Everyday Pasta by Giada Laurentiis (summer beach reads TXT) 📕

to a boil. Add the capellini and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, about 4 minutes. Drain, reserving 2 cups of the cooking liquid.

In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the pesto, bell pepper mixture, and cheese, adding enough reserved pasta water to moisten. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve.

4 to 6 servings

Alla pirata usually refers to a dish containing seafood, and because pirates were known to be hot-tempered men, the dish is usually spicy as well. You could substitute other seafood you like, such as mussels, squid, or scallops, for either the shrimp or the clams.

1 (12-ounce) bag cherry tomatoes, halved

3 scallions (white and pale green parts only), coarsely chopped

3 garlic cloves

1-ounce chunk of Parmesan cheese, coarsely chopped

8 fresh basil leaves, plus ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound spaghetti

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 pounds small clams, scrubbed

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

Combine the cherry tomatoes, scallions, garlic, Parmesan, whole basil leaves, and olive oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not purée). Transfer the sauce to a large bowl. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often to prevent the pasta from sticking together, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk the extra-virgin olive oil, red pepper flakes, and ½ teaspoon of salt in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to the hot skillet and sauté just until cooked through and golden, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Add the remaining oil mixture, the clams, and the lemon juice to the same skillet. Cover and cook until the clams open, shaking the pan occasionally, about 8 minutes (discard any that do not open). If the sauce is too liquid, remove the clams and cook over high heat until the sauce is reduced by half.

Drain the pasta and transfer to a large bowl. Add the tomato sauce, and toss to coat. Season the pasta to taste with salt and pepper. Top with the shrimp-and-clam mixture. Sprinkle with the chopped basil and the lemon zest, and serve.

A note on serving cheese with seafood pastas: my grandfather would say you should never put cheese on seafood, but I sometimes add a bit of Parmesan to baked seafood pastas, or on a red sauce with seafood, to accent the briny flavors. It’s not traditional, but it’s delicious. The bottom line? Make your own rules!

4 to 6 servings

This is a mildly flavored dish; the peppers virtually melt into the sauce during the long, slow cooking. In my family this is served as a side dish for pork or lamb.

3 large red bell peppers

3 large yellow bell peppers

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 large shallots, thinly sliced (about ¾ to 1 cup)

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 pound spaghetti

½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the broiler. Cover a heavy baking sheet with foil. Arrange the bell peppers on the baking sheet and broil until the skins brown and blister, turning the peppers occasionally, about 20 minutes. Enclose the peppers in a resealable plastic bag and set aside until cooled to room temperature. Peel and seed the cooled peppers and cut them into strips.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the pepper strips, salt, and pepper and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the wine and chicken broth and continue cooking over low heat for 20 minutes, or until the peppers are very soft.

Meanwhile, 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.

Add the pasta, parsley, and Parmesan cheese to the pepper sauce; stir to combine and coat the pasta. Serve.

Swordfish and Spaghetti with Citrus Pesto

4 servings

You’ll find many recipes for swordfish in Sicily, where it is plentiful, often combined with citrus to give the meaty fish a bit of pizzazz. Here the citrus flavors come from the pesto; it’s great over grilled chicken or a steak, too.

1 pound spaghetti

Citrus Pesto

1 bunch of fresh basil, stemmed (about 3 cups)

½ cup toasted pine nuts (see note in recipe for Rotelli with Walnut Sauce)

1 garlic clove

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Swordfish

4 6-ounce swordfish steaks

Extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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 ½ cup of the cooking liquid.

Make the pesto: Blend the basil, pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, salt, and pepper in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the Parmesan. Toss with the warm spaghetti and the reserved pasta water.

Meanwhile, place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill. Brush both sides of the swordfish steaks with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the swordfish for 3 to 4 minutes on each side for a 1-inch-thick steak.

Transfer the