Recipe: Lazy Pasta

by julie on April 8, 2008

There’s so much truth in the saying that simple is better. Terry had rehearsal last night, and so did I (but in separate places– like, 30 miles apart separate!), so I only had to cook for myself and the cats last night*. So I threw together something right out of the pantry. It’s super simple.

Grab your favorite pasta– last night, I used whole wheat rotini– and cook according to the package directions. Terry likes it when I use angel hair, and it’s also good with some premade tortellini or ravioli.

In a saute pan, melt some butter. We’ll be cooking it to the browned stage, per Michael Ruhlman’s easy directions. If you’ve never had beurre noir before, you’ll be amazed– it’s nutty and rich and delicious. Unsalted butter, please, if you have it.

Toss the pasta in the pan with your browned butter and toss to coat. Then, get out a hand grater or a vegetable peeler and grate some parmigiano reggiano into the saute pan. Don’t use the pre-grated stuff unless it’s an emergency (we had to slum it with the pre-grated stuff during the Blizzard of 2008. Trust me. Use the good stuff). There’s enough saltiness in the parm that you don’t really have to season it much more. Use as much as you like. Toss some more. If you like, add some other seasonings– I use black pepper and lemon for a sort of light alfredo flavor. It’s also nice with fresh sage.

You can use other cheeses as well– crumbled feta, crumbled Roquefort. It’s an impromptu sauce that is quick, easy, tasty, has no weird , unpronounceable chemicals, and is very filling.

What are your favorite “go-to” pantry meals? What do you always have in your pantry?
*Note: I don’t cook for the cats, but they seem to think I do, the way that they watch me cook. I may sneak them chicken or tuna sometimes, but I will never admit it.

copyright 2008, winemedineme/Julie Niesen. All rights reserved.
  • The Phantom

    Good post for a simple meal…and you are so right about unsalted butted. I always use that when cooking. Honestly, some of my favorite go-to pantry meals are quick breakfast foods: oatmeal, scrambled eggs, pancakes.

  • Chris S

    I usually do a baked pasta with a cheese sauce for the quick and easy. Just the usual butter until brown, a spoonful of flour, some cream, heat until thick, and then add a cup or two of shredded cheese. You don’t have to bake it, but if you pour that over some cooked pasta with some panko on top, its nice and easy and ready quickly. Gives you a fairly wide up palate of spices, mustard, salt, and pepper are the usuals that I end up adding to the cheese mix.

    I ALWAYS have panko, pasta, cheese, butter, and a milk product, so this would likely be why that ends up the table fairly often when I am in a rush.

  • Julie

    Sounds like the same way I make my macaroni and cheese– I generally have those same ingredients in my pantry/fridge at all times. I’m more likely to have half-and-half (the boyfriend’s coffee preference) than milk, so I try not to do baked pasta TOO much. Oof.

  • JKNEPFLE

    mizithra cheese works great for this!! Rich and delicious.

  • Cin Twin1

    Two things we can always make at my place are quesadill-as (we pronouce them like Napoleon Dynamite for kicks and giggles) and omelets. We always make sure we eggs, flour tortillas and cheese on hand.

    You then just add what ever meat or leftovers you have lying around to either one. I have put sweet potatoes on quesadillas before and also added left over corn on the cob. I make it a habit to buy a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store every week, debone it when I come home, and freeze individual portions of chicken to throw in things like pastas, quesadillas, or omelets.

  • Julie

    Phantom– I’m not the biggest breakfast person, but I do occasionally make myself an egg for dinner if I’m feeling lazy, but don’t want to go out.

    JKnepfle– yes! I remembered that the Old Spaghetti Factory does something like that, but I think they use too much cheese.

    Cin Twin– quesadill-as (hee) are great for using up leftovers or making a quick meal. Yum!

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