baked Italian Pasta

This is one of those easy Italian pasta recipes that can be made with many variations. You can use the vegetables you already have or whatever is in season. Just ensure that you cut them all in equal sizes, so that they roast evenly.

    * 11/2 lb. green tomatoes
    * 1 cup onions, chopped
    * 1 medium sized green pepper, seeded and chopped
    * 16 oz. penne or any other short sized pasta
    * 8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and cut into halves
    * 2 medium sized zucchini, diced into 1-inch pieces
    * 1 yellow pepper, diced into 1-inch pieces
    * 2 red peppers, diced into 1-inch pieces
    * 1 medium sized onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
    * 4 oz. asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
    * 3 tbsp. olive oil
    * 1 tsp. salt
    * 1/2 tsp. black pepper
    * 1 tbsp. dried Italian seasoning (blend of oregano, basil, parsley)
    * 26 oz. marinara sauce
    * 1 cup ricotta cheese
    * 1/2 cup fontina or parano cheese
    * 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
    * 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

First, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Put the vegetables in a bowl and toss them with olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Then spread the tossed veggies in a baking pan, and roast for 15 minutes.

In the mean time, while the veggies roast, boil some water and cook the pasta, under-cooking it a little. Drain the pasta and add marinara sauce, and the ricotta, Parano and mozarella cheeses. Remove the veggies from the oven, and fold it into the pasta gently. Take a 9 by 13 baking dish and spray it with non-stick spray. Put the pasta mixture into it, sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top, and bake for 20-30 minutes, until it is bubbly and lightly browned.

This delicious pasta dish can be served with homemade Italian bread.

Serves 8.

Baked Lasagna with Spinach

    * 8 oz. mushrooms, cleaned and cut into halves
    * 2 medium sized zucchini, diced into 1-inch pieces
    * 1 yellow pepper, diced into 1-inch pieces
    * 10 sheets of lasagna
    * 10 oz. fresh spinach
    * 1 clove garlic, minced
    * 1 tsp. olive oil
    * 2 cups marinara sauce
    * 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
    * 15 oz. ricotta cheese
    * 4 oz. smoked mozzarella cheese, shredded
    * salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees F. Then take a 9 by 13 flat baking dish and spray it with nonstick spray. Then place a large skillet on medium heat and add olive oil. Toss in the garlic and cook for a minute to add flavor to the oil. Add the spinach, cooking until it wilts, say about a minute or two. Remove this from the heat and season with pepper and salt.

Next, take a large bowl and put in the Parmesan and and ricotta cheeses, and stir them together. Add the spinach mixture, folding it in. Then, in the baking dish, pour half a cup of the marinara sauce in a layer at the bottom.

Spread a sheet of lasagna on your work surface, and spoon in the spinach and cheese filling across the bottom that is closest to you, and then roll it up. Place this roll on the marinara sauce in the baking dish. Repeat the process with the rest of the lasagna sheets. Sprinkle the top with mozarella cheese and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the lasagna is bubbly and the cheese is lightly browned.

As is evident, this is another easy pasta recipe which is full of flavor.

Serves 5.

Pasta Salad with Avocado, Tomato, and Mozarella

    * 11/2 lb. green tomatoes
    * 1 cup onions, chopped
    * 1 medium sized green pepper, seeded and chopped
    * 16 oz. penne or any other short sized pasta
    * 6 oz. farfalle pasta
    * 6 tomatoes, ripe
    * 1 large avocado, ripe
    * 8 oz. mozarella cheese
    * 2 tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
    * 2 tbsp. fresh basil, chopped

For the dressing:

    * 2 tbsp. olive oil
    * 2 tbsp. wine vinegar
    * 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
    * 1 tsp. grainy mustard
    * 1 pinch of sugar
    * Salt and pepper to taste

Cook the pasta, then drain and rinse, and allow to cool. Take a bowl, put in the dressing ingredients, and blend them together. Cut the mozarella cheese and the tomatoes into thin slices. Cut the avocado into halves, and slice them lengthwise. In a serving plate, arrange the sliced mozarella cheese, tomatoes and avocado around the edge, overlapping them. Toss the pasta with half of the dressing and basil. Then arrange this mixture in the center of the plate. Pour the rest of the dressing on it. Garnish with the rest of the basil and pine nuts.

This pasta salad will make a scrumptious side dish to a summer meal.

Why Pasta is Healthy

We know pasta as one of the world’s most favorite foods. Preparation is quick, plus its overall impact is completely healthy. But why do some people avoid pasta?

Is pasta fattening?

No.

In view of the fact that pasta is carbohydrates-dense food, many of us think that it is high in calories, and is considered one of the fattening foods. Pasta is actually one of the healthy foods in the world. Eating your rich-carb foods in balance do not make you fat any more than protein does, and just like every supplementary food group, eating loads of them will put on weight. Maybe if you eat a dozen bowls of pasta a day, it sure will put on weight.

