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Turning this dish into a pasta salad is as simple as combining all the ingredients as directed and then covering and chilling in the refrigerator. Toss to recombine just before serving, and if you like, throw in a few handfuls of halved cherry tomatoes.

Use fresh thyme and oregano in place of dried; increase the amount to 1½ teaspoons of each, since fresh herbs have a more delicate flavor than dried.

Make this vegan by using eggless pasta, omitting the Parmesan cheese, and replacing the mozzarella with tofu.

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farfalle with roasted garlic, nuts, and raisins

Makes 3 to 4 servings

Here’s another no-cook way to dress pasta for success. The garlic, raisins, and nuts make for a nice mix of sweet, salty, chewy, and crunchy. You can also try making this with cashews and pistachios, which add a sensational richness. (For detailed nut-toasting instructions, see Chapter 2: Salads.)

Plump sweet golden raisins are best in this dish, but if you don’t have them on hand, black ones work fine. You’ll need to make the Roasted Garlic Paste ahead of time. It’s good to keep some on hand, anyway, so you can throw this (and many other delicious items) together on short notice.

½ cup olive oil

2 tablespoons Roasted Garlic Paste (Chapter 1: Soups)

Salt for the pasta water

¾ pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)

½ to ¾ cup minced flat-leaf parsley

½ cup raisins (preferably golden ones)

½ cup chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

½ cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted

3 scallions (white and tender green parts), finely minced

¾ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Red pepper flakes

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GET CREATIVE

Use a high-quality olive oil for more flavor.

Mash a couple of anchovies or a few squirts of anchovy paste into the olive oil along with the Roasted Garlic Paste (and then use less salt to season).

Garnish each serving with a sprinkling of toasted breadcrumbs (see Chapter 7: Sides).

Instead of the raisins, try currants, which are smaller and have a more delicate flavor.

Make this vegan by using eggless pasta.

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1. Place the olive oil in a large bowl. Add the Roasted Garlic Paste, mashing it into the oil with the back of a fork. Set aside.

2. Put a large pot of cold water to boil over high heat, and add a tablespoon of salt. Place a large colander in the sink. When the water boils, add the farfalle, keeping the heat high. Cook for the amount of time recommended on the package, tasting the pasta toward the end of the suggested time to be sure it is not getting overcooked. When it is just tender enough to bite into comfortably but not yet mushy, dump the water-plus-pasta into the colander. Shake to mostly drain (it’s okay to leave some water clinging), and then transfer the pasta to the bowl containing the oil and garlic paste.

3. Use a fork or a wooden spoon to toss and turn the pasta until it becomes coated with the oil. Keep tossing as you add the parsley, raisins, nuts, scallions, and salt. Grind in a generous amount of black pepper, and sprinkle in a big pinch of red pepper flakes (according to your heat preference). Toss quickly and thoroughly. (Shaking the bowl helps.) Serve right away, making sure you dig down to the bottom of the bowl to scoop up all the tasty morsels that might have landed beneath the pasta.

pasta with tuna, white beans, and artichoke hearts

Makes 3 to 4 servings

Want to never be stuck with nothing for dinner? I’ve got two words for you: cans and jars. Stock up on decent tuna, canned white beans, and jars of marinated artichoke hearts, and you’ve got a great start. Any kind of tuna is fine for this recipe (white or light, water-or oil-packed), and it’s great with all kinds of pasta beyond the more traditional fettuccine—orecchiette (little ears), gemelli (twists), or whatever looks like fun to you. It’s light yet substantial, and great on a warm evening. And it’s definitely not your grandmother’s tuna noodle casserole.

One 15-ounce can cannellini or navy beans (about 1½ cups cooked beans)