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

serving platter. Top each toast with a basil leaf. Using the brush, drizzle the remaining olive oil over the basil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.

6 servings

Goat cheese is something I like to use in many different ways, and this herb-y mixture is especially versatile. You can toss it with hot pasta for a quick, creamy sauce, or roll it into balls to top a salad, but I probably like these little toasts best of all. They’re so easy to make and they fly off the platter every time I serve them. The recipe can easily be doubled for a party. (See photograph.)

1 baguette, cut on the diagonal in 18 half-inch slices

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces soft fresh goat cheese

2 ounces cream cheese

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Salt and coarsely ground multicolored or black peppercorns

¼ cup pitted Sicilian green olives or kalamata olives, finely chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the bread slices on one or two large, heavy baking sheets. Brush the olive oil over the bread slices. Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Blend the goat cheese and cream cheese in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Add the parsley, thyme, and lemon zest. Pulse just to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread the cheese mixture over the crostini. Sprinkle with the olives, chives, and more pepper. Arrange the toasts on a platter and serve.

Do-Ahead Tip

The crostini and cheese mixture can be prepared 2 days ahead. Store the crostini in an airtight container at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate the cheese mixture. Let the cheese mixture stand at room temperature for 1 hour to soften slightly before spreading.

6 servings

Think of this bruschetta as a portable salad that doesn’t require utensils or a plate—perfect for entertaining! (See photograph.)

1 baguette, cut on the diagonal in 18 half-inch slices

3 tablespoons olive oil

18 paper-thin slices prosciutto

1 (8-ounce) ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into 18 thin slices

1 head of frisée, leaves separated

2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinaigrette

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the bread slices on one or two large, heavy baking sheets and brush with the olive oil. Bake until the crostini are pale golden and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Place one slice of prosciutto on a work surface. Place a slice of cheese and 2 or 3 frisée leaves on top, allowing the tops to protrude from one end. Roll the prosciutto around the cheese and frisée and place on a toasted bread slice. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Arrange the crostini on a platter. Drizzle with the vinaigrette and serve.

Toasted Ciabatta with Balsamic Syrup

6 servings

I love this sweet syrup. It’s similar to chocolate sauce; in fact, beyond the antipasto platter, you could even use it as a dessert topping, drizzled over ice cream or berries.

1½ cups balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons sugar

12 ½-inch-thick slices ciabatta bread

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Boil the balsamic vinegar and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to ½ cup, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.

Toast the bread slices. Spread the butter over the toasts. Arrange the toasts on a platter. Drizzle the reduced balsamic syrup over the toasts, then sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of sugar, and serve.

Makes 24

Garlic bread done even better: the salty, buttery, garlicky topping makes these toasts absolutely addictive.

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter

4 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon minced lemon zest

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

12 ½-inch-thick baguette slices

1 cup shredded Provolone cheese

Melt the butter in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the anchovies and stir until they dissolve, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley, thyme, garlic, lemon zest, and crushed red pepper flakes.

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Arrange the bread slices on a large baking sheet. Brush with the anchovy mixture, then sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and the bread is golden, about 10 minutes.

6 to 8 servings

Irresistible is the only word for these light and airy popovers. Add them to the bread basket with dinner or lunch and see how quickly they disappear. (See photograph.)

6 eggs

1½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon herbes de Provence

¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 cups whole milk

1¼ cups grated Parmesan cheese (about 5 ounces)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a blender, combine the eggs, flour, salt, pepper, herbes de Provence, and parsley. Blend on medium speed. Turn the blender to low and slowly add the milk, then the cheese.

Spray a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour the batter into the muffin cups, filling each cup three-quarters full. Bake until puffed and golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove the popovers from the muffin pan and serve hot, or cool on a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature.

Fried Ravioli

4 to 6 servings

When I visited St. Louis on my first book tour, I sampled these addictive little cocktail nibbles. They are a perfect addition to an antipasto platter or a fun and easy party appetizer; serve them on a big platter with a small bowl of marinara in the center for dipping.

Olive oil, for frying

1 cup buttermilk

2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs

1 box store-bought bite-size cheese ravioli (about 24 ravioli)

¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 to 2 cups marinara sauce (store-bought or homemade), heated, for dipping

Heat 2 inches of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325°F.

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip the ravioli in the buttermilk to coat completely, allowing the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge the ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet,