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Pasta!!!! 1,000 Foods to Eat Project Food #24

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pasta

I am on a quest to experience and enjoy the 1,000 Foods to Eat in the book 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die by Mimi Sheraton. She says that the foods she lists in her book are the tastes that every food lover should experience or dream about.

Some of the foods are easy, and some of the food are hard. So.. this one is particularly easy…who hasn’t tried pasta?!?!?! My second question is who doesn’t love pasta?!?!? Pasta is food #24 on my quest to try each and every one of the foods listed in this awesome book.

What is Pasta?

Dictionary.com defines pasta as: “any of various flour-and-egg food preparations of Italian origin, made of thin, unleavened dough and produced in a variety of forms, usually served with a sauce and sometimes stuffed.”

Pasta has two broad categories that it is divided into: fresh and dried. The shapes and varieties of pasta seem to be endless…but actually in my research I found there are approximately 350 different types of pasta, and many many more names for them! For example, what one person calls farfalle, another may call bowtie.

The history of pasta goes back centuries, and although I am not sure how true the legend of Marco Polo bringing the first pasta over from China is, I love the story.

Incredibly Versatile – There is a Pasta for Everyone!

With 350 types of pasta, and seemingly endless varieties of sauces and ingredients, there is definitely a pasta dish for everyone!

Although I do like tomato sauce based pasta dishes, my tasted tend to lean toward pasta dishes that are not tomato based.

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I'm on a journey to try the 1,000 foods listed in the book 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die. Some of the foods are easy and familiar, and some of the foods are somewhat difficult. So my #24 food is particularly easy…pasta, which is one of my favorites! Luckily, I have four great pasta recipes which I'd love to share, and are some of my go to recipes when I want a quick, easy, and delicious 5 star pasta meal (which is almost every night). 🙂 Linguine Alle Vongole Linguine With Pancetta and Peas Linguine With Delicious Parsley Pesto Puglian Orecchiette With Broccoli I guess you can tell I love linguine. 🙂 If you love pasta, please try one of these recipes…I think you'll love them. 🙂 Find the recipes at the site in my bio…which is http://www.explorecookeat.com. Cheers everyone! Grace #pasta #ilovepasta #1000foodstoeatbeforeyoudie #onmyplate #dinnertonight #pastamania #sabestfoodpics #pastalovers #pastalove #pastaporn #carbdinner #instapasta #pastaaddict #budgetmeals #pastapasta

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I have a few go to pasta dish recipes that I’d love to share, and they are:

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Linguine With Pancetta and Peas

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Linguine with pancetta and peas

I love pasta dishes. They are usually quick and easy to prepare, budget friendly, and super satisfyingly delicious. Linguine with Pancetta and Peas checks all of those boxes.

This pasta dish is super savory due to the addition of the pancetta. Pancetta is Italian pork belly which has been salt cured, and it is so very very good!

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Linguine with Delicious Parsley Pesto

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Linguine Parsley Pesto and parmesan

If you haven’t ever made your own pesto, trust me…you should. It is so very easy and the taste is out of this world!

What Is Pesto?

Pesto is traditionally a mixture of crushed basil leaves, olive oil, salt, garlic, pine nuts, and parmesan. It originated in Genoa, Italy and is typically served with pasta. Today, there are many variations on pesto.

I had only ever made pesto with basil before. However, the other evening I found a bunch of Italian parsley in the fridge, and spied some leftover pine nuts in the pantry. The decision was made to give parsley pesto a go, and I’m so happy that I did!

Pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil, garlic and chilis
Parsley Pesto

I looove things spicy! This parsley pesto includes some chilis, which give it a great kick! However if you aren’t too fond of spicy foods, leave the chilis out and it’ll still be absolutely delicious.

Parsley Pesto

You can use pesto in so many ways: as a dip, as an accompaniment to meat, as a spread for crackers, and whatever else you can come up with! I decided to mix this pesto in with some linguine, and that night there were NO leftovers. 🙂

parsley pesto dip with crackers
Parsley Pesto makes a great dip as well!

