Linguine

Crusty Italian bread and mixed greens with a red wine vinaigrette are good with the pasta. Afterward, put out big strawberries and bowls of mascarpone cheese (or sour cream) and brown sugar for dipping.

The secret to this Chinese favorite is not to let the noodles sit in the sauce very long — toss them together a few seconds before serving.

This is a great pasta dish to serve for company. Chances are good that you'll find the Asian ingredients— increasingly carried by everyday food shops—at your local supermarket. We used the Thai Kitchen brand, which is widely available.

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 45 min

Warm garlic toast and an arugula salad with balsamic vinaigrette are good partners with the pasta. A purchased lemon tart is a fitting dessert.

A quick version of the traditional Sicilian dish pasta con le sarde. Accompany it with herbed focaccia topped with goat cheese, as well as a salad of roasted red bell peppers. Finish the meal with a fresh fruit tart. This recipe can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Imported from Italy early in the decade, sun-dried tomatoes seduced the nation. Two other obsessions were pasta and pesto. All those ingredients combine here in a dish that doesn’t age.

Dried udon noodles are found in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets; if unavailable, use linguine instead.

This is as delicious with mussels as it is with clams. Offer a simple green salad afterward, and pears and a wedge of Italian cheese for dessert.

A cup or so of the linguine cooking water is the secret to a properly made pasta with pesto.

Puttanesca sauce is normally cooked, but we developed a quick and easy version that doesn't require cooking.

Linguine alle vongole
Adapted from Esca For this pasta dish, David Pasternack strongly recommends using a hard, sturdy dried pasta—in other words, don't be tempted to buy fresh or egg linguine. Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Parmesan isn't usually served with seafood pasta, but the cheese adds a nice richness to this linguine.

Pasta with shellfish is an old Italian tradition. Have crusty bread on hand to serve.

Leftover roasted chicken or turkey makes this rendition of a popular salad a snap to prepare. It's made spicy by combining chilies with linguine, green onions, snow peas, cilantro and a peanut dressing.

A shrimp and scallop pasta dish with basil and fennel.