Everyday Italian

1. Embrace the Fun and Simplicity of Everyday Italian Cooking

I believe a great meal does not have to be difficult or complex.

Cooking is fun. Giada emphasizes that cooking, especially Italian cooking, should be enjoyable and passionate. It's about taste, smell, touch, and bringing people together. The goal is to create fantastic meals in your own kitchen every day without needing fancy ingredients or time-consuming techniques.

Family tradition. Italian cooking is deeply rooted in family and togetherness. Giada shares recipes she grew up with, updated for simplicity and speed, allowing you more time to enjoy friends and family – the true heart of Italian gatherings. Her background, from a family pasta factory to culinary school and working in restaurants, all led back to the inspiration of home cooking.

Accessible deliciousness. The book aims to make authentic Italian flavors achievable for everyone, regardless of their cooking experience. By focusing on simple recipes and personal shortcuts, readers can be confident in creating delicious dishes that their families will love and ask for repeatedly.

2. Stock Your Pantry for Effortless, Last-Minute Meals

One of the keys to putting together a last-minute Italian meal—or any meal, for that matter—that’s quick, stress-free, and delicious is to have a well-stocked pantry.

Be prepared. Having essential ingredients readily available is crucial for spontaneous and easy cooking. A well-stocked pantry allows you to whip up delicious Italian dishes even when you don't have time to grocery shop.

Pantry essentials include:

• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Fresh garlic & red pepper flakes
• Assorted dried pasta shapes (spaghetti, penne, orecchiette)
• Canned cannellini beans & Italian tuna (in oil)
• Marinara sauce (homemade or jarred)
• Dried herbs (oregano, rosemary, thyme)
• Vinegars (balsamic, red/white wine)
• Onions & shallots
• Capers (salted preferred)

Quick pantry recipes. The book offers examples of dishes you can make using these staples, such as White Bean and Tuna Salad, Crostini with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Chickpeas, and White Bean Dip. These recipes demonstrate how simple ingredients can be combined quickly for flavorful results.

3. Master Versatile Sauces as Your Culinary Foundation

Remember that your tomato sauce will taste only as good as the tomatoes you put in...

Sauce is key. Tomato-based sauces are a hallmark of Italian-American food, but they go beyond simple "red sauce." Classic marinara, for instance, is a versatile base that can be enhanced with other ingredients like olives or used in more complex dishes. Using high-quality canned tomatoes, like San Marzano, is recommended when fresh are out of season.

Beyond tomato. Italian sauces encompass a wide range, including pestos and classic French-influenced sauces.

• Pestos: Uncooked, puréed sauces (traditionally basil) that are quick to make and versatile for pasta, meats, or appetizers. Examples include Sun-Dried Tomato, Spinach and Pine Nut, Mushroom, and Arugula pestos.
• Classic Sauces: Béchamel (balsamella), Mushroom Ragù, and Brown Butter Sauce are fundamental, versatile recipes used for pasta, as condiments, or in baked dishes like lasagna.

Make ahead advantage. Many sauces, like Marinara or Mushroom Ragù, can be made in larger batches and stored (refrigerated or frozen) for quick use throughout the week. This significantly reduces cooking time on busy nights, making delicious Italian meals truly "everyday."

4. Simplify Pasta Dishes, From Stuffed Classics to Light Dressings

The key to most of these “sauceless” dressings is the pasta cooking water.

Pasta is pantry power. Dried pasta is a shelf-stable, inexpensive staple that can form the base of a meal quickly. Simple dishes like Lemon Spaghetti or Spaghetti with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Red Pepper Flakes (aglio, olio, e pepperoncino) highlight the pasta itself and require minimal ingredients.

Stuffed pasta ease. While traditional homemade stuffed pastas are labor-intensive, high-quality ready-made options (ravioli, tortellini, manicotti) are widely available. This allows you to create impressive baked dishes like Classic Italian Lasagna or Beef and Cheese Manicotti, or quick weeknight meals like Cheese Tortellini in Light Broth, often assembled ahead of time.

"Sauceless" secrets. Many Italian pasta dishes feature light dressings rather than heavy sauces. The secret is reserving some of the starchy pasta cooking water to emulsify and bind simple ingredients like olive oil, herbs, or vegetables to the pasta, creating a flavorful coating without being overly thick or heavy.

5. Utilize Quick Grills and Sautés for Speedy Entrees

These are perhaps the ultimate in Everyday Italian entrée choices: They cook extremely quickly, and you can top them with just about anything you like.

High heat, quick cook. Many Italian meat, fish, and poultry preparations rely on high heat to cook quickly, preserving natural flavors. Grilling creates a charred crust, while sautéing lightly browns, both happening in mere minutes. Proper technique involves preheating surfaces and oil, and not overcrowding the pan.

