Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada de Laurentiis Read Free Book Online Page B

garlic, salt, and pepper. In another small bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and the remaining tablespoon of parsley.
    Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spread the artichokes open with your fingers and use a small spoon to scrape out the center choke. Stuff the cheese mixture into the artichokes and arrange them in a baking dish. Sprinkle the artichokes with the bread-crumb mixture, then drizzle them with the olive oil. Bake until the artichokes are heated through, the cheese is melted, and the bread crumbs are crisp and golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer the artichokes to a serving dish and serve.
     

WHOLE-WHEAT SPAGHETTI WITH LEMON, BASIL, AND SALMON
    PASTINA WITH CLAMS AND MUSSELS
    ASPARAGUS LASAGNA
    EGGPLANT TIMBALE
    TAGLIATELLE WITH SMASHED PEAS, SAUSAGE, AND RICOTTA CHEESE
    BAKED ORZO WITH FONTINA AND PEAS
    WHOLE-WHEAT LINGUINE WITH GREEN BEANS, RICOTTA, AND LEMON
    GIADA’S CARBONARA
    PENNE WITH SHRIMP AND HERBED CREAM SAUCE
    ORECCHIETTE WITH SAUSAGE, BEANS, AND MASCARPONE
    SWISS CHARD AND SWEET PEA MANICOTTI
    LEMON RISOTTO
    BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND VANILLA RISOTTO
    LINGUINE WITH SHRIMP AND LEMON OIL
    RIGATONI WITH SQUASH AND PRAWNS
    PENNE WITH EGGPLANT PURÉE
    RIGATONI WITH VEGETABLE BOLOGNESE
    ORZO-STUFFED PEPPERS
     

    Next to chocolate, pasta is my favorite food. It’s inexpensive, versatile, and appealing in all its various sizes and shapes. Most important, pasta is delicious. It can satisfy a hungry crowd or serve as an intimate dinner for two. It rarely disappoints when it’s prepared properly, and it makes a perfect meal, with or without a protein. Serve my Rigatoni with Squash and Prawns on a special occasion; it looks so elegant but tastes like something Grandma could have prepared. Try the Baked Orzo with Fontina and Peas when you’re in the mood for something rich and comforting, and be sure to give some of the whole-wheat pasta recipes a try; the flavor and texture of whole-wheat pasta has definitely improved in the past few years. One of my favorite weeknight dinners is Whole-Wheat Linguine with Green Beans, Ricotta, and Lemon. It’s quick and easy but it makes me feel good about what I’m eating and fills me up! What more can you ask for from a pasta recipe?
     

     

    If you’re looking for a healthy pasta dish, you can’t go wrong with this one. The spinach doesn’t really cook, it just gets wilted by the heat of the warm pasta. When I eat this I feel I’ve both indulged a craving for pasta
and
treated myself to something especially healthful and nutritious!
    4 servings
    ½ pound whole-grain or whole-wheat spaghetti
    1 garlic clove, minced
    2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
    ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    4 (4-ounce) salmon fillets
    ¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
    3 tablespoons capers, rinsed and drained
    Zest of 1 lemon
    2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
    2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Add the garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss to combine.
    Meanwhile, warm the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Add the fish to the pan and cook until medium-rare, about 2 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish. Remove the salmon from the pan.
    Add the basil, capers, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the spaghetti and toss to combine. Set out 4 serving plates or shallow bowls. Place ½ cup spinach in each bowl. Top with one quarter of the pasta. Top each mound of pasta with a piece of salmon. Serve immediately.
     

     

    Pastina refers to any tiny pasta shape, whether it’s stars, little squares, tiny shells, or
riso
. When you boil the pasta, undercook it just a tiny bit so it can cook