In the deep clutches of fall when the sun is setting at 5pm and Karl the fog refuses to break, we immediately go into our version of "soup mode." It probably doesn't come as a shock that means we ease the transition from our pseudo Bay Area "summer" by eating all the cozy pasta dishes and (mostly) hiding indoors.
This year, we're doubling down on the avoidant behavior by focusing on the essentials, or the Italian pasta icons that we believe everyone should have in their back pocket for a rainy (or snowy or foggy or windy) day. Each recipe adheres to the prescriptive "less is more" approach to Italian cooking, so they lean on staples and products that are easy to source. Translation: You can maximize your hermitting-at-home time.
There's a reason we say "the classics are the classics for a reason." When a recipe has stood the test of time and been perfected through techniques that are, in some cases, hundreds of years old, you know it's a winner. While this is by no means an exhaustive compilation, we're going to focus on nine recipes to prioritize on your fall pasta bucket list. And because we like to turn everything into a game (or, better yet, competition), we've created a handy Bingo card (below!) so you can easily track your progress.
To get you started, we're linking to six recipes from our Flour + Water Test Kitchen. These takes do take some liberties (chef Ryan has already confessed his cacio e pepe sins to all the Italian nonnas), and we won't judge if you also want to riff on these essentials based on your tastes + pantries. Our only command is to use high-quality ingredients. These recipes are simple, so each element plays a starring role to make the whole sing.
- Aglio e Olio - Originating from Naples, aglio e olio (which translates to garlic + oil) traditionally features just a handful of ingredients: garlic, olive oil, and chili flakes. Our version throws some anchovies into the mix, but is still one you can execute with a few core pantry staples when you want a banger pasta dish with minimal effort.
- "Blender Cheat" Cacio e Pepe - Once you go blender, you'll never go back. Chef Ryan's approach to cacio e pepe makes whipping out this Roman pasta legend a breeze by eliminating the risk for a clumpy cacio sauce!
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Penne All'Amatriciana - You'll start to spot a theme here with the Roman influence on our essential pasta rotation. (There are four classic Roman pastas, and we've got them all on our Bingo card this fall.) We love them all equally, but there's something about a great all'amatriciana when the guanciale renders just right and all the elements are in balance.
- Penne Arrabbiata - A little spicy, a little bit sweet from our favorite Bianco DiNapoli canned tomatoes, arrabbiata hits all the notes we love in a red sauce pasta like the all'amatriciana, but in a veg-friendly formula.
- Perfect Spaghetti alla Carbonara - Another Roman classic, carbonara gives us big time breakfast pasta for dinner vibes with its caramelized bits of guanciale and lush egg yolk sauce. In the traditional recipe, you won't find Parmigiano-Reggiano, but we find it helps take the salty edge off the Pecorino Romano.
- Spaghetti al Pomodoro - While we wish tomato season lasted year-round, this recipe supplements even out-of-season cherry tomatoes with canned San Marzanos. The end result is your pitch-perfect everyday red sauce.
Rounding out our essentials list are: Alla Gricia (the final Roman pasta in the four-fecta), Al Pesto (our spring campanelle features our go-to Basil & Pine Nut Pesto recipe), and everybody's favorite Bolognese (chef Thomas has you covered with the recipe in the Flour + Water Pasta cookbook).
Did Essential Pasta Bingo just become our favorite new fall sport? You betcha. Don't forget to tag @flourandwaterfoods in your photos on Instagram as you're working your way through the game with us.
