Spaghetti alla Carbonara

1 pound dry spaghetti
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces pancetta or slab bacon, cubed or sliced into small strips
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Freshly ground black pepper
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preparation

Cook the pasta while preparing the sauce to ensure that the spaghetti will be hot and ready when the sauce is finished; the hot pasta cooks the raw eggs in the sauce, so this is an important step

Boil salted water, then add the pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until al dente. Drain the pasta, keeping 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water to use in the sauce if you wish.

Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet over medium flame. Add the pancetta and saute for about 3 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the fat is rendered. Toss the garlic into the fat and saute for less than 1 minute to soften.

Add the hot, drained spaghetti to the pan and toss for 2 minutes to coat the strands in the bacon fat. Beat the eggs and Parmesan together in a mixing bowl, stirring well to prevent lumps. Remove the pan from the heat and pour the egg/cheese mixture into the pasta, whisking quickly until the eggs thicken, but do not scramble (this is done off the heat to ensure this does not happen.) Thin out the sauce with a bit of the reserved pasta water, until it reaches desired consistency. Season the carbonara with several turns of freshly ground black pepper and taste for salt. Mound the spaghetti carbonara into warm serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.

Pasta with Clam Sauce

2 cups spaghetti
2 cups fresh shelled clams
4 anchovies
2 garlic cloves
1 sprig of parsley
1 cup dry white wine
salt
pepper or chili pepper
oil

Preparation

1. Fry minced garlic in a pan with some oil and anchovies (crushed with a fork).
2. Add the clams and cook for ten minutes.
3. Add thee wine, and when it evaporates add the parsley and pepper and mix.
4. Boil the pasta and cook al dente.
5. Remove the pasta and put it in a bowl and toss with the clam sauce.

Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Ricotta

2 cups penne
2 lbs. ripe tomatoes
2 cups ricotta
1/2 cup parmesan
2 onions
olive oil
basil
salt
black pepper

Preparation

1. To prepare the sauce slice the tomatoes into small pieces, chop the onions, and add the basil and salt in a pan.
2. Cook until the liquid part of the tomato evaporates.
3. Strain the sauce and add oil and pepper to taste.
4. Melt the ricotta in a bowl with a little bit of water.
5. Boil the pasta in salted water, stir with a fork and add to the bowl with the ricotta.
6. Sprinkle the parmesan over the pasta.
7. Add the tomato sauce and mix well. 

If you don't have time to make a tomato sauce or your tomatoes aren't ripe enough, you can just heat up some sauce from a can and mix it with the ricotta.

Pasta Arrabbiata

2 cups pasta
2 lbs. tomato
2 medium onions
4 anchovies
1/2 cup black olives
1 garlic clove
olive oil
basil
oregano
chili pepper

Preparation

1. Lightly brown anchovies and chopped onions in a pan with some olive oil and the garlic clove.
2. Add peeled and seeded tomatoes in small pieces, olives, basil, and oregano.
3. Mix well over low heat.
4. Boil the pasta in salted water until it is cooked al dente and mix with the sauce.
5. Add your desired amount of chili pepper. This can be done individually or you can add the peppers to the whole batch.

Penne with Balsamic Vinegar

Serves 6

14 oz. penne
1 small/medium zucchini
1 tbs. basil
2 tbs. mint leaves
2 oz. aged, salted ricotta
2 tbs. balsamic vinegar
3 tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste


Preparation

1. Wash, dry and slice the zucchini. Saute them in a skillet in olive oil, when they are nicely browned, season with salt and pepper, add the balsamic vinegar and let it evaporate.
2. Cut the mint and basil leaves into narrow strips; grate the cheese.
3. Cook the pasta in boiling water, drain when it is al dente, and turn into the skillet with the zucchini and mix well.
4. Pour some olive oil into the serving bowl, then add the pasta.
5. Sprinkle with mint, basil and cheese and toss thoroughly.