I hope you will enjoy this budget friendly, easy to prepare, and absolutely delicious Linguine with Delicious Parsley Pesto soon.

Linguine with parsley pesto

You may also enjoy these other pasta recipes:

Thank you for visiting and I would be grateful if you would please share this recipe or comment below! 🙂

Linguine with parsley pesto
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5 from 1 vote

Linguine with Delicious Parsley Pesto

Enjoy this budget friendly, easy to prepare, and absolutely delicious Linguine with Delicious Parsley Pesto with a generous amount of parmesan and side salad.  
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time9 mins
Total Time19 mins
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 3 servings
Author: Grace

Ingredients

  • large handful Italian parsley
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 Thai chili leaves chilis out for a mild version
  • 1/3 cup pine nuts
  • 1/3 cup parmesan grated
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1/2 ts salt
  • 1/2 ts pepper
  • 12 oz linguine I used Skinner’s

Instructions

  • Add the Italian parsley, garlic, and Thai chilis to a food processor and pulse/process a few times.  Add the pine nuts, parmesan, olive oil, 1/2 ts salt and 1/2 ts pepper to the food processor, and process until all ingredients combined and items finely minced. 
    Parsley Pesto
  • In the meantime, cook your pasta according to the package directions.  Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water. 
  • Once the pasta is cooked, drain, and then add the parsley pesto.  If the pasta is too dry for your liking, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water and stir until the pasta is loosened up a bit for your taste.  This is not necessary unless you find the pasta too dry.
  • Taste, and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Notes

For a mild version, leave out the chilis or add fewer as these chilis can be quite spicy!  The pesto can be used as an accompaniment to meat, and as a dip or a spread as well.  
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5 Star Italian Linguine Alle Vongole (Linguine With Clam Sauce)

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Linguine With Clam Sauce

How can such a simple preparation with a few simple ingredients turn out such an amazing dish? I keep asking myself that every time I make Linguine With Clam Sauce for dinner. This pasta dish, which is said to originate from the southern coastline of Italy (Campania), is one of my go to dinners for several reasons: it is delicious, budget friendly, quick and easy, and as a runner I can easily load up on my carbs!

Because I love my food a bit on the spicy side, I add a couple (well, maybe 3) red Thai chilis to this dish. The chilis give it quite a kick, and also add a beautiful color as well. If you like things spicy but don’t have any Thai chilis available, you could also add some red pepper flakes.

Here in the US we generally call this dish Linguine With Clam Sauce. However, I think Linguine Alle Vongole sounds so much better. 🙂 I truly believe that once you try this dish, you’ll want it to end up back on your plate again soon.

Treat yourself to this taste of Southern Italy tonight!

Linguine With Clam Sauce, Parsley, and Parmesan

You may also enjoy these other pasta recipes:

Thanks for visiting and I would be grateful if you would share this recipe or comment below! 🙂

Linguine With Clam Sauce, Parsley, and Parmesan
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5 Star Linguine Alle Vongole (Linguine With Clam Sauce)

Easy to prepare, budget friendly, and absolutely delicious!  This dish originates from the southern Italian coast.  Enjoy this taste of Campania tonight for dinner!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time15 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 oz linguine I used Skinner’s; you can also use 16 oz linguine
  • 2 6.5 oz cans chopped clams in their juices I used Snow’s; if using 16 oz linguine use 3 cans of clams
  • 5 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 Thai chilis minced; leave these out for a milder dish
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • handful parsley chopped
  • 1/4 ts salt plus additional salt to taste
  • 1/4 ts pepper plus additional pepper to taste
  • parmesan cheese

Instructions

  • Heat up water for pasta and cook according to pasta directions
  • While the water is heating up for your pasta, set your skillet to medium and add butter and olive oil.  Once the butter is melted, add garlic and chilis, stir, and continue heating for about 3 minutes
    Butter, Olive Oil, Garlic, and Chilis for Linguine With Clam Sauce
  • Add clams with all their juices, 1/4 ts salt, and 1/4 ts pepper.  Bring to the boil, then reduce to a low simmer until your pasta is ready
  • Drain your pasta once ready, and add to the clam sauce.  Stir well, and add additional salt and pepper to taste. 
  • Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese

Notes

Top this linguine with clam sauce with a generous amount of parmesan, if desired.   Try a wine from the Campania region of Italy with this dish, such as Taurasi (red),  or Fiano di Avellino (white) with this dish and enjoy a taste of Southern Italy!

