Giada's Kitchen: New Italian Favorites (30 page)

I always think of dishes made with small pasta shapes like orzo as kid food because they are easy to scoop up with a spoon—no twirling required! This is an all-around crowd-pleaser that seems to satisfy kids of all ages. It’s also quite adaptable; if your kids don’t like peppers, leave them out and add more tomatoes. Skip the hot peppers if you don’t want it too spicy; and feel free to use any kind of sausage your family enjoys.

4 to 6 servings

In a large saucepan, bring the chicken broth and 3 cups of 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.

While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the turkey sausage and sauté until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the bell peppers, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes (if using) to the pan and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

Drain the pasta, reserving about ½ cup of the cooking liquid, and transfer it to a large serving bowl. Add the sausage mixture, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to combine, adding the reserved cooking liquid if needed to loosen the pasta. Top with the Parmesan and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

Here is my version of chicken pot pie, with my twist being the addition of a pizza crust in place of the expected pastry topper. This is the kind of thing you can make for kids or adults: use a slightly larger ramekin for an adult-size serving and serve it with a side salad; or make it in smaller portions for kids and serve with veggie sticks or even French fries.

6 servings

To make the tomato sauce,
warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic, rosemary, and pancetta and sauté until the pancetta is crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, stir to combine, and simmer over very low heat for 15 minutes. Add the salt and pepper. Set aside.

To make the pot pies,
preheat the oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine the tomato sauce, chicken, broccoli, mozzarella, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Divide the chicken mixture evenly among six 10-ounce ramekins. Roll out the pizza dough ½- to ¾-inch thick, and use a paring knife to cut circles that are 1 inch larger in diameter than the ramekins. Set the circles of dough over the filled ramekins and press down to seal, making sure to pull the dough over the edges of each ramekin. Brush the pizza crust with the olive oil and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Cut a small slit in the top with the paring knife. Bake until the pizza crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.

The kids won’t be the only ones licking their fingers when you serve this. My mother made a dish similar to this when I was a kid and we just couldn’t get enough of it; the leftovers were my favorite after-school snack, eaten cold right out of the fridge. The rosemary and garlic are subtle but make the flavor a little more complex, and brushing the cooked drumettes with the reduced marinade intensifies the flavors even more.

4 to 6 servings

Combine the balsamic vinegar, honey, brown sugar, soy sauce, rosemary sprigs, and garlic cloves in a large, resealable plastic bag. Shake and squeeze the contents of the bag to dissolve the honey and the brown sugar. Add the chicken drumsticks to the bag and seal, squeezing out as much air from the bag as possible. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Remove the chicken drumsticks from the bag, reserving the marinade, and arrange them on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the skin is caramelized and very dark in spots, 30 to 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the marinade in a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook over low heat until thick, about 15 minutes.

Use a pastry brush to brush some of the cooked marinade on the cooked chicken. Place the chicken on a serving platter. Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and the chopped parsley.

Make these for your little girl’s next tea party; they are pretty and so easy to make. Or feel free to make these in a regular-size muffin tin, increasing the baking time by about 5 minutes.

Makes 48 mini muffins

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 4 mini muffin tins (a total of 48 mini muffin molds) with paper liners.

In a large bowl, combine the mascarpone, egg whites, and vegetable oil. Using a hand mixer, beat the ingredients until combined and creamy. Add the cake mix and 1 cup water and mix until smooth, about 3 minutes. Fill the muffin liners to just below the rim and bake until puffed and golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly in the tins, then transfer the cupcakes to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meanwhile, purée the strawberries in a blender or small food processor. Sift the confectioners’ sugar and place in a medium bowl. Pour in the strawberry purée and whisk until smooth. Dip the tops of the cooled cupcakes into the strawberry glaze. Let the cupcakes sit for a few minutes for the glaze to firm up, then serve.