Creative Cooking Italian Pasta Recipes

Tagliatelle with Smoked Salmon is an attractive Pasta Dish using the cucumber's light texture that go hand in hand with fresh smoked salmon.

Ingredients: 350g dried tagliatelle, 75g butter, 1/2 cucumber, juice and rind of 1 orange, fresh dill, 300ml light cream, 125g smoked salmon, salt & pepper and fresh Italian parsley.

Method: Boil water in large saucepan, add pinch of salt and dried tagliatelle. Cook pasta until Al Dente. Drain. Cut cucumber in half and scoop out the seeds. Discard seeds and slice thinly. Melt butter in saucepan. Add grated orange rind, dill and cucumber - simmer for 1 minute. Add cream and orange juice, season and simmer for 1 minute. Cut smoked salmon into bite sized pieces and stir through sauce quickly to warm. Drain pasta and toss into sauce. Decorate with fresh Italian parsley and finely shaven parmesan cheese.

Herbs make a wonderful Sauce for Italian Pasta Recipes - Attractive, Aromatic and Full of Flavor.

Ingredients: 50g fresh mixed herbs, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 60ml toasted pinenuts or cashews, 150ml olive oil, 350g dried spaghetti, 80ml freshly grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper for seasoning and Italian basil leaves for garnish

Method: Boil water in large saucepan, add pinch of salt and dried spaghetti. Cook pasta until Al Dente. Drain. Place herbs, crushed garlic and half of the pine nuts into a blender. Add olive oil gradually until mixture thickens. Toss pasta through pine nut mixture and add freshly grated parmesan, whole pine nuts and fresh basil leaves.

Prosciutto is ideal for this dish. The richness and taste makes a Great Starter!

Ingredients: 125g prosciutto, 40g butter, 2 chopped shallots, 160ml cream, 350g dried fettuccine, 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and Italian Parsley

Method: Boil water in large saucepan, add pinch of salt and dried fettuccini. Cook pasta until Al Dente. Drain. Chop prosciutto into strips. Melt butter in a frying pan and sautee shallots quickly. Add prosciutto and cook a further 1-2 minutes or until golden. Season mixture and add cream. Toss sauce through fettuccini, season and add freshly grated parmesan and Italian Parsley.