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Four Italian pasta dishes in ceramic bowls with a bottle of red wine and fresh Parmigiano on a dark slate surface.

Italian Wine Pairing for Pasta Night: A Practical Guide with Recipes

Four classic Italian pasta recipes, each paired with a specific Italian wine chosen to complement the sauce's weight, fat, and acidity.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 620
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta al Pomodoro (paired with Chianti Classico)
  • 400 g spaghetti or linguine
  • 800 g canned whole San Marzano tomatoes 1 large can, crushed by hand
  • 3 garlic cloves sliced thin
  • 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 10 fresh basil leaves torn
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt plus more for pasta water
  • 40 g Parmigiano-Reggiano finely grated, to serve
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) Chianti Classico to drink alongside
Pesto Linguine (paired with Vermentino di Sardegna)
  • 400 g linguine
  • 120 g basil pesto homemade or good-quality jarred
  • 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • 40 g Parmigiano-Reggiano finely grated
  • 30 g pine nuts lightly toasted
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) Vermentino di Sardegna to drink alongside
Amatriciana (paired with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo)
  • 400 g rigatoni
  • 150 g guanciale or pancetta, cut into small cubes
  • 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
  • 60 ml dry white wine for deglazing
  • 0.5 tsp dried red chili flakes
  • 50 g Pecorino Romano finely grated
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) Montepulciano d'Abruzzo to drink alongside
Simple Bolognese (paired with Sangiovese / Barbera d'Asti)
  • 400 g pappardelle or tagliatelle
  • 400 g ground beef and pork mix 50/50 blend
  • 1 medium white onion finely diced
  • 1 celery stalk finely diced
  • 1 medium carrot finely diced
  • 400 g canned crushed tomatoes
  • 60 ml whole milk added at the end
  • 100 ml dry red wine Sangiovese-based wine preferred
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
  • to taste fine sea salt and black pepper
  • 50 g Parmigiano-Reggiano grated, to serve
  • 1 bottle (750 ml) Barbera d'Asti or Sangiovese to drink alongside

Method
 

Pasta al Pomodoro with Chianti Classico
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add enough salt so it tastes lightly briny.
  2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium. Add garlic and cook for 90 seconds until pale gold and fragrant. Do not let it brown.
  3. Add crushed San Marzano tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the color deepens.
  4. Cook spaghetti until 2 minutes before the package al dente time. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
  5. Add pasta to the sauce with a splash of pasta water. Toss over medium heat for 90 seconds until the spaghetti is coated and glossy.
  6. Remove from heat, add torn basil, and serve immediately with grated Parmigiano. Pour Chianti Classico and serve.
Pesto Linguine with Vermentino di Sardegna
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguine until al dente, reserving 1 cup pasta water before draining.
  2. Toast pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring, until golden. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, combine pesto and olive oil. Thin with 3 to 4 tbsp of warm pasta water and stir to a loose sauce.
  4. Add hot drained linguine to the bowl. Toss to coat, adding more pasta water as needed to keep the sauce fluid.
  5. Plate, scatter pine nuts and Parmigiano over the top. Serve with chilled Vermentino di Sardegna.
Amatriciana with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium. Add guanciale cubes and cook for 5 to 6 minutes until fat renders and the edges are crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon.
  2. Add chili flakes to the rendered fat. Deglaze with white wine and let it reduce for 1 minute.
  3. Add crushed tomatoes. Simmer over medium-low for 12 to 15 minutes until the sauce tightens.
  4. Cook rigatoni in heavily salted water until 2 minutes shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
  5. Return guanciale to the sauce. Add drained rigatoni and a splash of pasta water. Toss over medium heat for 2 minutes until the pasta is coated.
  6. Remove from heat and stir in half the Pecorino. Plate and finish with remaining Pecorino. Serve with Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.
Simple Bolognese with Barbera d'Asti or Sangiovese
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add onion, celery, and carrot. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring, until soft and pale.
  2. Add the ground meat. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook in two batches if the pan is crowded. Brown for 6 to 8 minutes until no pink remains.
  3. Pour in red wine and stir to lift any browned bits from the base. Cook for 2 minutes until the alcohol smell fades.
  4. Add crushed tomatoes and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 20 minutes until the sauce is thick and glossy.
  5. Stir in whole milk and cook for 1 more minute. This rounds off the acidity.
  6. Cook pappardelle in salted water until al dente. Reserve pasta water, drain, and finish in the sauce for 90 seconds.
  7. Plate and top with grated Parmigiano. Serve with Barbera d'Asti or a mid-weight Sangiovese.

Notes

Nutrition values are estimated as an average across the four pasta recipes. Individual dishes will vary based on sauce and protein content.