Fresh from the signing, I put my new Weeknights with Giada to use.
I love planning meals out in the beginning of the week so that I can make use of similar ingredients in different ways. (It’s easier on me and and easier on the grocery bill!)
So I had some leftover ricotta from my Sunday dinner – Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna Rolls (recipe courtesy of the amazing blogger at Skinny Taste). Side note: If you have the time, these are delicious.
Anyway, with the leftover ricotta I tried out one of the recipes from my new Giada cookbook: Arugula Pesto, Ricotta, and Smoked Mozzarella Pizza.
Due to my tiny oven and limited workspace, I made this a rectangular version of Giada’s original. With store-bought pizza dough, this was easy, delicious, and we had leftovers for lunch! (Recipe can be found here.)
Since I had extra arugula, I dug through the pages of Giada for another recipe – Whole Wheat Pasta with Brown Butter, Arugula, and Walnuts. This was definitely different – the combination of whole wheat pasta, lemon, and walnuts was unique and delicious. And of course, since the book name is “Weeknights with Giada” it was perfect for a quick weeknight meal!
This recipe is straight out of my new book and, it seems, not yet available online. Recipe is below!
Whole Wheat Pasta with Browned Butter, Arugula, and Walnuts
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Grated zest and juice of 1 large lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound whole wheat or multigrain penne (I used spaghetti)
- 4 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces, at room temperature
- 4 packed cups (4 oz.) baby arugula
- 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts (toast in single layer for 6-8 mins at 350 degrees)
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until smooth.
- 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 and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, in a high-sided skillet, heat the butter over medium heat until melted. Simmer until butter is foamy. Continue to cook until the butter has a nutty aroma and turns a caramel color, 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pasta, dressing, arugula, tomatoes, Parmesan and walnuts. Toss until coated, adding the reserved pasta water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to loosen the sauce, if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl and serve.
Buon appetito!
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