Laura Santtini’s Pasta Secrets

For people who lead busy lives but still want to eat fresh and delicious food—pasta is the ideal choice. This book includes over 70 mouth-watering recipes, from authentic Italian classics to vibrant and contemporary dishes.

Pasta is one of the most satisfying things in the world—whether coated in a rich tomato-based ragù, doused in fragrant herb pesto, or smothered in creamy carbonara sauce. Pasta has many merits: it is inexpensive, quick to make, and works both as an everyday staple or a dinner party showstopper. Italian-born Laura Santtini is an author with a background in the rich culture and heritage of Italian cooking, but also a truly modern understanding of methods and ingredients popular with home-cooks today.

Laura’s approach is that the heart of each dish is down to the sauce, it can then be paired with anything from spiralized vegetables, quinoa or gluten-free pasta for a healthy mid-week supper to hand-made tortellini at the weekend. The book opens with ‘The Principles of Pasta’: an accessible guide to making and cooking pasta, which also explains dried versus fresh, pasta alternatives and how different pasta shapes work with each sauce; a key then recommends pairings.

The dishes are then divided into Quick and Easy with stunners such as Pepper and Parmesan and Lemon Artichoke Pesto. Vegetables and Fungi comes next with an umami-rich Wild Mushroom Ragu and a delicious Pumpkin, Sage and Salted Ricotta. Following this is Fish and Seafood with a Salmon Carbonara as well as luxurious affairs like Asparagus and Scallop. In Meat and Poultry are Best-ever Meatballs, Spicy ‘Nduja Sausage and a hearty Duck Ragu. Flip to the Creamy and Cheesy chapter to find earthy Gorgonzola and Walnut and zesty Saffron and Zucchini.