Hi Reader,

It's Monday evening. You didn't shop. The counter still has the last of the weekend's tomatoes, a zucchini that's seen better days, and a hunk of Parmesan that always looks smaller than you remember buying.
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You have everything you need.
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Pasta forgives. Salt the water, boil it hard, and let whatever's in front of you become dinner. A handful of herbs, one last eggplant, shrimp if you're feeling flush, or the ragù you froze in July.
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The kitchen fills with the sound of garlic in olive oil. Twelve minutes later, you're at the table.
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That's the whole trick.
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Not the recipe. The invitation.

My Four Commandments for Better Pasta

• Salt the water like you mean it. It's your only chance to season the pasta itself. If the water tastes bland, so will dinner.
• Save the pasta water. Cloudy, starchy, and better in the pan than down the drain. A splash helps sauces cling instead of sliding to the bottom of the bowl.
• Don't over-sauce. Pasta should wear the sauce like a well-tailored jacket. Don't drown in it.
• Use what's in season, and let it lead. Late-summer tomatoes, zucchini, eggplant, basil, and fresh herbs are doing the heavy lifting right now. Below are a handful of pasta dinners that use exactly what's in front of you: Pick the one that fits what's on your counter.

WHAT'S INSIDE...

• ​Jamie Oliver's Sausage Pappardelle​
• ​Roasted Summer Vegetable Pasta With Halloumi​
• ​Baked Pasta With Tomatoes & Eggplant​
• ​Garlic-Butter Shrimp Pasta​
• ​Smoky Pulled Chicken Bucatini​
• ​Za’atar Cacio E Pepe​
• ​Turmeric Shrimp Linguine​

​Jamie Oliver's Sausage Pappardelle​

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.92 from 12 votes

This sausage pappardelle is made in just one-pan with fresh pasta, sausage, and a luxurious wine-infused tomato sauce, and it comes together in under 30 minutes. It's an easy weeknight dinner that feels worthy of a special occasion.

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​Roasted Summer Vegetable Pasta With Halloumi​

This delicious roasted vegetable pasta dish makes short work of your farmer's market haul or will perk up some sad November tomatoes if that's the situation you find yourself in.

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​Baked Pasta With Tomatoes & Eggplant​

These are what you'd call "two-fers." No one loves reheating something they served for dinner a second day, but with two-fers, the leftovers become something totally different. This is one of those dish: you make the tomato and eggplant soup for dinner one night and use the leftover soup as a pasta sauce the next.

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​Garlic-Butter Shrimp Pasta​

For this easy weeknight meal, your favorite long pasta and sautéed shrimp are quickly tossed in a garlicky-lemon butter sauce. Best of all, it's on the table in just 30 minutes. Boo-yah!

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​Smoky Pulled Chicken Bucatini​

Bucatini is a long, thin pasta with a hole running straight through the middle, a bit like a straw; it works perfectly when tossed through sauces. Smoky semi-dried tomatoes can be found in some supermarkets and delis.

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​Za’atar Cacio E Pepe​

This za'atar cacio e pepe ingeniously gives Rome's classic creamy Parmesan and black pepper pasta middle Eastern flair with the addition of za'atar seasoning.

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​Turmeric Shrimp Linguine​

This turmeric shrimp linguine is a wonderful sharing dish. The traditional Mediterranean flavors work really well with the addition of the turmeric and fresh yogurt sauce.

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