Pasta…you are back in my life!

We just had a dinner I copied from an M&S ready meal my (fussy!) mother liked years ago - pasta, salmon and broccoli in some sort of white sauce. I perked up my own version (I use a tin of salmon, flaked and a lot of broccoli) with a good splash of white wine, plus some grated cheese in the sauce.
It’s very tasty.

Tuna pasta bake for us tonight- haven't made it in years. All store cupboard ingredients apart from the garlic bread I bought to go with it!

I eat pasta once a week. It doesn’t seem to affect my weight.

My husband came from an Italian family, so life without pasta doesn't exist in my kitchen.

We have a quick pasta dish that we always make when in our caravan -

Cooked pasta (we like tagliatelle), steamed / microwaved leeks, sautéed mushrooms, handful of peas. Mix all up with a tub of Marscapone cheese and then sprinkle with black olives.

Pici Cacio e pepe is food of the gods.

Pici is difficult to find, but worth the wait.

I’m in love with fresh pasta and yes, I can taste the difference!

Prawn linguine usually once a week with a glass of vino.

Of course you can tell the difference Jaxjacky and gnocchi are the same. homemade gnocchi is nothing like the little bullets you buy in the supermarket.

This is a delicious easy sauce recipe. Oven roast all sauce ingredients shown in pic (I also add fresh basil) until cheese is melted and tomatoes soft, when ready stir into a sauce. Boil pasta as usual when sauce ingredients are nearly ready - I tend to use spaghetti - and stir through. Add parmesan. Yummy!

We have pasta every couple of weeks. I do fusili with tuna, mayo, sweetcorn, black pepper and hard boiled eggs and fresh parsley. I do lasagne from scratch which we all love. Macaroni with bacon, onions and spinach in cheese sauce is another fave.

I never choose pasta when we eat out as I still see it as a cheap meal and not really a treat.

I really like tomato/pesto based sauces with pasta, prob do this once a week, no meat added but sometimes serve with fish, salmon is a favourite.Quick, easy and tasty.

Witzend

We just had a dinner I copied from an M&S ready meal my (fussy!) mother liked years ago - pasta, salmon and broccoli in some sort of white sauce. I perked up my own version (I use a tin of salmon, flaked and a lot of broccoli) with a good splash of white wine, plus some grated cheese in the sauce.
It’s very tasty.

I used to make that (but I'm sure I'm not your mother 🤔)
However, DH hates pasta so I rarely cook it now, although I was thinking of making spaghetti bolognese tomorrow (potatoes for DH).

Sous Chef sell Pici NotAGran55 - though it's pricey.
I confess to using Bucatini if I want something like a fat Spaghetti.
Waitrose Bucatini is quite good in my opinion.

I like to have lots of different pastas to choose from as I think some shapes/types are better with some sauces than others.

We had a huge pasta dish repertoire when the children were young and still eat it often one way or another.

Retread, thank you for your post- boursin + pasta sounds great ( unlike my auto correct's suggestion of bougainvillea)

Very quick pasta recipe and dgd’s favourite meal. Heat some crème fraiche with a little vegetable stock powder and frozen peas. Add flaked cooked salmon, I do it in the microwave, and serve over pasta. I generally add cooked broccoli to up her veg intake but she won’t let me add anything else.

teabagwoman. Which veg stock powder do you buy? Does anyone use orzo? In soups? Worth buying??

Jaxjacky

I’m in love with fresh pasta and yes, I can taste the difference!

Me too Jax. My daughter makes her own and it’s to die for 😋

Orzo is great in salads. Just cook it and let it go cold then mix it with anything you fancy - prawns, peppers, tomatoes, feta, the list is endless then add a dressing. I have a lovely raspberry dressing I am using at the moment

Deedaa

Of course you can tell the difference Jaxjacky and gnocchi are the same. homemade gnocchi is nothing like the little bullets you buy in the supermarket.

For some years dd1 had an Italian bf who decided to cook gnocchi for us. He went looking for some in Asda* and pronounced it very good!
*He had a job finding any, though, had to ask staff, who took a while to understand what he meant.
Eventually it was, ‘Oh, gnotchy!’ And they went and showed him.

Thank you both recommendations NotSpaghetti
I don’t know why Pici is so rare here as it’s fantastic.

Chocolatelovinggran

Retread, thank you for your post- boursin + pasta sounds great ( unlike my auto correct's suggestion of bougainvillea)

Pleasure. I should have said "stir to make the sauce". If you Google "viral Boursin pasta recipe" you'll find it, there are several versions. I always add a spoonful of the pasta water too.

We love pasta in this house, my husband's Penne Arribiata is divine

Thank you dragonfly46 I shall buy a pack today. I see it is 20% off in Waitrose. Glad I asked. Lots of Boursin recipes when Googled. I shall buy a pack of that as well. Yummo on a rather grey day.

Like the OP I would never order a pasta dish if I was eating out as it usually costs little to make but still as expensive as other dishes on the menu. MOH loves my Spag Bol but I prefer Lasagne we probably eat pasta twice a month max.