James Beard’s Secrets for the Best Pasta Ever

Among his significant contributions to our culinary landscape, our namesake hosted the first-ever American food program, I Love to Eat, on the fledgling medium of television in 1946. A frequent guest star on his show: pasta. “If I could afford the calories, I’m sure I could eat pasta three times a day,” he wrote in James Beard’s Simple Foods. “It is to me one of the shorter routes to heaven.” We couldn’t agree more. Here, a few of our favorites from his prolific pasta recipe collection.

Spaghetti with Clam Sauce
A classic Italian pairing, perfected by James Beard.

Penne with Fried Eggplant
Crispy fried eggplant adds depth and texture to a standard tomato-based pasta.

Fresh Tomato Sauce
We recommend making extra to freeze for future use!

Hungry for more? View our entire recipe collection. 

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Elena North-Kelly is managing editor at the James Beard Foundation. Find her on Twitter and Instagram.