October is national pasta month and October 26th is World Pasta Day! Good thing I ate pasta that day, no surprise there.

So…we have a few more days to celebrate. To honor pasta month check out all these great pasta shapes.

My favorite tried and true pasta/ sauce combos are:

Angel hair – with a light pomodoro sauce and tons of  fresh basil and grated parmigano cheese

Farfalle – with a light cream sauce with mushrooms and peas

Campanelle- with exotic mushrooms and a creamy, tangy mascapone cheese

Cavatelli – Fresh and chunky spicy tomato sauce

Ditalini – perfect in a pasta n fagoli soup (comfort in a bowl)

Manicotti - filled with four cheese topped with tomato sauce and baked to perfection

Orecchiette – tossed simply with olive oil, broccoli rabe and ground Italian sausage

Penne rigate – my house staple, perfect with almost any sauce, with lines of course. Penne alla vodka, anyone?

Ravioli- filled with cheese or meat classically but also loving the mushroom options now available

Spaghetti – my rustic dish of heavy cream, cannellini beans tossed with herbs, breadcrumbs and parm

Tortellini- perfect in a traditional Italian soup, Tortellini in brodo

Not listed below but undeniable with bolognese sauce are fettuccine or pappadelle

Enjoy them all!

Acini di Pepe (“Peppercorn”) – Acini di Pepe is perfect to use in soup recipes. These shapes are ideal to include in broths.	Alphabet Pasta: This favorite kids’ shape is usually used in soups for a fun meal anytime.
Anellini - Tiny rings of pasta. Anellini is a smaller version of Anelli pasta. It is used in various soups and is also a compliment to a number of salads.	Angel Hair, Capellini (“Fine Hairs”) – These thin, delicate pasta strands are best if used with thinner, delicate sauces. Other uses: break in half and put in soup; use in salads or stir-fry meals.
Bow Ties, Farfalle (“Butterflies”) – Bow Ties brighten any meal with their interesting shape. Thick enough for a variety of sauces, or a perfect addition to a number of  salad or soup recipes.	Buctani - Thick Spaghetti shaped pasta that is hollow in the center, similar to a thin straw. Bucatini is the perfect choice for nearly any sauce, or it can be used to make casseroles or stir-fry dishes. Go beyond tomato sauce and see what your favorite becomes.
Campanelle (“Bells”) – Campanelle pasta resembles a small cone with a ruffled edge. Pair Campanelle pasta with meat, cream, vegetable or oil based sauces. Also, these shapes are great when used in pasta salads.	Cappelletti – Cappelletti pasta is folded and then twisted to form the shape of a small hat. On occasion, this pasta is sometimes referred to as an alpine hat.
Casarecce - Casarecce pasta is shaped like a very narrow, twisted and rolled tube. This pasta is best used when serving a meat sauce and can be used in a variety of casserole dishes.	Cavatappi (“Corkscrew”) – The tight spiral locks-in the flavor allowing the shape to pair with both simple and sophisticated sauces. Pair Cavatappi with meat, cream, vegetable or oil based sauces. Also, these shapes are great when used in pasta salads.
Cavatelli – Cavatelli resemble tiny hot dog buns. These shapes are commonly served with thick, chunky sauces or in pasta salads. Cavatelli pairs nicely with meat, cream, seafood or vegetable sauces.	Ditalini (“Little Thimbles”) – This versatile shape can be used as the base of any dish. Bake it, stir it into soups, or create great salads and stir-fry dishes.
Egg Noodles (Medium) -  (From “Nudel,” German meaning paste with egg) – This size of Egg Noodle can be baked, tossed in soups or salads, or topped with cream, tomato, cheese or meat sauces.	Egg Noodles (Wide) – (From “Nudel,” German meaning paste with egg) – Go beyond the traditional Stroganoff and use, Wide Egg Noodles to create soups, salads and casseroles. Or, top with a variety of sauces.
Elbow Macaroni – A highly versatile shape that can be topped with any sauce, baked, or put in soups, salads and stir-fry dishes. Elbow Macaroni is traditionally used to make Macaroni and Cheese.	Farfalline – Farfalline is s small version of the bow tie or butterfly shaped pasta. This versatile shape can be used as the base of any dish. Bake it, stir it into soups, or create great salads and stir-fry dishes.
Fideo – Short thin strands of pasta that are slightly curved. Fideo pasta is commonly used in various soup recipes.	Fusilli (“Twisted Spaghetti”) – This long, spiraled shape can be topped with any sauce, broken in half and added to soups, or turned into a beautiful salad. Fusilli also bakes well in casseroles.
Gemili (“Twins”) – Add a touch of style to any dish with this distinctive shape. Gemeilli pairs nicely with meat, cream, seafood and vegetable sauces.	Gigli (“Lilies”) – Gigli is a fluted edge piece of pasta that has been rolled into a cone shaped flower. Gigli is perfect for heavier sauces, like cheese, meat and tomato or it is a perfect addition to a number of casseroles.
Jumbo Shells – Best when stuffed with your favorite mixtures of cheese, meat and vegetables. Stuff with meat flavored with taco seasoning, top with salsa and bake for a delicious Mexican dish, or create your own stuffed treat.	Lasagna (From “lasanum,” Latin for pot) – Create original Lasagna casseroles by using chopped vegetables, cheeses and any kind of sauce. You can also assemble your casserole and freeze it for later meal.
