Simple Pasta Dishes: A Love Letter to Italian Cuisine

Thursday, September 25, 2025 Page A3 MAGNOLIA GAZETTE

Covered in red sauce (or gravy, as Italians lovingly call it); paired with sauteed vegetables, shrimp and more red sauce for a delicious Shrimp Creole; stirred together with chopped vegetables and pepperoni and doused in a vinaigrette dressinf for a zesty pasta salad and perhaps my favorite method, topped with meatballs and more of the “gravy” to make a bountiful spaghetti and meatballs meal. I love these pasta dishes equally, as well as quite a few more. Therefore, I’m totally loving the emergence of ingenious pasta recipes and preparation ideas currently “trending” on the internet. First, “buttery noodles” has become a popular side dish or in some cases, main entrée for those seeking a quick meal. It’s probably the simplest pasta dish of all time… first, boil a pound of pasta in any shape, although wide noodles work best. Melt a stick of butter in a heavy skillet and pour cooked, drained pasta into the skillet. Stir well to combine, then add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

This week, I read an article featuring public television chef, cookbook author and restaurant owner Lida Bastianich, whose Italian restaurant Becco I’ve visited in New York City. Becco’s famous pasta trio, which includes three different homemade pastas nightly and its famous bechamel and Bolognese sauce lasagna are also on my pasta favorites list. When asked her favorite dish, I was surprised to learn that it’s the simple dish of Spaghettini with Oil and Garlic, also known as Aglio e Olio.

And my favorite new pasta trend of the week? Discovering the recipe for

Spicy-Butter Spaghetti. It’s a relatively simple recipe that takes pasta to new heights courtesy of a buttery, spicy butter concoction. For a heartier meal, add cooked, chopped chicken, shrimp, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto or other favorite proteins. The spicy butter can even be used on other things besides pasta to add extra flavor, including cooked meat, vegetables and bread.

Until I make it back to NYC for another delicious Becco meal, I’ll cope by visiting as many Italian restaurants as possible (email me for a list of my favorites) and making Bastianich’s togo dish and Spicy Butter Pasta.

Borrowing a line from my Italian friends: “Buon Appetito!”

Spicy-Butter Spaghetti