I love clam sauce and angel hair, especially because I keep all the ingredients ready-stocked in my kitchen. It's the perfect solution to hungry and exhausted after a long day at work.

All ingredients are added as you see fit, or whatever you have on hand. We happen to like this dish with a bit more olive oil added after it's taken off the heat. The oil mixes with the cheese and creates a nice coating on the strands of pasta:

Saute crushed garlic in olive oil. Add freshly grated bread crumbs. When they're toasted, add cooked, drained spaghetti. Stir. Add a splash of fish sauce (either Thai or Vietnamese style) to taste, Parmesan cheese, and hot pepper flakes. Toss, serve with salad or steamed veg.

Pasta with fried eggs - just brown some garlic in olive oil, crack a few eggs in and toss with just pulled out of the water linguini, top generously with grated parm. Sometimes needs a little spoonful of pasta water so it's not too dry. love love love this dish.

Spaghetti with cherry tomatoes and basil. While the pasta cooks, I halve cherry tomatoes and cook them with a little olive oil and basil. Sometimes I go crazy and add some red wine. Then when the tomatoes are soft and the pasta is almost done, I mix the pasta in and it is a fabulous last minute, easy dish. Yum yum!

Beat 1 egg yolk with 1/2-2/3 cup of heavy cream. Toss with hot cooked spaghetti, ~6-8 oz. Add freshly grated lemon zest and 3-4 TB grated parmesan (the good stuff please). Toss well. The heat should be enough to thicken the sauce. If it's too runny. Gently heat in pasta pot or microwave for 20 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt.

Spaghetti with as many hot chiles as I can stand (usually around 15 -20 thais) fresh herbs (whatever I have on hand), olive oil and cheese (either parmesan or romano--whichever is around), This with a salad is the perfect dinner--fast, satisfying, not too heavy.

Greens of any kind (chard being my favorite)--pine nuts--olive oil--bacon or pancetta--parmesan--pepper, voila.

Oh, and pasta!

My two favorites are olive oil + garlic powder and
butter + black pepper... yummy !

Pasta with spicy tomato sauce (also known as arrabiata). Fry up some garlic and red pepper flakes in some olive oil, add crushed or diced tomatoes, cook until thickened to your likening; toss with cooked pasta and grated cheese. It's our go-to easy weeknight meal, and we always keep extra pasta + canned tomatoes on hand so we can make it in a pinch.

Bacon, onions, frozen peas or corn, frozen bit of tomato paste, sometimes an egg...Delicious.

http://chichoskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/04/penne-with-artichokes.html

yumm!!

Super basic, but I brown up some spicy italian chicken sausage from Trader Joe's, and then mix it in with some whole wheat rotini. Top with either chili oil (I make it once a month and have it on hand, or pre-made sauce with red pepper added to it. That's it. I'm sure you could add veggies or something also and it would be good.

Mine is exactly ariellie's but minus the red pepper flakes. Gotta try that!

Sometimes we do diced tomatoes, Parmesan and artichoke hearts or sun dried tomatoes.

Recently read about over salting the water when you cook spaghetti and I've started liking pasta for the first time in forever.

To hot pasta add:

1 wedge laughing cow cheese
chopped pickled eggplant (I use spicy)
chopped marinated artichokes
splash of olive oil
splash of lemon juice
splashes of broth if sauce is too tight

LOVE THIS!

Carbonara -

Boil spaghetti (preferably thin), drain, don't rinse.
1/4 cup parmesan & 1 egg yolk for every 1/4lb of pasta.

Cream and bacon until the proper consistency. (I use the jars of real bacon bits, costco sells them in large pouches. They're also great for omelettes).

Also, stir fry some garlic, add spinach to wilt, tomatoes if desired, then toss with hot pasta and add goat cheese until it melts to form a creamy sauce. Pasta water to thin if necessary.

Oh and a recipe for arugula pesto w/goat cheese: in the blender goes arugula, walnuts, garlic, EVOO, then mix in some goat cheese and toss with hot pasta. YUM.

It depends on the situation. Pantry meals are usually improvisational, but every so often we have the classic meltdown-at-the-grocery-store pasta, when we realize that we need to GET HOME NOW AND FILL OUR BELLIES.

In that case, I pick up a packet of ready-made ravioli and, if necessary, any of the other three main ingredients: a big head of broccoli, a wedge of Parmesan, and a lemon.

The instant we get home, I fill a big pot with salted water and put it on the stove. By the time I've unpacked the groceries and whacked up the broccoli into florets, it's coming to a boil. The rest is easy and happens lickety-split:

- toss a clove of garlic into the pot to blanch for a minute, then scoop it out
- throw the ravioli into the pot
- a few minutes later, toss in the broccoli
- in a skillet, toast seasonings (oregano, rosemary, some hot pepper flakes, and at the last minute, that blanched clove of garlic put through the press) in olive oil, then turn off the heat.
- grate some parmesan and lemon zest
- when the ravioli float and broccoli is tender, drain them and dump 'em into the skillet with a bit of pasta water toss with Parmesan, zest, and a good squeeze of lemon.

Now EAT IT. It's delicious, it's reasonably healthy, and it's faster than ordering a pizza.

