You asked, we answered. Read on for our top 10 authentic Italian pasta recipes.
No matter the season, a perfect plate of pasta is one of life’s simple pleasures. From the colourful plates of Calabria, to the meat-heavy ragù dishes of Emilia-Romagna and the sauced-up pasta of Roma, every one of Italy’s 20 regions boasts traditional dishes to call their own.
One of our favourite things about pasta is that the shape and sauce pairing combinations seem endless, each one more delicious than the last. Whether you prefer to make your own pasta fresca at home (roll up your sleeves and give fresh pasta dough a try!) or stick to the prized, dried pasta di Gragnano, add these authentic Italian pasta recipes to your cooking arsenal – your friends, and your stomach, will thank you.
Our Top 10 Italian Pasta Recipes
As with most Italian cuisine, each recipe is simple yet sublime; the higher the quality of ingredients, the more delicious your final dish will be. Of course, we wouldn’t leave you hungry – you can find all of the ingredients for the dishes below at Eataly Toronto or in our online shop. From the decadent to the everyday staple, here are our best Italian pasta recipes.
10. Trofie al Pesto
The northern coastal region Liguria is especially celebrated for its light, herb-heavy dishes. One of our favourite regional dishes is the famed trofie al pesto: pesto pasta.
9. Spaghetti Aglio Olio e Peperoncino
Originating in Campania, this iconic pasta is a classic example of cucina povera, making the most of simple ingredients. The hero here is the extra virgin olive oil, so you’ll want to be sure to choose one that is made with hand-picked, cold-pressed olives (and remember: olio extravergine d’oliva is best when fresh). We recommend choosing a robust, even spicy extra virgin olive oil typical of Southern Italy to add to the kick from the peperoncino, or red chili pepper, a common ingredient found in the more fiery cuisine of the South.
8. Pici all’Aglione
Toscana is celebrated for a rustic cuisine that showcases simple ingredients in flavourful recipes, like this traditional pasta in spicy tomato-garlic sauce.
7. Pasta al Tonno
A coastal classic with origins in Calabria, pasta with tuna is a simple yet satisfying main dish that works as well for a quick weeknight dinner as it does for a lazy Sunday feast. With the addition of salty capers and spicy Calabrian chili peppers, this plate has the power to transport you to the Mediterranean seaside.
6. Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe
Rich cheese, bronze-extruded pasta, and freshly-ground pepper — the ultimate comfort food, “cacio e pepe” is a Roman dish that will make you forget all about mac-and-cheese. This dish is simple on paper, but can be difficult to master at home; high-quality ingredients and patience will help you achieve the optimum cremina, or cheese sauce.
5. Lasagne alla Bolognese
A traditional dish from Emilia-Romagna, Lasagne alla Bolognese is made with egg pasta, creamy béchamel, and Bolognese ragù. A nearly perfect recipe, this dish has been loved by all for centuries – in fact, there is evidence that even the ancient Romans enjoyed an early version of this dish by the same name.
4. Pasta all’Arrabbiata
Cooked in an “angry” tomato sauce, leave it to the Romans to give us this fiery dish. Quick and classic, this pasta recipe takes all of 30 minutes to throw together and brings an enjoyable kick to the table thanks to crushed red pepper.
3. Lo Spaghetto al Pomodoro
Five simple ingredients, one revolutionary meal. If there is any dish that is truly iconic of Italian cuisine, this is it. For our tenth anniversary, our chefs in Italy spent months testing, tasting, and experimenting with different ingredients from our marketplace in order to create the perfect lo spaghetto al pomodoro – check out the recipe, and the full story behind it.
2. Ziti alla Norma
If there is one recipe that will make you feel like you’re eating at nonna‘s, this is it. Made with eggplant, ricotta, and chunky tomato sauce, this recipe comes straight from beloved Chef Lidia Bastianich’s comprehensive cookbook, Lidia’s Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Great Italian Cook.
1. Tagliatelle alla Bolognese
Our top pasta recipe? It had to be ragù served over silken egg tagliatelle, a signature dish of Bologna, the food-loving capital city of Emilia-Romagna. In fact, this rich, meaty tomato ragù is so closely associated with Bologna that any dish described as Bolognese will be cloaked in it.
Grab life by the fork and try them all! Shop Eataly Toronto or shop online to find every ingredient you need to make start turning out authentic Italian dishes in your own cucina.
Buon appetito!
