Pasta dishes are the often the fallback of the inexperienced cook, and rarely go beyond pre-packaged sauces. Perhaps it’s the low cost that permits so much abuse. When a package of a dried high quality variety only costs a few dollars, it’s a bit easier to neglect the pasta and not feel the slightest bit guilty. It’s a shame; simple pasta dishes require few ingredients, minimal preparation time, and have the potential to be truly great menu items. If you have ever mindlessly picked up a package of simple spaghetti and a jar of sauce for dinner we urge you to read on. Test your notion of what pasta is, and what it should be.

If the act of boiling water on a stove, tossing in some rigatoni, and setting the oven timer for 10 minutes seems too simple that’s because it is. A bit more attention to detail guarantees a pasta whose simple flavor and satisfying chewy appeal are enough to stand up on their own with hardly any sauce.