Linguine (“Little Tongues”) – A great shape to compliment a variety of sauces. Also a good choice for salads and stir-fry dishes.	Macaroni (“Dumpling”) – A highly versatile shape that can be topped with any sauce, baked, or put in soups, salads and stir-fry dishes.
Manicotti (“Small Muffs”) – Stuff Manicotti with a mixture of meat, cheese and vegetables, top with your favorite sauce, and bake.	Medium Shells, Conchiglie – (“Shells”) Shells make a great addition to soups or as the base of a wonderful salad. Try remaking your favorite Macaroni and Cheese using Shells, for a fun twist on a time-honored tradition.
Orecchiette (“Little Ears”) – These “little ears” are commonly served with thick, chunky sauces or in pasta salads.	Orzo (“Barley”) – This small, grain shaped pasta can be topped with any sauce, added to soups, or baked as a casserole. Perfect as a side dish as well as a main course.
Penne, Mostaccioli (“Quills” and “Small Mustaches”) – This tubular pasta compliments a variety of sauces, is frequently used in salads, baked in casseroles, or made into stir fry dishes.	Penne (“Quills” or “Feathers”) – Penne compliment virtually every sauce and are exceptional when paired with a chunky sauce. Penne pairs nicely with chunky meat, chunky vegetable, cream, or oil based sauces. Also, these shapes are great for baking dishes.
Penne Rigate (“Quills” or “Feathers”) - Penne compliment virtually every sauce and are exceptional when paired with a chunky sauce. Penne Rigate are ridged and ideal to lock-in flavor. Penne Rigate pairs nicely with chunky meat, chunky vegetable, cream, or oil based sauces. Also, these shapes are great for baking dishes.	Pipe Rigate – A hollow curved pasta that resembles a snail shell. This shape has a wide opening at one end and the other end is flattened. Pipe Rigate pairs nicely with chunky meat, chunky vegetable, cream, or oil based sauces.
Pipette Rigate – This shape is a smaller version of Pipe Rigate. Pipette Rigate pairs nicely with chunky meat, chunky vegetable, cream, or oil based sauces. Also, these shapes are great for baking dishes.	Radiatori (“Radiators”) – This ruffled, ridged shape adds elegance to any sauce. It also works well baked in casseroles, or used in salads and soups.
Ravioli - Ravioli are square round pillows of pasta that have a filling consisting of ingredients such as cheese, meats, vegetables and seasonings. Ravioli can be served with a red sauce or it can be served with butter, oil or cream.	Reginette – Reginette is wide, flat ribbon pasta that has rippled edges on both sides. This shape is similar to Lasagna.
Riccioli (“Curl”) - Riccioli’s twisted shape holds bits of meat, vegetables and cheese, so it works well with a variety of sauces, or you can use it to create fun salads, baked casseroles, or stir-fry meals.	Rigatoni (“Large Grooved”)  – Rigatoni’s ridges and holes are perfect with any sauce, from cream or cheese to the chunkiest meat sauces.
Rocchetti (“Spool”) – This short pasta is perfect for preparing casseroles and salads.	Rotelle (“Little Wheels”) - The cartwheel is not a classic Italian shape, but due to the variety of color and entertaining shape they are crowd favorite. Because the spokes of the wheels are good for capturing flavor, these shapes are easy to pair. Rotelle pasta pairs nicely with meat, cream, seafood or vegetable sauces.
Rotini (“Spirals” or “Twists”) – Rotini’s twisted shape holds bits of meat, vegetables and cheese, so it works well with any sauce, or you can use it to create fun salads, baked casseroles, or stir-fry meals.	Small Shells - Shells make a great addition to soups or as the base of a wonderful salad. Try remaking your favorite Macaroni and Cheese using Shells, for a fun twist on a time-honored tradition.
Spaghetti – (“A length of Cord”) America’s favorite shape, Spaghetti is the perfect choice for nearly any sauce, or it can be used to make casseroles or stir-fry dishes. Go beyond tomato sauce and see what your favorite becomes.	Thin Spaghetti – Thin Spaghetti is very similar to Vermicelli. Each one is slightly thinner than Spaghetti.  Thin Spaghetti is perfect topped with any sauce, or as a salad or stir-fry ingredient.
Tortellini – Tortellini is a ring-shaped pasta typically stuffed with meat, cheese or vegetables. Tortellini is commonly served in a broth or cream sauce.	Tortiglioni – Tortiglioni is narrow, tubular pasta. This shape is commonly used to add decoration to salads or paired with a simple sauce.
Tripolini – Tripolini is a tiny bow tie shaped pasta used in soups and salads or paired with a simple sauce.	Tubini  – A medium-sized, tubular pasta shape, Tubini is perfect for chunky sauces and meat dishes. It also makes wonderful salads, baked dishes and stir-fry meals.
Vermicelli – (“Little Worms”) Slightly thinner than Spaghetti, Vermicelli is good topped with any sauce, or as a salad or stir-fry ingredient.	Wagon Wheels, Ruote (“Wheels”) – Wagon Wheels make interesting salads, casseroles and stir-fry dishes. Add to soups, or simply top with sauce and enjoy.
Ziti (“Bridegrooms”) – A medium-sized, tubular pasta shape, Ziti is perfect for chunky sauces and meat dishes. It also makes wonderful salads, baked dishes and stir-fry meals. Info and photos provided by ilovepasta.org

