by Karyn Clemons

Created on: May 14, 2009

I consider myself to be an adventurous eater, yet when I cook dinner I do not serve duck tongue, chicken feet, or fish balls. No, the meal that I cook more than any other is pasta. After I graduated from college, I lived on my own for three years. During those three years I taught, travelled to Italy, and experimented in the kitchen. I discovered that pasta was one meal that I could make for myself and for my friends and it was always delicious.

Pasta is a perfect dish to impress. Here are a few ways you can change your average main pasta dish to one that will have people begging for your recipe.

Use Fresh Ingredients

If at all possible, do not use canned or frozen vegetables. Fresh peas, when added to a homemade pasta sauce, can be divine. However, if you throw in garlic from a jar, you are throwing away a perfect opportunity to experiment with the best way to use fresh garlic. Fresh herbs are irreplaceable. If they seem too expensive to you and you feel like you may not use them up before they go bad, at least consider purchasing fresh basil and rosemary. Dried rosemary has a medicinal quality and the last minute addition of fresh basil to a sauce will make you swoon. Fresh ingredients are always the best option.

Splurge on Meats and Cheese

Imported Italian cheeses are pricey, but worth it. Plus, one quarter pound wedge of real Parmesan cheese goes a long way. Throw away that green canister of Kraft, get out your micro-planer, and grate that wedge of cheese on top of your pasta as a final flourish. On to meats. If the recipe calls for prosciutto or pancetta, buy it. Do not substitute bacon for these meats, even if your recipe says that you can. It is greasier, heavier, and lacks the flavor that the other meats have. Pancetta and prosciutto are wonderful additions to a sauce. Buy a small portion and experiment. You will not regret it, in fact, you may develop a bit of an addiction.

When in Doubt, De-glaze

When cooking onions and garlic at the beginning of a recipe, you may notice that they sometimes begin to stick to the pan. Stir them regularly, but do not add more oil. Instead, once they are cooked to the proper color, add a glug of wine. This will bring up all of the yummy goodness that has cooked to the bottom of the pan. The type of wine that you use will depend on what you are cooking. If a marinara sauce, red wine is best, when cooking a creamier sauce, opt for white wine. Make sure the wine is dry and that you give the alcohol time to cook off.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

This type of oil is not the best choice for sauteing your garlic, but it is the best choice to pour over the top of your pasta when it is cooked. The flavor of a good extra virgin olive oil is at its best when it has not been heated, so use it the way the Italians do, drizzle a bit over the top of each serving before presenting the dish to your guests. It not only adds a silky sheen to the pasta, but it adds a flavor that olive oil connoisseurs will thank you for.

Making pasta for your main dish may be something you do often and it may be something that you do well. If you have not already tried the tips listed above, be brave. Tackle your next pasta dish with passion and a sense of adventure. I am sure that your friends or your family will be more than willing to be your guinea pigs.

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