Pasta is cholesterol free and low in sodium. It has been known for so many years that a pasta meal is part of a well-balanced diet for most people. It is a full source of complex carbohydrates which the body needs to refuel energy.

As a rule, people eat pasta in the usual plateful of meats, chicken, fish, olive oil, cheese, tomato sauce, herbs, vegetables and fruits. All the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals found in all of the ingredients make a serving of pasta dish one of the healthiest choice of food. You can select what ingredients you like to put together for your healthy salad. It is all up to you.

You can even make your own pasta which could be fun. With some basic tools, you can create your own wonderful pasta sizes and shapes. That makes the whole package of a pasta dish super fun and deliciously healthy. Whether you want a bowl of steaming pasta or a veggie salad, you decide.

The Simple Beginning of Pasta

Pasta goes back to medieval Italy as a simple noodle food. This dried noodle-like food made from rice flour became so well-known for its nutrition and shelf life that it started to be manufactured in large volumes to meet the rapid demand. Pasta quickly became the people's favorite food served in banquets across Italy. In a very short span of time, pasta became very popular all over Europe and eventually the whole world, evolving hundreds of pasta makers by the 1700s.

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History of Pasta

The origin of pasta can be traced to the ancient Etruscan civilization. Etruscan is the English word for the people from Corsica and Italy. It is also said that pasta was brought to Italy by explorer and trader Marco Polo. However, the origins of pasta are said to be found in history before his time. To get a better overview let's explore the history of pasta!

Pasta and Etruscans
Archaeological evidences suggest that some carvings on the wall of an Etruscan tomb are of pasta making tools. The excavations show pictures of carvings of utensils for making pasta. Even the Italians believe that pasta has an origin in the Etruscan civilization. There are no other strong evidences to prove that pasta belongs to the Etruscan civilization.

Pasta and Greece
The ancient Greeks made broad noodle-shaped dough from the durum wheat, which is commonly known as macaroni wheat. They did not boil these noodles, instead roasted it on fire or baked them in ovens. These noodles were known as lagane. Lasagna is said to be derived from the word lagane. The boiled pasta was yet to be discovered.

Pasta and Arabs
Jerusalem Talmud, a collection of rabbinic notes about Jewish law, has record of boiling dried noodles in water. Jerusalem Talmud was written in Aramaic in the 5th century A.D. The record is about dried noodles that were available in the market. Arab traders carried dried noodles to Sicily in the 8th century. They did this as the noodles made quick and nutritious meals in their travel to Sicily, by the silk route. The word macaroni is said to be derived from Sicilian word maccarruni, which means 'made into a dough by force'. The Sicilian pasta recipes include raisins and cinnamon, which were introduced by the Arabs. The oldest macaroni recipes are Sicilian, and include pasta and eggplant. The sailors from Sicily took pasta with them to the Italy. Pasta became famous amongst the travelers, as it remained fresh for a long time and was easy to cook.

Pasta and Marco Polo
Stuffed pasta or dumplings were originally made in China from 1700 B.C. In 1295, Marco Polo is said to have brought pasta to Italy from China. This pasta was not dried pasta and it was made from rice flour. However, there are evidences that pasta had existed in Italy, since 1279. Pasta was available in markets in the 14th century. Barefoot men kneaded the durum floor by treading on the dough for one whole day. This made pasta an expensive commodity.

Pasta and Tomatoes
In 16th century, tomatoes were brought to the Old World from the New World. Initially, they were considered to be poisonous; but later on, they changed the history of pasta. Pasta was, then, served with the ubiquitous tomato sauce. The first recipe of tomato and pasta was written in 1839.

Pasta and Naples
In the 17th century, pasta became very affordable in Naples, due to the invention of the mechanical press, which was used to knead the dough. The King of Naples Ferdinando II, hired an engineer to invent some machinery that could make pasta easily and eliminate the need of barefoot men for kneading the dough. This engineer invented a bronze machine to make pasta production easy. Moreover, the climate of Naples was also favorable for drying pasta. Very soon, Naples became Italy's capital for pasta. In 1740, Paolo Adami got a license to set up the first pasta producing factory in the city of Venice.

Pasta and America
Pasta was introduced to the Americans in the 20th century. During the civil war in America, cheese and macaroni were popular. Thomas Jefferson was the minister of France and got acquainted with pasta on a trip to Naples. He brought macaroni with him on his way to America and introduced pasta to America. The first pasta-making factory in America was set-up in 1798, in Philadelphia.

Later, pasta was available in various shapes and sizes, like spaghetti, vermicelli, fettuccine, linguine, tube-like macaroni and large sheets of lasagna. Nowadays, pasta is considered very healthy and is readily available. It does not matter which story fascinates you the most, the tasty pasta will surely be a delightful meal always.