There are times when you have to cook on the run, and though pasta with melted butter and grated cheese, served with a salad assembled while the water was heating, is an option, one can do more in 20 minutes. Here are a few of the dishes I resort to when I really should be heading out the door, but want a bite first.
Cracking an egg into a simmering pot of broth is quite obvious, and this Roman soup is very good. And quick too; it'll be ready a couple of minutes after the pot comes to a boil.
I know I said I like something more than pasta and grated cheese, and this is: The mixture of cheeses is much more interesting, and it's delightfully creamy too. And again, quick.
Mozzarella is one of the most refreshing cheeses there is, and works very well with grilled vegetables in this sauce. The recipe calls for frozen grilled vegetables, which will greatly reduce the preparation time; you could also buy grilled vegetables from your deli.
This is another one of those dishes you can whip together while the pasta water is heating, and by the time the pasta is cooked and tossed in the sauce you'll have had time to assemble a salad as well. As an added bonus, this will win over those who don't really like borccoli (I speak from experience).
This classic Roman sauce is tomato sauce with a twist: It also has onions, pancetta, and an invigorating jolt of hot pepper. In short, zesty, and fun too. And quick as well.
Quite tasty, easy, and quick too. Who could ask for more?
Beef filet with green peppercorn sauce was tremendously popular for a time in a certain type of Italian eatery, and though other things have become fashionable in the interim, I still enjoy the combination very much.
If you have time to caramelize the onions slightly, it's even better, but to my way of thinking an onion frittata is a delight no matter what. And it's also quick to do.
Get home just in time for dinner, and though there is cheese the salad’s tired and we really don't want pasta… What to do? Wait! We’ve got some zucchini, and there are frozen flounder filets in the freezer... Time to improvise.
Late summer is the season for rich, ripe honey-sweet figs, and though you may be tempted to eat them directly off the tree, this is a pleasant, quick way to serve them up when friends come calling. To serve 4:
