Dining and Cooking
Italian Recipes

Weeknight Pasta 3 Ways



These three fast and flavorful 20-minute pasta recipes are a life saver when you need to bust out a quick dinner on a weeknight. Get $5 your first Duo of Sizzle and Drizzle using code BRIAN at https://www.graza.co/BRIAN

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*RECIPES*

BROWN BUTTER SAGE PASTA
1 leg butternut squash, cut into ¼”/.5cm triangles
Olive oil
50g (6T) pine nuts
225g (.5lb) campanelli pasta
5-6 leaves sage, thinly sliced
100g (7T) unsalted butter
50g (1/2c) grated parmesan (plus extra for topping)
Lemon
Chili flake

Remove stem & bottom bulge of squash. Peel and cut the rest of the squash into ¼”/.5cm triangles.

Spread squash onto parchment lined half sheet tray. Toss with olive oil, salt, & pepper. Roast for 10min at 450F/232C. You should have enough squash to nearly fill a half sheet tray.

Toast pine nuts on a small sheet tray in the oven (450F/232C), 5-6 mins.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt & pasta. Cook to al dente. Reserve 250ml/1c pasta water. Drain & set aside pasta while you build the sauce.

Return empty pasta pot to medium heat. Add 50g butter & sliced sage. Fry sage for 90 sec until butter has browned. Add reserved pasta water and drained pasta. Reduce heat to low and add another 50g pasta. Stir and toss the pasta while shaking the pan to emulsify the sauce. After about a minute the texture should be silky.

Off heat, add half the toasted nuts, all of the roasted squash, and 50g parm. Stir to gently melt the cheese. Plate up and top with a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of parm, chili flakes, pine nuts, and a drizzle of olive oil.

—
RAPINI ANCHOVY PASTA
1.5 bunches of rapini/broccoli rabe
30g (8 large)+ garlic cloves, sliced
2oz/56g can anchovies, rinsed
225g (1/2lb) orecchiette
Olive oil
50g (1/2c) coarse panko bread crumbs
Chili flake
50g (3.5T) unsalted butter
50g (1/2c) grated parmesan (plus extra for topping)

Remove stems and cut the rest of the bundles of rapini into 2-3” (5-6cm) pieces. Wash.

Rinse anchovies and chop.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt and the pasta. Cook according to package instructions. When the pasta has 1 minute left to cook, add ichopped rapini in with the pasta.

Reserve 250mL/1c water, then drain pasta/rapini and set aside.

Return pasta pot to medium heat and add a generous drizzle of olive oil, about 25g/2T.
When the oil is hot add 50g panko and fry, stirring constantly for about 1 minute until golden brown. Transfer breadcrumbs to a paper towel to drain.

Add another long squeeze (25g/2T) of olive oil followed by sliced garlic. Fry over medium heat for about a minute then add a pinch of chili flake and chopped anchovies. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add reserved pasta water and drained pasta and rapini followed by 50g of butter and reduce heat to low. Stir, toss, and shake pan to create an emulsion, resulting in a creamy-silky sauce. Remove from heat and add grated parmesan.

Serve and top with a generous amount of toasted breadcrumbs, a pinch of parm, and a drizzle of olive oil.

—
BACON AND PEAS PASTA
225g (1/2lb) pasta shells (medium size)
8oz/225g thick cut bacon, diced into squares
½ white onion, small diced
salt
50g (3.5T) unsalted butter
125g (1c) frozen peas
50g (1/2c) grated parm (plus extra for topping)
Black pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt well, and cook pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 250mL/1c pasta water then drain.

Return empty pasta pot to medium heat and add diced bacon. Cook, stirring often, until fat has rendered and bacon is brown and becoming crisp, 7-8min. Remove bacon and the bulk of fat from the pan & drain bacon on towel.

Return pot to heat and add olive oil, diced onions, and a pinch of salt, scraping as the onions cook. When onions have softened, add reserved pasta water, drained pasta, and butter. Stir and toss until emulsified.

Add rendered bacon, peas, & grated parm. Remove from heat. Stir and toss gently until parm is melted.

Serve & top with pinch of grated parm & black pepper.

CHAPTERS:
0:00 Browned butter sage pasta
4:49 Rapini and anchovy pasta
6:50 My new favorite olive oil (ad)
7:55 Finishing the rapini anchovy pasta
9:54 Bacon and shells pasta

#weeknightpasta #easypasta #pastarecipes

44 Comments

  3. VN TheBee

    would this work with anything else but butternut squash? looks amazing but can’t have it.

