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Some pasta sauces are so easy that you don't need a recipe. The following ideas for sauces are deliberately vague about quantities. These sauces are so simple that you can't really make them wrong — so get creative and do your own thing.
All these sauces can be prepared in the time it takes to cook the pasta. All will sauce half a pound of pasta.
Spaghetti with Garlic, Parsley, and Pecorino: Saute several cloves of minced garlic in several tablespoons of olive oil. Add a handful of minced fresh parsley and a little crushed red pepper flakes and then toss with cooked spaghetti and some grated Pecorino cheese.
Fettuccine with Butter and Pine Nuts: Toast several tablespoons of nuts in a dry skillet. (You can use chopped walnuts rather than pine nuts, if you like.) When the nuts are fragrant, transfer them to a bowl. Melt at least half a stick of butter in the empty skillet. Toss with cooked fettuccine, toasted nuts, some grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and pepper. Best with fresh pasta.
Linguine with Olives: Pit and chop a large handful of black and/or green olives. Combine with several tablespoons of olive oil, a little minced garlic, a pinch of hot red pepper flakes, and some minced fresh herbs. Toss the olive mixture with cooked pasta.
Spaghetti with Olive Oil, Lemon, and Garlic: Saute several cloves of minced garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Add the grated zest from a lemon and toss with cooked pasta.
Spaghetti with Pancetta, Pecorino, and Pepper: Saute several slices of diced pancetta in a little olive oil until lightly crisped. Toss with cooked pasta, lots of freshly ground black pepper, and a half cup or more of grated Pecorino cheese. Reserve some cooking water to moisten the pasta, if necessary.
Fettuccine with Butter and Cream (Fettuccine Alfredo): Heat several tablespoons of butter and about half a cup of cream in a large skillet just until the cream starts to simmer. Add cooked fresh pasta to the skillet and then add plenty of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Cook over low heat for a minute, tossing until the sauce coats the noodles.
Spaghetti with Herbs: Saute a few minced garlic cloves in several tablespoons of olive oil. Add a tablespoon or two of minced mixed herbs (basil, parsley, thyme, mint, and so on) and toss with cooked pasta.
Penne with Ricotta and Peas: Saute a minced onion in several tablespoons of olive oil. Add a handful or two of frozen peas and cook just until warm. Thin a half cup or so of ricotta cheese to sauce consistency with some pasta cooking water. Combine the pea mixture, thinned ricotta, and several tablespoons of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese with cooked pasta.
Linguine with Raw Tomatoes and Pesto: Chop several ripe tomatoes and combine with several tablespoons of pesto sauce. Toss with cooked pasta.
Penne with Tomatoes, Onion, and Butter: Saute a minced onion in a few tablespoons of melted butter. Add some chopped canned tomatoes and simmer until tender. Toss with cooked pasta and serve with grated cheese.
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