Yummy, simple and fresh!

One of my absolute favorite pasta dishes growing up and to this day is the ever so classic, rich, rustic and hearty- pasta bolognese. This is of course my mother’s recipe and really can a dish of pasta look any more sexy?!? I like to use pappardelle pasta because the curvy ribbons help the meaty sauce stick to it. Her version has a touch of cream which gives it that pale red color and creamy texture. Hell, forget dish of the week, this is the dish to last a life time…a true winner!

Preparation time: 1 hour and 30 minutes Number of Servings:  8

INGREDIENTS

Olive oil – enough to coat bottom of saucepan
2 cloves of garlic
¼ of small onion – chopped
1 lb. of mixed ground beef
2 large cans of crushed tomatoes
Basil and/or parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste
¼ – 1/3 cup cream (regular, light or fat free)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In saucepan heat olive oil (small amount), garlic, and chopped onion until  garlic and onion is slightly browned.
2. Add ground meat and brown – if there is lots of liquid (fat from meat) drain  off as much as possible (to eliminate fatty taste).
3. Add a little bit more olive oil – let it come to a sizzle.
4. Add basil and parsley to meat followed by canned tomatoes.
5. Add salt & pepper and bring to a small boil. Stir the sauce and turn heat  down to a simmer.
6. Cook for about 11/2 hours or to taste – stirring often during cooking.
7. In the last 5 minutes add cream and stir. Also check for salt (addition of  cream will need some salt added to sauce)
8.  Add more basil & parsley just before end of cooking for added flavor.
9. Sauce should be pinkish and creamy in texture.

Notes:
1. Amount of meat and cream can be increased or decreased to your liking.
2. If tomatoes are too thin – tomato paste can be added.

The Institute of Culinary Education on 23rd Street in NYC offers this recreational course a few times each semester. Two years back I had taken Techniques of Fine Cooking about the classic French way of doing things and enjoyed it. I decided to check out this class that was tailored to my favorite cuisine. For four and a half hours a day/ five days straight you learn how to prepare authentic Italian menus.