  7. utkua

    Too much work, I will continue adding some butter into some pasta water mix then add come pecorino. Or some fry garlic in olive oil add pasta, or if i want it fancy some canned tomatoes to that garlic oil and some parmigiano. I really hate the pasta cooked in flavored water, sauce etc., I mean the one pot stuff. I like ideas but Italians figured this stuff out, I do not question their wisdom.

  10. Diana Gerlach

    I love butternut!!! I found myself eating it as a side with my spaghetti and eventually just served the pasta sauce over the butternut. The sweet contrast pairs so well. Also, thank you for sharing about Graza!!

  11. Furree

    Hi Bri! Thank you for all the inspiration, I love the weeknight's recepies. Also, it's super nice that you convert Fahrenheit to Celius even though I don't think you have to be so precisely. I mean, you rarely have a owen to set to 232 degrees. For me looking at the knob, It's "a little over 225, but not 250."😁

  13. Veraxis

    I made the butternut squash pasta last night and it was fantastic. It was declared "restaurant worthy" by my family. I think that one is a keeper for me. I'm not sure what you did to get those pine nuts to toast so evenly, because mine were less even and starting to get dark after only 3 minutes. And yes, I had the rack just a little above middle and not right near the top or anything, so I'm not sure why it was different for me. Maybe because I used a pan with a dark coating. Not a big deal, but anyone who tries this, just keep an eye on those pinolis because toasted nuts can go from browned to burnt in a hurry.

  15. Cindy Sebryk

    Okay Mr. Lagerstrom. I need a great naan recipe. You literally have made me loved by my family because of all the great food I make. I make naan and it is never good. Today was so disappointing, my naan was rubbery. Exactly what you are not looking for. My regular monthly meals from you… shepherd pie, lasagna ( with the home made milk stuff, can't remember the name, blt bread, english muffins, enchiladas, shrimp tacos, and your one pot spaghetti. I am making your meatballs tomorrow. Oh and I also make your cheese bread on repeat. Just the best chef I know. My family bags you, please make the perfect naan

  19. Alejandro Cordero

    Hey dude, I came to one of your most recent videos to compare with one about knives you recorded a year ago.
    I want to say I am no expert but you improved a lot the lightning.
    You are doing a great job, keep going!

    It makes you look a lot smarter and why not? handsome!

    I would add some lightning at your left side tho!

  21. Diffyemo

    Bro, I made the squash pinenuts dish. I wasn't ready for how good that tasted. Thank you!

  23. Cabinet Doorknob

    Any dishes that make chickpea pasta taste better? They have much better macros so I wanna try making something with them but they taste strange. They're also gluten free for people who are unable to eat that.

  24. Bence Kozma

    bro you drained the bacon fat, threw it away, just to add olive oil instead? wtf. love everything else though

  26. Andre Rydlewski

    have you ever considered actually making something balanced when it comes to macronutrients? Or maybe something not dredged in fat? I did the calculation and your first pasta dish is around 2300 kcal. That’s a daily maintenance calories for an average male who actually does some exercise. Let’s say these were two portions, that’s still a load of calories for a single meal. I respect your work, and your success is unquestionably just, but I think you’re doing no favors to your viewers if you tell them to whip up a quick weeknight meal, which mostly consists of fat and contributes to half of your daily calorie intake.

  28. ImyoCello

    Please convince me that 50 grams of butter for a weeknight dinner is healthy and i ll be very happy

  29. Henrik Söderqvist

    Hi Bri, you don’t eat this thing(s)!? 😉
    Thanks for awesome vids and recipes.
    Would you ever consider to did some vegan dishes that you have eaten?

  34. Dunk South

    Thanks for this. I just discovered this channel, and as a grad student it's incredible intimidating to meal prep each week. This helps. 🙂

  35. Terry

    I am going to make these dishes with lupin pasta so they are low carb and delicious! Love your channel! ❤🎉❤

  37. ScarletTheVampire

    Hey Bri, I would think it would be nice if you made a Discord server, though I could also understand why you wouldn’t want to. I am also using your biscuit recipe for biscuits and gravy tomorrow

  39. Professor Provolone

    I must not be the only viewer in my area – my grocery store was completely sold out of both campanelle and shell pasta. Nearly every other type had remaining stock.

  44. dragonfly6625

    Rather than agitate the pot on the stove, would whisking the sauce prior to adding the pasta work? I have a glass cooktop is why I ask. Thanks!

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