Giada's secrets for cooking the perfect pasta
Giada De Laurentiis started cooking very young and immediately developed a passion for pasta. And now she's got a cookbook featuring perfect pasta dishes for any occasion. It's titled, "Everyday Pasta," and Giada was invited to share some of the fabulous recipes on TODAY. Here's what she featured in day one of her series on the show: Penne with Beef and Arugula By Giada De Laurentiis Serves six to eight You can eat this dish right when you make it or serve it an hour or two later at room temperature; the heat of the pasta will warm up the sweet balsamic vinegar and wilt the arugula. It transports quite well, making it a good choice for picnics or buffet spreads. INGREDIENTS 2 New York strip steaks, about 8 ounces each Salt and freshly ground black -pepper 1 teaspoon herbes de -Provence 1 garlic clove, -minced 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive -oil 1 pound penne pasta 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil /4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 2 cups chopped arugula DIRECTIONS Season the steak with salt and pepper, herbes de Provence, and the minced garlic. In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the steaks for about 7 minutes per side. Remove the meat to a cutting board and let it rest while you cook the pasta. 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, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the basil, parsley, and 3/4 cup olive oil. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with half of the salad dressing and the reserved pasta water. Set aside. Slice the steaks thin and add to the pasta with the arugula. Add more dressing, and season with salt and pepper as needed. Farfalle with Broccoli By Giada De Laurentiis Serves four to six Anchovy is the secret ingredient that makes this dish so delicious. If you have anchovy haters in your family, don't worry; the anchovies melt into the butter-and-olive oil mixture, so no one will even know they are there. INGREDIENTS 1 pound farfalle (bow-tie pasta) 2 heads of broccoli, trimmed to florets (about 4 cups) 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 4 tablespoons unsalted butter 3 garlic cloves, chopped 5 anchovy fillets, chopped 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese DIRECTIONS Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally. After 5 minutes add the broccoli florets to the pasta, stir, and cook for another 4 minutes. Drain the pasta and broccoli, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, anchovies, and red pepper flakes and cook for 5 minutes. Add the broccoli, pasta, salt, and pepper and toss. Add some of the reserved pasta water, if necessary, to make a light sauce. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers and Onions By Giada De Laurentiis Serves four to six Stroll through any Italian-American street fair and you'll smell this classic combo. But while sausage and peppers are great in a sandwich, I think they're even better tossed with rigatoni. Using turkey sausages instead of the more traditional pork also makes it a little lighter. INGREDIENTS 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausages 2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced 2 yellow onions, sliced 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 4 garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 cup Marsala wine 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional) 1 pound rigatoni pasta Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish DIRECTIONS Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pan. Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the bell peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and basil and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until incorporated, then add the Marsala, tomatoes with their juice, and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Bring to a simmer. Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each. Return the sausages to the pan. Simmer uncovered until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. While the sauce simmers, 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 add to the thickened sauce; toss to combine. Spoon into individual bowls and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese. 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