Versatile cutlets. Thin, boneless pieces of veal, pork, or chicken (cutlets) are ideal for quick cooking. They can be easily pounded thin for even faster results and are highly interchangeable in recipes.

• Chicken Parmesan (skillet-browned, then baked)
• Chicken Piccata (lemon, capers, butter)
• Chicken Saltimbocca (prosciutto, spinach, rolled)
• Veal Marsala (mushrooms, Marsala wine)
• Pork Milanese (breaded and fried)

Simple seafood & steak. Grilling or searing seafood like shrimp or tuna, or steaks like rib-eye or T-bone (Steak Florentine), allows their natural flavors to shine with minimal seasoning. These methods are fast and satisfying, perfect for weeknight meals or quick weekend cooking.

6. Leverage Roasts and Stews for Easy Entertaining

Roasts are simple, satisfying, and great for guests; nearly all your work is done ahead of time.

Hands-off cooking. Roasting meats, poultry, or fish is often a hands-off process once the initial preparation is done. The key is achieving the correct internal temperature using a meat thermometer to ensure tenderness and safety. Examples include Roasted Red Snapper with Rosemary or Roasted Pork Loin with Fig Sauce.

Flavorful braises. Italian stews (spezzatini) and braised dishes like Easy Osso Buco involve cooking meat in liquid for a long time, resulting in incredibly tender meat and rich, flavorful sauces. While not quick to cook, the active preparation time is often minimal, making them ideal for rainy Sundays or when you can let the oven do the work.

Entertaining ease. Both roasts and stews are excellent choices for feeding a crowd. Much of the preparation can be done in advance, and they often improve in flavor when made a day ahead and gently reheated, allowing the host to relax and enjoy their guests.

7. Transform Leftovers into Exciting New Dishes

Take a hint from the Italians, who are incredibly inventive when it comes to leftovers...

Avoid déjà vu. Instead of simply reheating leftovers, Italians are masters at repurposing them into entirely new and delicious meals. This prevents meal fatigue and reduces food waste.

Creative leftover uses:

• Pasta: Leftover cooked and sauced pasta can be turned into Pizza di Spaghetti (a fried pasta cake) or Torta di Pasta (a baked pasta cake), both great served warm or at room temperature.
• Meat/Seafood: Leftover steak can become a Steak Salad, while breaded cutlets (like Pork Milanese) make excellent sandwiches. Grilled seafood can be stirred into leftover risotto for a new main dish.

Resourceful tradition. This practice stems from a tradition of resourcefulness, ensuring that no food goes to waste. By viewing leftovers as ingredients for future creations, you can extend the value of your cooking and add variety to your weekly menu.

8. Make Vegetable Sides Quick or Prepare Them Ahead

Another benefit of stuffed vegetables is that baked ones can be assembled ahead of time.

Contorni variety. Vegetable side dishes (contorni) are essential to an Italian meal. They can range from quick sautés to more involved stuffed or baked preparations.

Make-ahead options. Stuffed vegetables like Stuffed Mushrooms, Eggplant Rollatini, or Stuffed Tomatoes can often be assembled in advance and baked just before serving, making them convenient for entertaining. Baked vegetable casseroles like Tomato Vegetable Casserole or Verdure al Forno also benefit from oven time while you focus on other tasks.

Quick and simple. For faster sides, techniques like quick sautés (Peas and Prosciutto, Sautéed Broccoli Rabe) or smashing potatoes (Smashed Parmesan Potatoes) provide flavorful results with minimal effort. Grilling vegetables is another quick, mess-free method that allows for make-ahead flexibility and delicious leftovers.

9. Enjoy Simple Fruit Desserts and Make-Ahead Treats

Italians love fruit for dessert, and not just in the time-consuming and fattening pies and tarts that are so popular here in the United States.

Fruit forward. Italian desserts often highlight the natural sweetness and freshness of fruit, rather than relying heavily on butter, sugar, and flour. This approach emphasizes seasonality and the quality of the fruit itself. Examples include simple preparations like Marinated Strawberries over Pound Cake or Grilled Peaches with Mascarpone Cheese.

Quick and easy. Many fruit desserts require minimal cooking or preparation, such as Fruit Salad with Cannoli Cream or Cantaloupe, Strawberries, and Grapes with White Wine and Mint. These are refreshing and perfect for casual occasions or when you want a light finish to a meal.

Make-ahead indulgence. More decadent desserts like Panna Cotta, Chocolate Zabaglione, or Chocolate Tiramisù can often be prepared in advance, allowing them time to set and flavors to meld. This makes them excellent choices for dinner parties, providing an elegant finale without last-minute stress.

Last updated: May 16, 2025