A bitter-meets-smoky pasta from Alto Adige — quick enough for a weeknight, elegant enough for guests.
| Amount | Ingredient |
|---|---|
| 1 lb | Linguine |
| 1 lb | Large shrimp, peeled and deveined |
| 4 cloves | Garlic, thinly sliced |
| 1 | Fresh chili, sliced (or ½ tsp red pepper flakes) |
| ½ cup | Extra-virgin olive oil |
| Zest of 1 lemon | |
| ¼ cup | Fresh parsley, chopped |
| 2 tbsp | Butter |
| ⅓ cup | Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano |
| Salt | To taste |
Step 1: Cook tagliolini in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water.
Step 2: While pasta cooks, render speck in a dry skillet over medium heat until crispy, about 4 min. Remove half and set aside for garnish.
Step 3: Add butter and shallot to the same pan. Cook 2 min until softened. Add radicchio and sauté until just wilted, about 2 min.
Step 4: Pour in wine and let it sizzle until nearly evaporated, about 1 min.
Step 5: Add drained pasta, reserved pasta water, and Parmigiano. Toss vigorously 30 seconds until creamy.
Step 6: Serve topped with reserved crispy speck and extra Parmigiano.
Crispy-skinned chicken meets Rome's most famous pasta sauce — all in one skillet.
Step 1: Pat chicken dry, season with salt. Sear skin-side down in olive oil over medium heat until deep golden, 13-15 min. Flip and cook 13-15 min more. Transfer to a plate.
Step 2: Pour off all but 1 tbsp fat. Sauté shallot and garlic 1 min. Add wine, scraping up brown bits. Add cream, broth, and crushed peppercorns. Simmer 5 min until slightly thickened.
Step 3: Return chicken skin-side up to the pan. Cover and simmer 15 min until cooked through (165°F internal).
Step 4: Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water.
Step 5: Remove chicken. Add pasta + Pecorino to the sauce, tossing with pasta water until creamy. Serve with chicken on top.
The TikTok-famous Greek-Italian fusion that actually delivers — one pan, five ingredients, dinner ready.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F.
Step 2: In a 9×13 baking dish, combine tomatoes, garlic, onion, parsley, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Make a well in the center and place the feta block. Pour olive oil over everything.
Step 3: Bake 40 min uncovered, until tomatoes are bursting and feta is golden at the edges.
Step 4: Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water.
Step 5: Remove dish from oven. Stir the baked feta and tomatoes into a creamy sauce. Add pasta and toss, adding pasta water if needed.
Step 6: Serve with fresh basil and extra black pepper.
A Pugliese coastal classic — briny, bright, and unexpectedly elegant.
Step 1: If using fresh sardines, clean them: remove heads, split open, remove backbone, and chop coarsely. Drain canned sardines and break into chunks.
Step 2: Cook orecchiette in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water.
Step 3: While pasta cooks, warm olive oil in a large skillet. Add garlic and chili — cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
Step 4: Add sardines and cook 2 minutes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon.
Step 5: Add cherry tomatoes, olives, and capers. Cook 3-4 minutes until tomatoes soften. Pour in wine and lemon zest; let reduce 1 minute.
Step 6: Add drained orecchiette and ½ cup pasta water. Toss 30 seconds. Garnish with basil.
A Neapolitan seafood treasure — tender cuttlefish in a rich, briny tomato sauce coating every ridged tube of pasta.
Step 1: Cook paccheri in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water.
Step 2: While pasta cooks, warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chilies — cook 30 seconds.
Step 3: Add cuttlefish and sauté 2-3 minutes until just opaque. Don't overcook or it will toughen.
Step 4: Add cherry tomatoes and cook 5 minutes until they start breaking down. Pour in wine and let it reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
Step 5: Add drained pasta and ½ cup pasta water. Toss vigorously until the sauce coats every tube — the ridges of the paccheri are perfect for trapping the briny sauce.
Step 6: Serve with fresh parsley and a drizzle of olive oil.
The ultimate 20-minute pasta — a classic aglio e olio elevated with succulent shrimp.
Step 1: Cook linguine in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water.
Step 2: While pasta cooks, warm ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic and chili — cook gently 2-3 minutes until garlic is fragrant and just golden. Do not let it burn.
Step 3: Increase heat to medium-high. Add shrimp in a single layer. Cook 1½ minutes per side until pink and curled. Remove shrimp and set aside.
Step 4: Reduce heat to low. Add butter, lemon zest, and parsley to the garlic oil. Swirl to combine.
Step 5: Add drained pasta, ½ cup pasta water, and Parmigiano. Toss 30 seconds. Return shrimp and toss once more.
Step 6: Serve immediately with extra parsley and a drizzle of raw olive oil.
Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 1 · Pasta Perfetto. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.