A Spin On Sauce

There's nothing like a good sauce over any kind of pasta. However some home chefs get into the same rut and pour the usual over their spaghetti and ravioli. Tomato sauce is fine but variety adds more spice to the same old dishes. Tomatoes can  be used along with other veggies and ingredients. Sometimes all it takes it a new sauce to liven up a boring dish.

Tomatoes are fine for any pasta, whether it's for a baked dish like lasagna or freshly boiled like spaghetti or linguine. However think about adding other veggies such as porcini mushrooms , broccoli  and cauliflower, Instead of a thick sauce just have the olive oil and garlic that the veggies  were sauteed in. Another variation is having just one veggie. There's the famed cavatelli and broccoli . Both flavors play well off each other, with the broccoli's strong taste working  with the pasta's blandness. Another alternative is pesto. This Genoa based basil sauce can accentuate any pasta from meat ravioli to simple fettuccine or tagliatelle.It's a strong , acquired taste, however and usually made with fresh basil leaves.

Cream sauces are also good. The two most famous are carbonara and Alfredo, Both require cream or milk. The first was made by Italian charcoal workers hence the name, is a rich , hearty, almost decadent blend of peas ,bacon and eggs. It is an excellent sauce for winter dishes, Alfredo is somewhat similar however it has more cream and instead of eggs and meat, more Parmesan cheese in i,t Vodka, another lush sauce,  is a combo of cream and tomato with a cup of vodka and chopped prosciutto thrown in for flavor . Most cooks serve it over penne, however it's good over any meat ravioli or even tortellini.

Just as there are many types of pasta , there are just as many different sauces .Some require the traditional tomatoes. Some do not Make your pastas exciting by trying them instead of the tried and true. They'll put a different spin on favored dishes.