Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites (11 page)

It’s hard to believe a plate this beautiful is so easy to make.
Crudi
means “raw” and the freshness of raw vegetables is especially welcome as an accompaniment to a heavier pasta. The key to this dish is creating long, graceful ribbons of the raw zucchini; they should look almost like pale green fettuccine noodles.

4 to 6 servings

Using a vegetable peeler, shave the zucchini into long thin strips. Thinly slice the asparagus on a diagonal. Put the sliced vegetables in a serving bowl and toss together to combine.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix well, then drizzle over the vegetables. Toss to coat. Use the vegetable peeler to shave the Pecorino over the salad and serve immediately.

Fregola is a toasted semolina pasta that is very popular in Sardinia. You can substitute any small shape pasta, such as orzo, which it resembles, but do make the effort to seek it out at a specialty food shop; its nutty flavor makes this pasta salad really unusual and delicious.

4 to 6 servings

To make the orange oil,
combine the olive oil and the orange zest in a small bowl and set aside.

To make the salad,
in a large saucepan bring the chicken broth to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain the pasta and dump it onto a large baking sheet. Spread it out into a single layer and let cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, using a small knife, cut all the peel and pith off the orange and grapefruit. Holding the fruit over a large bowl, cut between the membranes to release the segments into the bowl and catch the juices. Add the onion, mint, basil, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and cooled fregola pasta.

Add the reserved orange oil to the pasta. Toss all the ingredients together and serve.

This is a hearty meal in a bowl—like an antipasto with the added substance of the earthy grain.

6 side-dish servings

In a medium saucepan, combine 4 cups of water with the farro. Bring to a boil over high heat, then cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the farro is almost tender, about 20 minutes. Add 1½ teaspoons of the salt and simmer until the farro is tender, about 10 minutes longer. Drain well. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool.

Meanwhile, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans, stir, and cook for 2 minutes. Drain the green beans, then transfer to a bowl of ice water. Let the beans cool in the water for 2 minutes, then drain well.

Once the farro has cooled, add the green beans, olives, bell pepper, Parmesan, and chives. Stir to combine.

In a small bowl, mix together the sherry vinegar, olive oil, mustard, pepper, and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine. Pour the sherry vinaigrette over the farro salad. Toss to combine, and serve.

This is comfort food that’s good for you. Farro is an ancient grain that was used to make cereals and pasta before wheat was widely available. It is somewhat similar to Israeli couscous in texture, but if you can’t find it, any small pasta shape, such as orzo, makes a good substitute. Don’t overwork the pesto; it should still have distinct pieces of the individual herbs, which keeps the flavors clearer and more distinct.

6 to 8 servings