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

a scalloped pasta cutter (or a sharp knife), cut the pasta into small squares. Transfer the agnolotti to the cornmeal-lined baking sheet. Continue forming the remaining agnolotti.

To serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until they float, about 2 minutes. While the pasta cooks, gently mix together all the tarragon butter ingredients in a medium serving bowl. Drain the pasta, using a large mesh strainer or slotted spoon, and transfer them to the serving bowl with the tarragon butter. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

6 to 8 servings

When Todd and I are craving the flavors of Thanksgiving—or when we’re spending the holiday alone and I’m not in the mood to cook a whole turkey just for the two of us—I make these holiday-worthy ravioli. They look and taste festive, and there are never any leftovers!

Turkey Ravioli

1 pound ground turkey, preferably dark meat

½ cup whole-berry cranberry sauce

½ cup freshly grated Romano cheese

¼ cup bread crumbs

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

80 small square wonton wrappers

Gravy

¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter

4 shallots, chopped

¼ cup all-purpose flour

3 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

½ cup heavy cream

½ cup grated Romano cheese, plus more for serving

¼ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To make the ravioli, stir together the turkey, cranberry sauce, cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, eggs, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Place 10 wonton wrappers on a work surface. Brush lightly with water using a pastry brush. Place 1 tablespoon of the turkey mixture on each of the wonton wrappers. Top each with another wonton wrapper. Push out any air bubbles, then press the edges tightly to seal. Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers, forming 10 ravioli at a time.

To make the gravy, heat the butter in a medium, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and stir until cooked, about 1 minute. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring quickly to avoid lumps, and simmer for 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the cream, cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook until tender but still firm to the bite and the filling is cooked, about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use a skimmer to remove half the ravioli and transfer them to individual plates or a serving platter. Drizzle them with some of the gravy to keep them from sticking together. Drain the remaining ravioli and drizzle with the remaining gravy. Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

Dried Pasta Versus Fresh

Fresh pastas can now be found in the refrigerated cases of many supermarkets, and you may also be able to purchase fresh pasta and pasta sheets at your local Italian market or gourmet shop. Don’t assume that fresh pasta is necessarily preferable to dried, though; for many dishes the smooth, firm surface and chewy texture of dried pasta is the better choice. Reach for the fresh pasta when you are serving a more delicate sauce, such as mild, creamy preparations or one based on butter, which complements its softer texture.

Both types of pasta are made from the same ingredients: flour, salt, and water. However, dried pastas are made with hard wheat flour, called semolina, while fresh pasta generally uses a softer flour that is lower in protein and makes a softer noodle. Some fresh pastas also include egg, which contributes both richness and a warm yellow color.

Because dried semolina pasta doesn’t absorb sauce the way more porous fresh pastas do, they work best with tomato- or oil-based sauces and should be cooked together with the sauce briefly to meld their flavors. Fresh pasta should be cooked quickly (monitor it carefully as it can overcook in a matter of seconds) and then tossed with the sauce in a serving bowl; don’t cook the two together or the dish will become gummy.

4 breakfast servings or 6 appetizer or dessert servings

My grandfather would occasionally make this for us as a special breakfast treat when I was young; now I serve it as an unusual first course for a fancy dinner or even, occasionally, for dessert. It’s very unexpected—and very delicious. Serve it in small portions, as it is quite rich.

2 cups heavy cream

Zest of 1 lemon

Zest of 1 orange

2 tablespoons honey

Pinch of kosher salt

½ recipe of Fresh Pasta, cut into fettuccine, or 12 ounces purchased fresh pasta or dried fettuccine (see Note)

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts (see note in recipe for Rotelli with Walnut Sauce)

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

In a large, heavy skillet, heat the cream, zests, honey, and salt over medium heat, being careful not to let it boil. Cook at a bare simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain the pasta well, then add it and the lemon juice to the skillet with the cream sauce. Toss to combine.

Divide the pasta among 4 to 6 shallow bowls and sprinkle with the hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

Note

If using dried pasta, substitute 1 pound dried, cooked in a large pot of salted boiling water until just al dente. Add to the cream sauce as above and cook gently in the sauce for another 3 minutes, or until the pasta has absorbed most of the sauce.

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basic recipes

This section provides you with all the fundamentals you need to put a great pasta meal on the table: essential sauces like marinara and béchamel as well as my favorite flavored oils and vinaigrettes I reach for time and again. If you want to try your hand at making your own fresh pasta, this is