Presto Pasta Nights #208 - The Roundup!

Thanks so much to Ruth of of Once Upon a Feast for letting me host this week's PPN, and thanks to all of you who participated; I'm definitely going to be spending some time trying out all these wonderful looking (made even better by the skills of photographers far better than myself :)) recipes! It has truly been a pleasure to host Presto Pasta Nights this week, and I look forward to doing so again.

Our first entry is from Val in British Columbia, Canada. She's made a stunning Ravioli Lasagna with Sausage and Mushrooms, one which I salivate at the thought of. Using raviolis to make the lasagna really lets you streamline the process while still getting all the deliciousness!

Our next submission is a Smoked Salmon Pasta from Katerina, in Athens, Greece. Her submission comes from a place of love and appreciation for her husband. This is one of his favourite meals, and I can definitely see why! I can't help but imagine the touch of Scotch adds a warmth and depth to it that one can't quite put their finger on.

Next up we have Slow Cooker Pizza from Tina in Florida. Next time I crave pizza, I'll be turning to this - all the pizza goodness without all the hassle! It's perfect for dinner and for lunch boxes, which makes it a double win!

Tandy, from South Africa, has a strong desire to travel to Spain. Until she gets there, however, she shares her wonderful looking Spanish-inspired Pasta Spagnolo with us. It looks so light and delicious I'm excited to give it a shot.

Now we have Georgia in Philadelphia, who brings my very favourite of all the pasta dishes I've eaten to us this week: Pasta Puttanesca. It's a perfect meal after a long day - comes together quickly and is rich in flavour without being too heavy.

(photo courtesy of www.seriouseats.com)

Next up, we have my submission. It's a summer salad with orzo, black beans and homemade mayonnaise dressing. 

Claudia, in Hawaii, reminds us of a meat we probably don't eat too often: veal. She showcases it in her lovely Veal Scaloppini Marsala with Peppers, making a succulent dish that seems as delicious as it is fun to look at.

Abby, over in the UK, has given us a wonderful dish: Spaghetti Cacio e Pepe. It combined four simple ingredients, pasta, cheese, pepper and water, into something far greater than the sum of its parts.

Next up, from The Food Hunter in Phoenix, Arizona, comes this Gooey Mozzarella with Italian Sausage and Peas. Filled with gnocchi and other goodness, it's a meal that I'd love to refresh my spirit with after a long day.

Following the gnocci is something equally enticing from Krista in Washington, D.C.: Vegan Sushi Wraps. Filled with noodles instead of rice, I cannot help but look at this picture with longing.

It's hard to believe, but following the submissions above come even more appetizing treats to look at. Jen from Malaysia put forth the labour of love to provide us with Homemade Udon Noodles in Dashi Broth. Looking at this photo, it's astounding to me that this was her first try making them!

Pam in Tennessee brings us this wonderful Goat's Cheese, Lemon and Pea Pasta. You all know of my love of lemons and cheese, so this one is sure to be a delight on the dinner table, made even better by its ease in preparation!

Kim in Maryland brings us a Roasted Veggie Pasta, which is one of my favourite ways to get more veggies into our diets. Kim likes to use pasta the same way, even if her family discourages her by saying it'll be disgusting. But as we can see easily, there's no way this way disgusting.

Aparna uses this Mint-Spinach Pesto Pasta to use up a never-ending supply of spinach in a way that won't drive her husband up the wall. I think I'd never tire of spinach, eating it this way!

From Unknown Specimen, we have this wonderful Garlic Shrimp Pasta.  Simple to make and rich in flavour, "hardest you'll do in this recipe is the prawn peeling."

Last, though by no means least, comes a submission from Joanne in New York City. Although she fears reprisal for putting lentils in the place of pork for this overwhelmingly beautiful Lentil Mango Picadillo, served above a fluffy couscous, I think they're going to let her off the hook for messing with a classic.

Thanks to all who participated, and for the rest of you who've shared this fun round-up with me! The dishes all look spectacularly exciting! Next week, Presto Pasta Nights #209 will be hosted by none other than Sweet Artichoke. To participate, email your submission to sweetartichoke(at) gmail(dot)com and cc ruth (at) 4everykitchen (dot) com by Thursday, April 14.