Pasta is your answer for what to cook for dinner tonight. It’s easy! The possibilities are endless and you can hardly mess it up…as long as you don’t overcook it. I love it with sausage, but I don’t buy it often because I figure I can imitate its basic flavor in a healthier way if I desire it. Ground meat of any kind and some dried herbs and spices work rather well in my opinion. You can start cooking without a recipe by developing your intuition in the kitchen.
Begin with browning your ground meat of choice (I used turkey) in a skillet with some olive oil. Add some minced garlic and some dried spices. In this case, I wanted to mimic the flavor of an Italian sausage, so I chose paprika, fennel, chile flakes, basil and oregano. I was in a spicy mood, so I used a lot of chile pepper flakes, but you could eliminate them and make it a sweet dish altogether. It’s up to you! Taste as you go and see what works. That’s the key to cooking without a recipe.
Season with salt and add some tomatoes. I had part of a can that was opened and a few fresh grape tomatoes, so I tossed the canned ones in to simmer with the meat while the pasta was cooking. Added the fresh ones in near the end just to warm them and add a different texture. Zero waste cooking using what I had on hand.
I told you this was your easy answer for what to cook for dinner tonight. Yes, grated parmesan on top will finish it off. As in Italy, a few quality ingredients combine for a simple meal that is sure to satisfy.
Ready for another fantastic pasta with ground turkey? Please read Tally Your Umami Savvy next to gain more confidence in cooking without a recipe.
This is a great suggestion!
So logical that I would never have thought of it 😆
I’m going to adopt your approach starting now.
Question: what kind of pasta do you use?
Dried/ fresh/homemade?
Thanks. Generally I use a quality dried pasta. Once in a while I buy fresh. I have made my own a few times, but that’s another story entirely…
I use fresh pasta. Was it that much different than when you made it yourself ?
It depends on the pasta…For example, I prefer an eggy tagliatelle for a good bolognese. Do I feel like making my own fresh if I can find a good one pre-made?
Can I find a good, fresh one locally? If not, I might prefer a dried egg noodle instead.
It really depends what you’re looking for. Dried/fresh depends on your style of sauce and how you want it to cling to the noodle.
For everyday and most preparations, dried pasta is fabulous!