Pasta Mama! I saw it on the food network and I've never looked back. It's an awesome I-don't-feel-like-cooking-it's-2am recipe.

http://hugosrestaurant.com/videos/how-cook-pasta-mama

my favorite quick pasta recipe involves store-bought gnocchi and eggs: http://theactorsdiet.wordpress.com/2010/02/04/lynn-new-staples/

A "points plus friendly" (10 for a HUGE serving) I'm a Weight Watcher's member) homage to North Holloywood's Eclectic Cafe's Salsiccia Breakfast Pasta (similar to pasta mama but with bacon and sausage). Serves 2.
-2 cups whole wheat pasta
-1/2 cup fat-free egg substitute
-2 links of Trader Joe's chicken saugage
-102 oz Oscar Meyer thin sliced lean ham
1. Get pasta cooking.
2. Chop up sausage and ham and place in skillet to heat up.
3. Once pasta is al dente, use tongs to transfer to skillet.
4. Add egg substitute, toss until cooked.

It came out a little bland. I'd recommend adding parmesean cheese or salt and pepper. I thought the sausage and ham would bring enough salt.

Olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes.

Saute; toss with pasta and fresh chopped parsley.

Brown Butter Shrimp & Pasta (~20 min)

While pasta is boiling, brown some butter in a saucepan.

While butter is browning, quick dice an onion and add some minced garlic.

While onion and garlic are becoming delicious, peel your shrimp.

Add the shrimp (and some wine wine for a little bit of fancy). Drain the pasta. Finish your glass of wine.

Combine everything with some fresh basil, lemon juice, parm and black pepper.

Pour glass #2.

Delicious every time.

Penne pasta, broccoli, olive oil, garlic, red pepper flakes, Boca chickn patties cut up.

My favorite quick pasta is spaghetti with slivered carrots and celery and red bell pepper, roast cashews, fresh herbs like flat leaf parsley and cilantro, and a Thai peanut-style sauce that takes 2 minutes to mix in the blender or food processor (peanuts or peanut butter or cashews or cashew butter, soy or Bragg's aminos, brown sugar or honey or agave, hot sauce, sesame oil, coconut or coconut milk great but optional). Good hot, cold from the fridge at midnight, or room temperature for lunch the next day.

Another favorite is fettuccine, slivered snow peas, orange zest, toasted bread crumbs in olive oil, and toasted pistachios, pine nuts or almonds.

ahh, someone already mentioned Carbonara. that's actually tonight's menu.

My other go-to is some grilled chicken and pesto. Toss some parmesan before serving, voila!

I have had several over the decades.
Super easy and no hassle is cook the pasta. Cube some fresh tomatoes. When the pasta is done put in bowl, throw on tomatoes and add favourite creamy salad dressing. Not that healthy but sometimes down and dirty is what you need.

A second favourite linguine gets cooked. While all that is bubbling away, put small diced zucchini, red onion and garlic in saute pan with olive oil. As that starts to soften add lemon juice, juice of canned sliced black olives, after chopping the olive slices dump them into the saute pan also. Salt and pepper. Chop up a bunch of fresh herbs throw them in the saute pan at the last second. Drain pasta and put in a large bowl. Pour contents of saute pan over pasta. Toss.
Add more lemon juice to taste.

Aglio e olio, plus a vegetable (typically broccoli, since I almost always have it fresh or frozen).

I love last minute pasta dishes. I have a few go-to recipes but one of my favorites is Spaghetti with Anchovies and Tomatoes.

All you do is, while the pasta is cooking, heat a pan with olive oil and slivered garlic, add in your anchovies and let them melt. Then add some chopped tomatoes, red pepper flakes, (some) salt and lots of fresh pepper. Cook down tomatoes a bit, then toss with the pasta. I also like to add in some greens, like kale or spinach.

whole wheat pasta (penne usually), kale (chopped up and tossed in the pasta water towards the end of cooking), and some feta cheese. with the optional addition of sliced red onions or cubed butternut squash. a touch of olive oil, and perhaps a splash of balsamic.

Pasta with store-bought marinara sauce. Served with a fried egg on top and parmesan cheese over top. :)

I forget where this came from, but it's a perfect summer pasta. Saute some fresh corn in butter with a little garlic, salt & pepper. Toss it with some chopped heirloom tomatoes, cheese tortellini and some fresh basil.

My favorite comfort pasta is onions and anchovies cooked in butter, tossed over fresh angel hair with some parmesan and fresh pepper. I adore anchovies!

Browned butter. Sprinkle of kosher salt. Can't get much easier, quicker or more delicious!

No doubt about it: Marco Canora's cherry tomato pasta with gremolata. Does it every time!! http://cook-drink-eat.blogspot.com/2010/08/cook-fresh-tomato-pasta-with-gremolata.html

Last night we tossed fettucine noodles with olive oil and a touch of butter, topped it with sauteed zuchinni, squash and portabellos with shallots and garlic. SO YUM!

This recipe has gotten me through college and even last night between an intra-mural game and a friends comedy show, i managed to cook and eat this dish in 25 minutes...its not exotic, but its delicious..

whole wheat spaghetti or linguini
kates salted butter
pressed garlic
dried oregano and marjoram (or pasta spice blend)
white truffle oil
salt and pepper
grated romano or parm cheese

cook pasta until al dente or however you like
drain, and reserve some cooking liquid.
while in strainer, in the same pot, melt some butter, toss in pressed garlic, and dried herbs. Let it simmer just to soften dried herbs and garlic and add pasta back into pot.
Stir, drizzle in the truffle oil, and sprinkle in some romano. Stir some more. It will look a little dry. No worries, add the cooking liquid while stirring over low heat and stir and add more romano. You will get a very creamy, herby pasta. You could add peas or bacon or whatever, but it is really good as is.

any pasta + broccoli + mushrooms (+ chicken, if handy) + olive oil + garlic + chili flakes + parmesan and/or goat cheese (+ cream, if i'm feeling fancy).