We worked on antipasto, salad, vegetable, pizza, risotto, meat, dessert and of course pasta was on the forefront of the menu! Most of the recipes I was already familiar with in my own kitchen but I definitely was able to take away some new ideas and add to my rolodex of staple recipes. For instance, how does Ragu Napolitano sound? A sauce filled with Italian sausage, beef rump simmering in red wine, plum tomatoes, olive oil and a bouquet of herbs. Or Pasta ‘ncaciata? A Sicilian eggplant and cheese Timbale, Italian for “drum”. There were also delicious lamb, pork and chicken dishes and enough desserts to give you a sugar rush. But what I found most interesting and useful were the days we made fresh pasta and gnocchi-three ways! My favorite was the Gnocchi Di Ricotta Con Sugo De Funghi – they are made from ricotta cheese and a lovely, creamy sauce that is a heavenly mixture of exotic mushrooms. Admittedly, I work and grew up with mostly dry pasta (as most Southern Italians do) so this was a real treat for me. Easier and quicker than expected, this will definitely be a new practice in my kitchen as soon as I get that Kitchen aid pasta attachment. Presents are welcome.

Although more recipe intensive than technique driven, I found this course helpful and fun. One suggestion, although not as profitable for the school, would be to decrease the size of the class so each student can get hands-on experience with all recipes. Overall, a no lose course – knowledgeable Chef instructors (Hello, Loren Banco!), quality ingredients, a free, fresh and filling lunch with unlimited wine and leftovers to take home…can’t beat that! Below are some photos to entice you further.

Proof that my love affair started early! Even to this day a satisfying bowl of pasta makes me this happy. As you can tell it doesn’t have to be complex. Ditalini pasta and sauce probably won’t make an appearance on Mario Batali’s next menu but I am sure he would also agree that simplicity is best. I still believe that like all Italian food, less is more. The key is having few but high quality ingredients. This is the pasta sauce I grew up on and through my college and non-cooking years my mother, Maria, would prepare in batches for me containers of  sauce so whenever I wanted could get a taste of home.  It is this ‘plain sauce’ as it’s called in my family (NEVER GRAVY!)  that made me fall in love with all food! Included is my mom’s sauce recipe, a much prized possession as people in our hometown paid money for it. Best with some capellini or penne and topped with freshly grated parm, cracked black pepper and some basil chiffonade…perfection!

• sautee olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pan + a little more) with garlic until golden
• add canned crushed tomatoes and basil
• add salt (go easy)  and pepper(fresh ground)
• bring to boil and then quickly turn to simmer
• adjust salt during cooking if needed
• cook at least 1 hour until consistency is as desired, add tomato paste to thicken if needed and cook out

Orecchiette or ‘little ears’ in Italian is a fun shape to work with. My favorite thing to marry it with is ground Italian sweet sausage and broccoli rabe. Super simple but still a hearty and satisfying dish. It finally becoming summertime, I like to try to keep things lighter sometimes so in this version I used Italian style turkey sausage which I find a close healthy alternative to the real thing. With the use of crushed red pepper flakes to give it some kick, giving a more mild heat vs just using Italian hot sausage which can become overpowering.  The bitter green of the broccoli I could eat with anything, hands down my favorite veg! Top it off with a sprinkle of some cheesy, salty parm and maybe a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and you are set.

Try it tonight with this fast and easy recipe….

Ingredients

• 1 bunch broccoli rabe, stemed and trimmed
• 1/2  pound orecchiette pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound turkey Italian-style sausage, casings removed
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• Pinch dried crushed red pepper flakes
• Grated Parmesan to taste

Directions (yields 2-3 servings)

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and saute until fragrant then add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into pieces with a spoon, until brown.

Meanwhile, cook the broccoli rabe in a pot of boiling salted water for a minute. Transfer the broccoli rabe into cold water to shock it and stop the cooking process, leaving it bright green. Save the cooking water and bring it back to boil and add pasta. Should take about 9 minutes to cook the orecchiette so it is al dente, strain.

Strain the broccoli rabe and add it to the pan with the sausage mixture and toss to coat; then add the pasta and stir in the cheese.

Introducing Buitoni’s new ad campaign. I found it while exiting the Union Square station on the day I started this blog…it was kismet.

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This pasta dish is in no way seasonal, not a typical light summer meal but I was at a Mexican resort for 10 days and had to endure buffet style, over cooked, barely room temperature, rigatoni (without lines) with tasteless and watery cream and tomato sauces….slimy. You can imagine this Italian girl who grow up eating pasta everyday had a problem with this and so when I got home had a real craving for some authentic pasta. A cream sauce, crispy, salty pancetta and the freshness of the parsley wrapped around my fork and gathered together with the help of my spoon to create that perfect creamy, salty, porky, pasta bite! Spaghetti is probably my least favorite cut of pasta (Yes! cuts count, more education on that later) but is a perfect companion for the carbonara. This is my version of the dish – a quick and simple classic that is a staple in my repertoire.