Giada's Kitchen

341 Pages·2008·10.41 MB·English

by  Giada De Laurentiis

Copyright © 2008 by Giada De Laurentiis
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing
Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.clarksonpotter.com
CLARKSON POTTER is a trademark and POTTER with colophon is a registered trademark of
Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
De Laurentiis, Giada.
Giada’s kitchen: new Italian favorites / Giada De Laurentiis;
photographs by Tina Rupp. —1st ed.
p. cm.
1. Cookery, Italian. I. Title.
TX723.D3275 2008
641.5945—dc22
2008005004
eISBN: 978-0-30788560-9
v3.1

Introduction
Appetizers and First Courses
Soups, Panini, and Snacks
Salads and Vegetables
Pasta
Meat, Poultry, and Fish
Desserts
(Not) Just for Kids
Menus
Acknowledgments
Credits
Index

Few things in life give me more pleasure than food, whether eating or cooking for the
people I love. And I’ve always known that somehow, some way, I would find my calling
in the food world. For obvious reasons, I felt most comfortable around Italian food; it’s
what I grew up loving. But I never (ever!) imagined that this love would lead to an
opportunity to share my passion for Italian cooking, and my ideas about what Italian
food can and should be, with so many people. When I made my earliest appearances on
Food Network, there were plenty of well-established authorities who had already made
their marks on the culinary landscape. I wondered at first what on earth I could bring to
the table. Where would I fit in? What new message did I have to share? When I thought
about my roots, though, the way my family has always cooked, and the places and
people whose food continues to inspire me today, the recipes and ideas began to come.
And they haven’t stopped since.
For the past five years I have been on a wonderful journey. On my Food Network
shows and in my cookbooks I’ve had the chance to explore every facet of Italian
cooking: traditional, seasonal, regional, contemporary, whimsical, and much more. All
the while, my own style of cooking has been evolving. From the old recipes of my
grandmother’s that I still adore, like her verdure al forno and hearty lamb stew with
cipollini onions and potatoes, to some of the more updated dishes you’ll find in this
book, I’ve found the things that make a recipe just taste right to me.
These days, my palate responds most to clean, vibrant, simple flavors, and my eyes
can’t resist the undeniable freshness of great ingredients and bursts of bright colors. The
recipes you’ll find in this book represent a nice balance of exciting and healthy dishes;
they’re hearty but not overwhelming (and a few are moderately sinful because everyone
needs a treat once in a while). And because we eat first with our eyes, I made sure that
every dish is as beautiful on the plate as it is delicious.
In response to the countless requests I have received from parents who enjoy cooking
with their children (or whose kids love to cook themselves), I have also included a
chapter just for kids, with easier recipes full of the flavors kids can’t resist. The
Orecchiette with Mini Chicken Meatballs is one of my favorites (and the recipe makes
about seventy of the little meatballs, so you’ll have plenty of leftovers and happy
campers).
These recipes reflect what my readers and viewers have told me they are looking for
in the meals they prepare, dishes I know will always be well received. They represent
five years of lessons I’ve learned as well as those I have shared since beginning my
Everyday Italian journey. I’ve never forgotten that cooking and eating are a shared
experience, and my goal as a chef is to ensure that each “everyday” experience is a
memorable one for you and your family. I hope you will find some new favorites here,
as well as a few “shining moments” that will linger in your memory.