Daniel Costa’s simple pastas for home cooking

People are having to cook a lot at home these days. I thought these pastas—simple, with easy-to-find ingredients and minimal clean-up—make for an easier night of cooking during this overwhelming time –chef Daniel Costa. Photos: Steven Babish

Simple dishes deserve quality ingredients. Daniel recommends Rustichella d’Abruzzo or Mancini dried pastas and the Sicilian Val Paradiso extra virgin olive oil, all available at the Italian Centre Shops.

Olive oil preserved tuna is something I always have in my pantry. There are so many quick and delicious recipes that we make with it and this is one of our favourites. I also like to substitute dill for the parsley as a great alternative.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the linguine, cook until al dente (roughly 1 minute prior to package instructions).
While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a wide pot or large deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and salt, sauté until lightly softened, add the garlic and capers and fry for an additional minute. Add the tuna and remaining ingredients along with 2 ounces of the pasta cooking water, continue to cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat until ready to add the pasta.

Using tongs, pull the pasta directly from the cooking water directly into the pot of tuna sauce. Return the pot to high heat, stir constantly until the sauce is creamy and is coating the pasta, approximately 30 seconds, adding a little more pasta water if necessary. Serve immediately with a little fresh-cracked black pepper or dried chile flakes.
Serves 2.

Salty pancetta and sweet peas are such a delicious combination! Try substituting smoky speck for the pancetta or remove the sage and parsley and stir in fresh mint for a variation on this classic recipe.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. If using fresh peas, boil them for 1 minute, then remove using a spider; if using frozen, skip this step. Add the spaghetti, cook until al dente (roughly 1 minute prior to package instructions).

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a wide pot or large deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta, allow to cook while constantly stirring until golden. Add the garlic, peas, sage and half of the butter, cook for 30 seconds then remove from heat until the spaghetti is cooked.

Using tongs pull the pasta directly from the cooking water directly into the pot of pancetta and peas and return to high heat. Add 2 ounces of cooking water, return the pot to high heat and stir constantly until the sauce is creamy and is coating the pasta, approximately 30 seconds, adding a little more pasta water if necessary. Remove from the heat and stir in the pecorino, remaining butter and parsley. Serve immediately with a little more grated Pecorino and fresh-cracked black pepper.

Serves 2.

This recipe is one of my favourites from Micah Joffe (chef of Bar Bricco). I love the rich and creamy ricotta combined with the pop of the lemon and basil. This dish is also very adaptable to other combinations such as chili and parsley instead of basil and pine nuts.

Roast the pine nuts over medium high heat in a small pan until lightly golden, ensure to constantly move the pine nuts around the pan to avoid burning.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni, cook until al dente (roughly 1 minute prior to package instructions).

While the pasta is cooking, place the ricotta, salt, lemon zest and 4 ounces of pasta cooking water in a wide pot or large deep pan, using a wooden spoon to mix all the ingredients until smooth. Place the pot on medium heat, stir constantly until the ricotta sauce just comes to a simmer. Remove from heat immediately.

Using a spider, remove the rigatoni directly from the water to the pot of ricotta sauce. Stir in the Pecorino, pine nuts and lemon juice. Serve immediately, top with more pecorino, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and fresh-cracked black pepper.

Serves 2.

A classic Neapolitan sauce and cut of pasta that is rich and full of deep flavours. I love the texture of paccheri and find that is works so well for a sauce like this. Avoid over salting the water or sauce as the majority of ingredients in this recipe are preserved in salt and bring a powerful punch!

Heat the olive oil in a wide pot or large deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the red onion, sauté until lightly softened, add the garlic and anchovy and cook for an additional 3 seconds stirring constantly. Add the white wine and chile flakes and allow to cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook until reduced by almost half, approximately 8–10 minutes. Add the olives and capers, cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat until ready for pasta.

While the sauce is cooking bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the paccheri, cook until al dente (roughly 1 minute prior to package instructions). Using a spider, remove the paccheri directly from the water to the pot of sauce. Return pot to high heat, add a splash of pasta cooking water. Cook stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick and coating the paccheri, approximately 30 seconds. Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

This recipe is inspired by Sicily and is a classic combination of high spice and fresh, cooling mint. A long noodle such as spaghetti also works beautifully with this sauce.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orecchiette, cook until al dente (roughly 1 minute prior to package instructions).

While the pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil in a wide pot or large deep pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and salt and sauté until just beginning to golden. Add the tomatoes and chiles, cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat until the orecchiette is cooked.

Using a spider, remove the orecchiette directly from the pasta cooking water directly to the pot of sauce. Return the pot to high heat, add 2 ounces of the pasta cooking water, stir constantly until the sauce is creamy and is coating the pasta (approximately 30 seconds) remove from the heat. Stir in the Pecorino and mint. Serve immediately topped with a little more Pecorino and fresh chiles.

Serves 2.