Gail Simmons' Simple Weeknight Pasta Recipes

Fred Lee/ABC; Food Styling/Karen Pickus

Make the gnocchi ahead of time and freeze them for a quick dinner later. They can be boiled frozen.

Recipe: Gail Simmons' Potato Gnocchi with Butter and Cheese

Fred Lee/ABC; Food Styling/Karen Pickus

Frico is a cheese crisp that adds extra crunch to a pasta dish.

3 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated (1 cup)
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375°. In a 10-inch, ovenproof, nonstick skillet, combine the Parmigiano with the thyme and the pepper, toss well and spread in an even layer. Bake the cheese for about 8 minutes, until golden and nutty. Slide the frico onto a plate and let cool. Coarsely crumble.

Fred Lee/ABC; Food Styling/Karen Pickus

These spicy bread crumbs work great as a topping for mac and cheese or your favorite pasta dish.

2 ounces dry chorizo, sliced
1 small garlic clove
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

In a food processor, mince the chorizo with the garlic. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chorizo mixture to the skillet and cook over moderate heat until sizzling, 30 seconds. Stir in the panko and cook, stirring, until toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl.

A tasty pasta dish you can have done in 30 minutes.

3/4 pound linguine
1 cup grated pecorino cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons coarsely ground smoked or regular peppercorns
Salt

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 2/3 cup of the cooking water; return the pasta to the pot. Add the cheese, butter, pepper and cooking water, and toss. Season with salt and serve.

Crispy capers and sage add bursts of flavor to buttery pasta dishes.

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup drained capers, patted dry
2 tablespoons small sage leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the capers, sage leaves and crushed red pepper, and cook over moderate heat until the capers open and are lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the capers and sage leaves to paper towels to drain and cool.

Make Ahead The fried capers and sage can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.