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Puglian Orecchiette with Broccoli

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Orecchiette With Broccoli

A trip to Italy would be a trip to foodie heaven. Italy boasts some of the most delicious food on planet Earth. It is a dream of mine to travel back to Italy on a culinary tour. Can you imagine amazing pastas, wines, cheeses, and desserts available at most every corner in Italy? Foodie heaven for sure!!

Puglia, which forms the “heel” of Italy’s boot, is a region in Southern Italy. And Puglia arguably has some of the best food in the country. A signature dish from Puglia is Orecchiette with Broccoli. Orecchiette is a type of pasta that comes from the Puglian area. Saucer shaped, it means “little ears” in Italian.

Orecchiette with Broccoli and Parmesan

Puglian Orecchiette with Broccoli is often made with broccoli rabe. I have used regular broccoli in this recipe, which is just as delicious. The main flavor comes from anchovies, which is commonly used in southern Italian cooking. So, this dish is savory and also a bit spicy due to the addition of red pepper flakes.

Certainly anchovies are not just for pizza!! And, I love cooking with anchovies. In this instance, the combination of olive oil, garlic, red peppers, and anchovies is absolutely delicious.

Meanwhile, I challenge you to practice your Italian whilst making this dish! Keep repeating “orecchiette” and “Puglia” until these words roll off your tongue. 🙂

Most importantly, you will love Orecchiette with Broccoli! So, I hope you will enjoy this soon, and be sure to top with a generous amount of parmesan! Enjoy a taste of southern Italy!!

You may also enjoy these other pasta recipes:

Thank you for visiting and I would be grateful if you would share this recipe or comment below! 🙂

Orecchiette With Broccoli
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Puglian Orecchiette with Broccoli

This recipe from the Puglian region of Southern Italy is absolutely delicious.  Flavored with anchovies, often used in southern Italian cooking, it is savory and also a bit spicy due to the addition of red pepper flakes. 
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Total Time25 mins
Course: Pasta
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 crown broccoli medium to large
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 anchovy fillets with oil
  • 1/2 ts red chili flakes
  • 16 oz orecchiette pasta
  • 3 tbsp olive oil extra virgin
  • salt to taste
  • pepper to taste
  • parmesan cheese grated

Instructions

  • Cut the broccoli crown into bite sized pieces
    Broccoli crown cut up
  • Heat up your olive oil in a heavy skillet, then add minced garlic and stir fry on med heat for 1 minute
  • Add your anchovy fillets, with some of the oil that the fillets were packed in.  Stir fry for 2 minutes, or until the anchovies have “melted”
    Anchovies, Red Chili Flakes, Broccoli, Garlic, and Parmesan
  • Add red chili flakes, stir, and keep warm on a very low setting
  • Boil pasta water in a large pot, and prepare your orecchiette according to package directions.  PLEASE NOTE:  You will need to reserve approximately 1 cup of the pasta water, collected at or near the end of the time when the pasta is finished cooking 
  • 3-4 minutes before your pasta is finished cooking, add the broccoli pieces into the boiling pasta water 
  • When the pasta is finished cooking, drain the broccoli and the pasta.  REMEMBER:  You will need to reserve 1 cup of the pasta water just prior to draining the broccoli and pasta
  • Add the cooked broccoli and orecchiette to your anchovy, garlic, red pepper, and olive oil mixture, and stir
  • Start adding the reserved pasta water a little at a time and continue stirring.  This helps make a smooth sauce and prevents the pasta from sticking! 
  • Add salt and pepper to taste

Notes

Feel free to substitute broccoli rabe for the broccoli crown.
Top your Orecchiette with Broccoli with a generous amount of Parmesan cheese.  Serve with a side salad and a glass of Italian Pinot Grigio for an amazing meal, and enjoy the taste of Puglia!
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