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

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 the pasta, then add it to the skillet with the mushroom-and-artichoke sauce. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, parsley, and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

4 to 6 servings

Another recipe that kids (and adults!) will wolf down, this is a combination of two dishes everyone loves: chicken cutlets Milanese and warm pasta salad.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus ½ cup

1 cup buttermilk

1½ pounds chicken tenders (about 18)

1 pound mini penne pasta or macaroni

1¼ cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

¾ cup Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 large garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Brush a large, heavy, foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of oil. Place the buttermilk in a large bowl. Add the chicken tenders, stir to coat, and let stand for at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.

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.

Stir the Parmesan and bread crumbs together in a pie pan. Season the mixture with a pinch of salt and pepper. Remove the chicken tenders from the buttermilk, allowing the excess to drip back into the bowl, and dredge them in the bread-crumb mixture to coat completely, pressing to adhere. Arrange the coated chicken tenders on the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and bake until they are cooked through and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer the chicken tenders to a cutting board and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Meanwhile, mash the garlic with 1 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the vinegar and then the remaining ½ cup of oil. Season with ¼ teaspoon pepper.

Place the drained pasta in a large serving bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, sprinkle with the parsley, and top with the chicken. Toss to combine, and serve.

4 to 6 servings

Kale is what makes this pasta a standout. This leafy green is similar to chard and has an assertive flavor that really stands up to the spicy sausages. This was the only way I would eat kale when I was young.

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ pound cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 (28-ounce) can peeled tomatoes, with juice

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 bunch of kale, stems removed, rinsed, and chopped (about 4 cups)

⅓ cup heavy cream

1 pound farfalle pasta

Grated Pecorino Romano cheese, for garnish

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

In a large, heavy soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until golden brown, using a wooden spoon to break the sausage into bite-size pieces. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the pot and set aside. To the same pot, add the onion and garlic and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook until the onion and mushrooms start to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes with juice. Use a wooden spoon to stir the brown bits off the bottom of the pot and break up the tomatoes. Add the salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and the sausage.

Meanwhile, blanch the kale in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Use a skimmer to remove the kale from the boiling water and add it directly to the sausage mixture. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce, covered, for 10 minutes. Add the cream and stir to combine. Remove the mixture from the heat.

While the sauce is simmering, add the pasta to the boiling water. Cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, add to the sauce, and toss to combine. Serve with the Pecorino Romano cheese sprinkled on top.

Penne with Beef and Arugula

6 to 8 servings

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.

2 New York strip steaks, about 8 ounces each

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon herbes de Provence

1 garlic clove, minced

¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound penne pasta

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 cups chopped arugula

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 ¼ cup of the cooking water.

In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, the basil, parsley, and ¾ 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.

6 servings

Fifteen minutes is all it takes to get this dish on the table and you’ll find everything you need in the pantry or in the freezer—no need to shop! It has a very concentrated tomatoey flavor that