Five perfect pasta recipes

If time isn't on your side then these quick pasta dishes are a great solution for a tasty, wholesome meal.

There are few things more comforting than a bowl of steaming pasta and there are countless ways to jazz it up.  Now that we’re coming into Spring (hurrah!) it’s time to throw in some fresh flavours to brighten up the bowl.

One of the great things about pasta dishes is that you rarely need a shopping list as long as your arm, nor do you need bags of time to cook the stuff, so it’s perfect for weekday meals.  There’s also no need to worry if unexpected dinner guests turn up – just thrown a few more ribbons in the pan and hey presto.  So take a quick look at these five fab pasta recipes and get cooking!

Antonio Carluccio’s spaghetti with garlic oil and chilli

If you’re going to ask anyone about pasta, it really should be an Italian. So who better to turn to than Antonio Carluccio?

This dish requires so few ingredients you probably won’t even need to go shopping  and it takes just over five minutes to cook, making it a perfect midweek supper. 

Delicious on its own, this is also a great dish to add your own personal touch to. So why not try adding a few of your favourite ingredients? The world is your oyster - although I wouldn’t suggest adding them in this case!

Read Antonio Carluccio’s recipe for spaghetti with garlic oil and chilli

Antonio Carluccio’s pasta ribbons

This dish is spring on a plate with the vibrant greens of the asparagus and broad beans.  You can tell just by looking at the dish that the flavours are going to explode in your mouth. 

All the ingredients for the sauce are in season between March and April so there’s no excuse for not whipping this up now!

Read Antonio Carluccio’s recipe for pasta ribbons

James Martin’s tagliatelle with salmon

To prove that it’s not just Italians who can cook pasta, here is a recipe from a home-grown Brit. 

James Martin suggests adding tinned red salmon to your store cupboard essentials to ensure you are never stuck for choice even if your shelves are looking a bit bare. 

As the ingredients require so little cooking time this is a great recipe for busy people with busy lives.  The salmon adds a touch of luxury and we all need a bit of luxury after all...

Read James Martin’s recipe for tagliatelle with salmon

Mitch Tonks’ spaghetti with clams

We’re just getting fancier and fancier- now we’ve thrown clams into the mix.  Mitch Tonks suggests serving this on a big plate for everyone to share so this is a great option if you’re throwing a dinner party.

The clams themselves are packed full of flavour, needing little more than some tomatoes and herbs to create a wonderfully fresh and filling dish.

Read Mitch Tonks’ recipe for spaghetti with clams

Bill Granger’s pumpkin cannelloni

Now, because this is Britain, we should all know better than to believe that it will get steadily warmer from now until summer.  For this reason, I have included Bill Granger’s recipe should the worst come to the worst. 

This creamy pumpkin dish may have an autumnal ring to it but I’m just not 100% convinced we are free of drab, grey days just yet, even if it is March. 

It can be made well in advance, simply freeze the assembled cannelloni without baking and pop in the freezer.  So, if Spring does start misbehaving, you know where to turn.

Read Bill Granger’s recipe for pumpkin cannelloni