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

mixture and toss to coat, adding some of the reserved pasta water to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. Mound the pasta in bowls, sprinkle with the goat cheese, and serve.

6:

quick and easy weeknight pastas

If you’re like me (and most people) this is the chapter you will rely on the most. No matter how busy we become, we all want to serve meals every night that are fast and easy but still nutritious and pleasing to the eyes and palate. From Little Stars with Butter and Parmesan, a meal so simple the kids can make it for you, to Farfalle with Broccoli, which is full of flavor and packs a healthy dose of greens, these are all family-tested favorites that will become part of your weekly repertoire in short order. The key to weeknight pastas is a well-stocked pantry (see the introduction for my recommendations on what you should keep on hand). If you’ve got a variety of pasta shapes and sizes on hand, plus some canned tomatoes, olive oil, nuts, anchovies, fresh cheese, and herbs, you’re never very far away from a well-balanced and completely satisfying meal. If you have a little more time on the weekend, you can make a big pot of marinara or an extra batch of turkey meatballs or pesto to freeze and make weeknight cooking even easier; otherwise, go ahead and use a good-quality jarred marinara or prepared pesto and take pride in the fact that what you are putting on the table is fresh, healthful, and (mostly) homemade.

Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

Little Stars with Butter and Parmesan

Breakfast Scramble with Orzo, Pancetta, and Asparagus

Creamy Orzo

Farfalle with Broccoli

Wagon Wheels with Artichoke Pesto

Spinach Fettuccine with a Quick Sugo or Salsa

Spicy Angel Hair Pasta

Rotelli with Walnut Sauce

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Cinnamon Pancetta Carbonara

Rigatoni with Sausage, Artichokes, and Asparagus

Linguine with Turkey Meatballs and Quick Sauce

Ditalini with Mushrooms and Artichokes

Mini Penne with Parmesan Chicken

Farfalle with Spicy Sausage and Kale

Penne with Beef and Arugula

Capellini with Tomato and Peas

4 to 6 servings

Both the presentation and flavor of this subtle dish are quite elegant, so while it’s easy enough to make for a weeknight dinner, you can certainly serve it to company.

1 pound penne pasta

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, diced into 1-inch cubes

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

Pinch of salt, plus ½ teaspoon

Pinch of freshly ground black pepper, plus ¼ teaspoon

1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth

2 cups heavy cream

Zest of 1 lemon

Pinch of cayenne pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

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.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cubed chicken breast with the herbes de Provence and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Pour off any excess oil from the pan. Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, using a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, lemon zest, and cayenne. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the pasta, chicken, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Toss to coat the pasta and chicken with the sauce and serve.

4 (½-cup) servings

When I was very young, this was my staple dinner; it’s an Italian child’s comfort food, our version of mac and cheese. It’s really easy to make and the ingredients are very simple, which is part of its charm. Serve it to the child in your life, or as a side dish with any kind of roast meat or poultry.

1 cup (6 ounces) stelline (star-shaped pasta) or other small pasta shapes such as alphabets or riso

4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Salt

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

In a large bowl, toss the freshly cooked hot pasta with 2 tablespoons of the cheese until the cheese coats the pasta completely. Add the butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese. Toss again to coat. Season to taste with salt. Spoon the pasta into small serving bowls and serve immediately.

Breakfast Scramble with Orzo, Pancetta, and Asparagus

4 servings

The whole idea behind this dish is that it is made from leftovers you find in the refrigerator. This happens to be one of my favorite combinations, but use whatever kind of cheese you find in the bin, and substitute any veggies you have on hand for the asparagus. It’s so good that I often make it for a quick dinner when I haven’t had a chance to get to the market.

½ cup orzo (rice-shaped pasta)

10 large eggs

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 ounces smoked mozzarella, cut into ½-inch cubes

2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

4 ounces pancetta or bacon, coarsely chopped

½ cup chopped onion

8 thin asparagus stalks, trimmed, cut crosswise into ½-inch pieces

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook until al dente, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain the orzo.

Whisk the eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Stir in the cheese and basil. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and sauté until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the onion and sauté until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the asparagus and sauté until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add the orzo and stir to coat. Add the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, stir the mixture until the eggs are softly set,