Creamy Pasta with Salmon, Asparagus & Peas

I love wholesome dinners that come together in under 30 minutes and use fresh seasonal produce. I can’t get enough of asparagus! Here it’s cooked up quickly with the pasta and combined with pan-seared salmon, peas (I used frozen, since we don’t have spring peas yet), and a creamy tarragon sauce. This one is easy enough for a weeknight (even our pre-schooler ate seconds!) but fancy enough for a special occasion.

Pappardelle with Pork Rib Ragù

It’s rare that something I cooked myself will bring me to tears. Unless I’ve ruined it. But in this case, my tears welled up at the first bite of this pappardelle with pork rib ragu because it brought back a flood of happy memories in Tuscany, sipping incredible wine and enjoying plates of pasta and cinghiale, wild boar. Since I lack any connections to wild boar hunters at the moment, this is probably the closest I’ll get to pappardelle al cinghiale in my kitchen. The recipe is easy, in that it doesn’t require any fancy technique, but it does require a good 3 hours to slowly braise the ribs in red wine until the meat falls off the bone. It’s even better if you can let it rest overnight, letting the flavors meld, and just re-heat for the final seasoning with balsamic vinegar and tossing with the pasta the next day. Goes nicely with a Tuscan dry red like Sangiovese, Montepulciano red, or Brunello di Montepulciano. Enjoy!

Tagliatelle with Sauteed Mushrooms, Pancetta & Herb Sauce

A bowl of pasta can be so simple yet so satisfying. I love the assortment of mushrooms and herbs combined here with fresh tagliatelle pasta and some crisped pancetta. If you’re a pro at chopping veggies and herbs, it will take you less than 20 minutes from cutting board to table (or 30 minutes for slow choppers like me), so it’s a good option on frenetic weeknights or for a quick lunch. Enjoy!

Spaetzle with Roasted Butternut Squash, Pancetta & Sage

Spaetzle, or the German version of little dumplings, won me over at first bite. They’re heftier, more dense than Italian pasta, and their short, ridged, rustic shapes are so satisfying to sink your teeth into. Simply toss them in butter and herbs, and they make the perfect accompaniment to a hearty roast; they can also be dressed up with vegetables, meat, and/or cheese for a most delectable dish on their own.

Weeknight Italian Sausage and Pepper Tortiglioni

This is less a recipe and more a simple meal plan to get dinner on the table on a given busy weeknight. Italian sausage, sweet bell peppers, and a simple tomato ragu come together to create a hearty and delicious pasta dish that’s ready in 20 minutes.

Creamy Roasted Pumpkin, Pancetta & Sage Pasta

Fall is definitely in the air. Strolling through backstreets of Berlin, I see yellowing leaves swirl and tumble from the trees and crunch underfoot. Another hearty, warming meal with seasonal flavors of fall is in order tonight.

Where I Am Now; Tagliatelle with Homemade Garden Pesto

Where I am now, I have a teeny, tiny, little garden I’ve tended all summer long. For me, this is a big accomplishment. For the first summer in seven years, I am not moving across continents and oceans, and I can actually set down roots, literally.