Free Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites by Giada de Laurentiis

oil
    2 shallots, diced
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    1 pound shrimp, fresh or thawed frozen, peeled and deveined
    Zest of 1 lemon
    ¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
    1 teaspoon salt
    ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    3 ounces arugula (about 3 packed cups)
    ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
    To make the lemon oil, combine the olive oil and the lemon zest in a small bowl and set aside.
    For 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 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.
    Meanwhile, in a large, heavy skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 5 minutes. Add the cooked linguine, the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss to combine. Turn off the heat and add the arugula. Using a mesh sieve, strain the lemon oil into the pasta; the zest can be discarded. Add the chopped parsley to the pasta and toss to combine. Serve immediately.
     

     

    This recipe comes from a beachside cafe in Capri. Prawns are very popular in Europe, where they are abundant, but here they are a bit harder to find and a little more expensive. Feel free to substitute extra-large shrimp in their place—or leave them out altogether. It will still be a very satisfying, hearty meal. The squash makes the most luxurious, velvety sauce imaginable, with a beautiful orange color.
    4 to 6 servings
    6 tablespoons olive oil
    1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    2 teaspoons salt
    ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1 cup vegetable broth
    1 pound rigatoni pasta
    1 pound prawns or large shrimp, peeled and deveined
    ¾ to 1 cup whole milk
    ½ cup chopped fresh basil leaves
    ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    Warm 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butternut squash, garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and ¼ teaspoon of the pepper. Sauté until the squash is golden and tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until the squash is very soft, another 5 to 7 minutes.
    Transfer the squash mixture to a blender or food processor and purée.
    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.
    Meanwhile, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the prawns with the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and remaining ½ teaspoon of pepper. Add the prawns to the pan and cook, turning once, until just pink, about 3 minutes.
    In a large pot over low heat, combine the cooked pasta, puréed squash mixture, and ¾ cup milk. Stir to combine. Add the remaining ¼ cup milk if the sauce needs to be moistened. Add the cooked prawns, the basil, and the cheese. Stir until warm and serve.
     

    Roasting brings out the best flavors in fall vegetables, and it’s a super-easy way to cook them, as well: just cut them into cubes and let the oven do the rest. Once puréed they become a warm, mellow sauce that collects in the tubular pasta, so that when you bite one the flavors explode in your mouth.
    4 to 6 servings
    1 medium eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
    1 pint cherry tomatoes
    3 garlic cloves, whole
    3 tablespoons olive oil
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
    ¼ cup pine nuts
    1 pound penne pasta
    ¼ cup torn fresh mint leaves
    3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
    Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Spread the vegetables on the