Yummy, quick and easy pasta for dinner party?

[C~Q]

Help! I'm having a few friends over for dinner, they want pasta and I am broke... Need ideas for a nice pasta dish that won't cost the earth.

Was thinking pasta, garlic bread and salad.

Any ideas???

[angelaartsstudent]

If you don't want a creamy one maybe try this:

Fresh spinach, garlic, marinated olives (chopped), sundried toms (chopped), fetta

We fry the garlic and some onions in a bit of oil from the olives and toms, chuck in the chopped olives and tomatoes, fry a bit, then the cooked pasta, then the fetta and spinach last so the spinach doesn't get overcooked. Toss around a bit. Done.

So fast!

[saslia]

I do one that has chopped chicken (breast or thigh) and sometimes bacon pan fried then add a jar of green pesto, (or red pesto and some cream) Can also sprinkle with parmesen if you like.

[C~Q]

Ooh they both sound yum! I like the idea of pesto - then I can just buy a jar lol!

[fionas]

I do tuna pesto pasta. It's really quick and easy and only one pan to wash.

Just cook the pasta, then drain. Into the same pan, chuck the tuna and some jarred pesto (make sure you buy a decent one, the Leggoes one is rubbish but Sacla is good).

Warm up the tuna and pesto (about 30 seconds) then return the pasta to the pan and mix. Then serve.

[littlelara]

I do one with pasta, a jar of pesto (coles brand is really nice), some black olives, a couple of sundried tomatoes and some toasted pine nuts - yummo!!

[angelaartsstudent]

I also do onion, garlic, bacon, egg and cream as a Carbonara but my version is so thrown together it's probably not good for a dinner party LOL