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

something more substantial and sustaining, making it a meal. Stuffed pastas like tortellini, which can feel a bit heavy when covered in a rich sauce, are magically transformed into a light, elegant starter when served in a flavorful broth. While the classic tortellini en brodo is a holiday tradition in many Italian families, mine included, don’t let that limit you. Any kind of stuffed pasta in the broth of your choice, may be supplemented with some fresh herbs or bits of vegetable and a grating of cheese, makes a super-quick and easy meal any time of the year.

When temperatures soar, few things are more welcome than a cooling pasta salad. So much more satisfying than a mixed green salad, pasta salads are also a good way to stretch more pricy ingredients like seafood to serve a crowd. Because most are served at room temperature or chilled, pasta salads are a great addition to an entertaining menu; just make them in advance and put them out with the main course. And because sturdy pasta shapes like penne, farfalle, or rotelli can stand up to robust flavors and ingredients better than delicate greens will, these salads are really rib-sticking; you may find that all you need to make these salads a meal is dessert!

Italian White Bean, Pancetta, and Tortellini Soup

Pasta e Ceci

Italian Vegetable Soup

Tuscan White Bean and Garlic Soup

Ribollita

Tuna, Green Bean, and Orzo Salad

Fusilli Salad with Seared Shrimp and Parsley Sauce

Neapolitan Calamari and Shrimp Salad

Mediterranean Salad

Antipasto Salad

Italian Chicken Salad in Lettuce Cups

Italian White Bean, Pancetta, and Tortellini Soup

4 to 6 servings

Use either fresh or frozen tortellini for this soup, a twist on the traditional tortellini en brodo that is a traditional Christmas dish all over northern Italy. White beans and the pancetta make this one very hearty and even more flavorful.

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 ounces pancetta, chopped

3 large shallots, chopped

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

4 cups chopped Swiss chard (1 bunch)

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 (9-ounce) package cheese tortellini, fresh or frozen

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large, heavy soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta, shallots, carrot, and garlic and cook until the pancetta is crisp, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans, Swiss chard, and broth.

Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the tortellini and cook 5 minutes for fresh, 8 minutes for frozen, or until just tender. Season with pepper and serve.

4 to 6 servings

If you like pasta e fagioli, you’ll love this rib-sticking soup that substitutes garbanzo beans for the usual cannellinis and adds some tomatoes for color and flavor. It happens to be my Aunt Raffy’s favorite soup.

4 fresh thyme sprigs

1 large fresh rosemary sprig

1 bay leaf

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 cup chopped onion (1 medium onion)

3 ounces pancetta, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 (14.5-ounce) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice

¾ cup ditalini (thimble-shaped pasta)

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Wrap the thyme, rosemary, and bay leaf in a piece of cheesecloth and secure with kitchen twine to make a sachet. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, pancetta, and garlic and sauté until the onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, and herb sachet. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes. Discard the sachet.

Transfer 1 cup of the bean mixture to a blender and reserve. Add the ditalini to the soup pot, cover, and bring the liquid back to a boil. Boil gently until the pasta is tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Purée the reserved bean mixture until smooth, then stir the purée into the boiling soup. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Sprinkle each serving with some Parmesan and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.

Grating Cheeses

A sprinkling of freshly grated cheese is the finishing touch for many soups as well as pasta dishes, adding a sharp and salty accent. A mellow aged Parmesan is the go-to cheese for most of us, but it’s one of many hard cheeses that are suitable for grating, each of which contributes a different dimension to the finished dish. These are the three I use most often; all three melt beautifully without becoming runny or rubbery.

Asiago: This aged cow’s-milk cheese is made in the Veneto region of Italy and is sold in both a soft, young version and an aged, hard version, which is the one you want for grating. It’s aged for a minimum of nine months, and it has a sharp flavor very similar to an aged Cheddar. It’s not as buttery as Parmesan, but it can be substituted for it in many recipes, depending on how sharp and robust you like your cheesy topping. I especially like it on hearty dishes with a meat or mushroom sauce.

Parmigiano-Reggiano: Considered the finest variety of Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano is a cow’s-milk cheese that is aged for up to two years, and its flavor is most pronounced when the cheese is grated. It’s slightly salty and fruity with a grainy, brittle texture that is even a bit crunchy; its subtle flavor won’t overpower delicate pastas and light cream sauces. Parmigiano-Reggiano is a staple in my fridge, and I use it to enhance the flavor of just about everything, including eggs, veggies, breads, and much more. Authentic Parmigiano-Reggiano is imported from Italy and, although it is pricier than other imported and domestic Parmesans, it is well worth it. Look for the stamp on the rind to make sure you’re getting the real thing.

Pecorino: Unlike Parmesan, Pecorino