Free Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis

water to a boil. Add the ravioli and boil until they are just cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain.
    Meanwhile, in a large, heavy frying pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat until pale golden, about 4 minutes. Add the basil leaves and cook until crisp, about 2 minutes. Stir in ½ teaspoon of salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and the nutmeg. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste. Add the cooked ravioli, and gently toss to coat. Divide the ravioli among 4 plates and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and pine nuts, and serve.
     
Everyday
“SAUCELESS” PASTAS
    In the United States, we eat a lot of heavily sauced pastas. But in Italy, you’re just as likely to find pasta in a light dressing as swimming in a pool of sauce; Italians like pasta dishes in which the texture and flavor of the pasta are just as important as the accompaniment.The key to most of these “sauceless” dressings is the pasta cooking water. Do not pour it all down the drain! The following recipes all use the salty, slightly starchy cooking liquid as a base and binder for other simple ingredients to create a highly flavorful sauce that lets you really enjoy what can be best about pasta dishes: the pasta.And even a lot of tomato-based sauces could use a little thinning. I think one of the most common mistakes made by home cooks is to serve their sauces too thick. The answer is to reserve a little of the pasta cooking liquid, and to add that liquid to whatever sauce you’ve made. Try it, and you’ll be amazed at what a difference this simple trick makes.
     
FARFALLE WITH TURKEY SAUSAGE,
Peas, and Mushrooms
    Traditionally, this dish is made with pork sausage. But in an effort to lighten things up, I use turkey sausage, which in general is a great, healthy alternative to pork. I promise that you won’t be able to tell the difference.
    4 MAIN-COURSE SERVINGS
½
cup extra-virgin olive oil
1
pound Italian-style turkey sausages, casings removed
10
ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
¾
teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
¾
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1
(10-ounce) package frozen peas, defrosted slightly
1
pound dried farfalle pasta (bow-tie pasta)
½
cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    in a Large Sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over a high flame. Add the turkey sausage and sauté until golden brown, breaking up any large clumps, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a plate and set aside. Heat 2 more tablespoons of oil in the same pan. Add the mushrooms and ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Sauté until all the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated, about 8 minutes. Add the peas and sauté for 2 minutes. Return the sausage to the pan and cook until the sausage is heated through and the flavors have blended, about 3 minutes.
    Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the farfalle and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pot and add the meat mixture. Toss over medium heat to combine and heat through, adding enough of the reserved cooking water to moisten, about 5 minutes. Drizzle in the remaining oil. Season the pasta with more salt and pepper to taste. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the Parmesan cheese and toss to combine. Transfer the pasta mixture to a large bowl and serve.
     

     
ORECCHIETTE WITH SPICY SAUSAGE
and Broccoli Rabe
    This recipe is a prime example that you don’t need tomato sauce to make a great-tasting pasta dish. And here’s a bonus: It tastes great at room temperature, so it’s perfect for picnics and casual buffet lunches.
    4 MAIN-COURSE SERVINGS
Salt
2
bunches of broccoli rabe, stalks trimmed and quartered crosswise
12
ounces dried orecchiette pasta or other small shaped pasta, such as farfalle or penne
3
tablespoons olive oil
1
pound spicy pork sausage, casings removed
3
garlic cloves, minced Pinch of