How to Cook Pasta Without Tomato Sauce

My kids hated tomato sauce but loved pasta so I did some searching. Actually, the use of tomato sauce on pasta is a regional preference and there's more to pasta than marinara or Alfredo. Pasta can be combined with almost anything if you keep in mind a few basics that an elderly Italian neighbor taught me years ago.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pasta
• Basil
• Olive Oil
• Anise Seed
• Oregano
• Garlic
• Large pasta bowl
• Collander
• Large sauce and saute pans

1. Grow basil, garlic and oregano in your garden. Basil, particularly, is a good companion plant for those tomatoes. Surround your garden with garlic and onions--rabbits don't like them.

2. Always cook your pasta al dente or firm to the tooth. This means that you may have to check your pasta as it cooks and cook it a bit less than package instructions.

3. Be creative with your ingredients. Grilled salmon, chicken or shrimp, Cajun redfish, bacon, leftover roast or ham all contribute to satisfying pasta dishes. Choose firm vegetables like broccoli, artichoke hearts, peas, carrots, scallions to make a complete dish of your pasta. Pre-cook each ingredient and steam vegetables. Pour hot pasta over your other ingredients in the drainer after cooking so everything is hot at the right time.

4. Use the right seasoning. Basil, garlic, oregano and anise are classic seasonings but you might occasionally try adding some ginger instead of anise to salmon or shrimp. Or grill your shrimp or chicken with Cajun spices and put a drop of hot sauce in your olive oil.

5. Dress your pasta rather than burying it in sauce. Use margarine with your olive oil to coat the pasta and soften the strong taste of the olive oil. Your dressing should be just enough to carry your seasonings and keep your pasta from sticking together.

6. Try something new. If you always use spaghetti or capellini, try linguini next time. Veggie Rotini looks great with shrimp or ham and bow tie pasta works well with chicken. Or use sturdy manicotti with pesto and grilled or smoked salmon. Try wilted spinach, or shredded prociutto with tricolor tortellini. Pasta carbonara uses eggs, whisked with parmesan cheese, cooked off the heat source with sauteed bacon and chopped garlic and is much more respectable than that jar of marinara sauce.

7. Keep it simple but finish with an impressive garnish. Chop up some fresh Italian plum tomatoes. Toss them in basil, crushed garlic and balsamic vinegar and sprinkle them over your pasta dishes. Or garnish your pasta with fresh out of the garden cilantro, Italian curled parsley or basil.

8. Don't be afraid of serving pasta cooler than room temperature. I did a delicious linguini with salmon, shrimp and baby peas, using margarine (because I was out of olive oil) with garlic and lots of basil. We had way too much and so I promptly refrigerated the leftovers. The next day, I put nests of it topped with a little salmon and chopped tomatoes on red leaf lettuce and served it with balsamic vinegar for lunch. It was a bigger hit than the hot version! Rather than the same old pasta salad, try summer spaghetti--spaghetti, chopped fresh vegetables and a sweet French dressing. Use a summer tomato and Vidalia onion dressing. Add some ham and swiss cheese and put it on a bed of bib or romaine lettuce for a lunch plate.

Tips & Warnings

• Tomato sauce covers a multitude of pasta-cooking sins. Al dente pasta keeps cooking when you take it off the stove. Don't let it sit in its water or it will become mushy. Drain it immediately and butter or oil to seal the pasta so it doesn't stick.
• A classic pesto (basil and garlic, chopped and mulled with olive oil) makes a delicious dressing for any type of pasta and is correct with any pasta dish.
• Your pasta should be the meal. A salad and a piece of bread or two to sop up the leftover dressing.
• If you must have lasagna, mix cooked spinach, onion, mushroom and pine nuts into ricotta, spread on oiled (cooked) lasagna noodles and roll them. Stand them on end and drizzle (and baste as they cook) with tomato bisque soup, thinned with a bit of olive oil and seasoned with lots of basil. It's almost cheating but it's heavenly!