3 Recipes To Prepare Delicious Italian Pasta

Italian pasta is, without a doubt,  one of the most popular and well-known foods around the world. It is a food prepared with wheat flour, water, salt and egg. Despite the fact that today it is an iconic ingredient in Italian cuisine, its origin is not European.

According to historical evidence, this food came from China, but it was introduced during the Middle Ages in Italy and since then it has enjoyed wide acceptance and, of course, it has been assimilated.

The texture, the flavor, the dozens of possible combinations that exist and, above all, the simplicity of its preparation make Italian pasta a very common food on the table in almost any home.

Italian pasta is a blank canvas for the culinary imagination and, in honor of the refinement and simplicity of each of the possible preparations, we present three recipes that are super easy to incorporate into your diet.

Recipes for preparing Italian pasta

Many prefer to avoid pasta in the diet because they think it is a food that contributes to weight gain. However, according to the findings of a recent study published in  Nutrition and metabolism , mass does not cause an increase in weight or body fat.

As with other foods, the key to enjoying it within a balanced diet is to moderate your portions. In addition, you should choose nutritious and low-calorie side dishes. Below, we share some recipes.

1. Spaghetti carbonara

There are different types of cuts and presentations of Italian pasta. One of the most popular types is spaghetti, or wide, circular pasta.

Ingredients

• 4 egg yolks.
• 150 g of bacon.
• 1 tablespoon of salt (15 g).
• 1 cup grated pecorino cheese (100 g).
• 2 ½ cups of Spaghetti noodles ( 350 g).
• ½ tablespoon ground black pepper (8 g).

Method of preparation

• Beat eggs with grated cheese and salt in a bowl.
• Then carefully cut the bacon into small pieces.
• Put everything in a skillet with a little water and cook over high heat.
• In parallel, cook the pasta in a liter of boiling water (previously salted). When the batter is almost done, drain it well and put it in the pan along with the bacon.
• Turn off the heat and add the beaten eggs and a tablespoon of cooking water.
• Mix for about 30 seconds, always stirring.
• Once ready, turn off the heat, serve and add the grated cheese to the plate.

2. Massa  alla puttanesca

This Italian pasta preparation is native to the city of Naples. It is very easy to distinguish by its vibrant colors (provided by its main ingredients: tomatoes, parsley and anchovies).

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of salt (15 g).
• ½ can of anchovies (25 g).
• Macaroni-type spaghetti (350 g).
• 2 tablespoons of capers (30 g).
• 1 or 2 crushed garlic cloves (10 g).
• 5 cups of tomato pulp (500 g).
• 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley (25 g).
• 1 ½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (30 ml).
• To add more color, you can add, if desired, 4 tablespoons of black olives (50 g).

Method of preparation

• Peel and crush the garlic.
• Then saute the garlic with a little extra virgin olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
• When the garlic is golden, add the anchovy fillets and capers.
• Continue cooking over low heat for 2 minutes.
• Add tomato pulp and cook over high heat for 5 minutes.
• Add a pinch of salt and then the black olives.
• Cook the noodles in 1 liter of boiling water. When the pasta is al dente , drain well and add the sauce.
• Add some fresh parsley to the plate and serve.

3. Matrix spaghetti

The name of this delicious Italian recipe comes from Amatrice, its place of origin. It is one of the most consumed Italian pasta recipes due to the simplicity of its preparation.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons of salt (30 g).
• 1 teaspoon of sugar (15 g).
• ½ tablespoon of butter (15 g).
• 5 cups of ripe tomatoes (500 g).
• 3 cups of the type of pasta spaghetti (350 g).
• 2 cups of bacon cut into strips (150 g).
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper (15 g).
• 3 cups of grated Parmesan cheese (300 g).
• 1 red pepper, chopped and seeded (5 g).

Method of preparation

• Be sure to wash and peel the tomatoes well.
• After cutting them and removing all the seeds and skin, place the tomatoes in the food processor. As a result you will get a puree.
• Cut the bacon into long strips of equal thickness.
• With the butter, start to brown the peppers and bacon in a pan over medium heat.

• When the bacon is browned, don’t forget to add salt, tomato and a dash of black pepper.
• Remove the mixture and add half a spoon of sugar to prevent the sauce from becoming sour.
• In a separate pan, cook the dough for 5 minutes. When ready, let it rest in water for another 2 minutes.
• Drain the spaghetti and serve on a plate along with the tomato sauce.
• Add the Parmesan cheese to the dish and enjoy.

Finally, just out of curiosity… Did you know that wholegrain pasta can satiate more? This is what a study published in Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism suggests ,  which also highlights the fact that this version contains more fiber. Therefore, when choosing, we advise you to opt for wholegrain pasta.