Notes about Recipes in this book

• Red pepper cheesecake

  • julesamomof2 on March 10, 2021

    Love this appetizer recipe, especially around the holidays. I even purchased a six inch springform pan just to make this- it's been in heavy rotation ever since. Great with pita chips, crackers, etc.

• Pecorino Romano with apples and fig jam

  • julesamomof2 on March 24, 2025

    These crostini were a bit time consuming to make, but the fig jam can be made in advance. These were really pretty on the plate and combo of sweet and salty was delicious. Will repeat.

• Mediterranean bruschetta

  • Breadcrumbs on February 26, 2012

    p. 22 Not surprisingly, another hit from Giada. We really enjoyed this quick, easy and flavourful appetizer and the addition of tomatoes made it a little different from herbed or seasoned fresh ricotta antipasti we’ve had in the past. I can’t wait to try this again in the summer when we can pull our tomatoes straight from the vine. Giada suggests you incorporate mint w the tomatoes but since we’re not huge fans of mint, I went w fresh basil. This is the first time I’ve spritzed lemon on freshly grilled bruschetta and though the flavour was complimentary and a nice contrast to the richness of the cheese, I think I’d prefer some zest grated into the cheese next time. A hit nonetheless, happy to recommend this one.

• Cantaloupe, red onion, and walnut salad

  • CelV on April 24, 2020

    Very refreshing and easy.

• Spicy Parmesan green beans and kale

  • swegener on January 25, 2015

    Good, but very salty if made as written.

• Eggplant timbale

  • JimCampbell on April 12, 2026

    A 3.0 out of 5. The dish is tasty enough. Salt the eggplant after it is cooked. Buy the longest eggplant available so it laps up the sides and over the top of the spring form pan. It will work with smaller eggplant but it looks a bit more patched together. We cooked the pasta and grilled the eggplant earlier in the day, which took the pressure off the preparation and assembly before dinner. We ground leftover lamb roast and used it in place of ground beef and pork. A bit more assertive, but tasty. Be generous with the torn basil and the smoked mozzarella, and salt the mixture sufficiently. Some red pepper flake would do well also. It makes for a nice presentation at the table decorated with fresh basil tops. We'll make it again.

• Tagliatelle with smashed peas, sausage, and ricotta cheese

  • Breadcrumbs on October 23, 2010

    Oct 2010 - First use of this recipe. This dish comes together very quickly and delivers big flavour. I do think that the outcome of this dish relies heavily on the quality of the sausage since it does add the most dominant flavour. I didn't make any substitutions and needed to add about 1 cup of pasta water to achieve the consistency I desired in the sauce. Delicious and well received. 8.5

  • MsMonsoon on July 20, 2021

    I made this vegetarian with Tofurkey Italian sausage, and it turned out pretty well. I used an extra tablespoon of olive oil and extra pecorino romano to compensate for the lower fat content. Next time I’ll probably try Field Roast Italian veggie sausages. Like Breadcrumbs, I also needed nearly a full cup of pasta water to moisten the pasta.

  • korkyporky on December 21, 2024

    Pretty good simple pasta to use up ingredients

• Baked orzo with Fontina and peas

  • tunnymowg on April 23, 2011

    I have made this twice now and I really like it. It's delicious and "different" for a baked pasta, and so easy since you can make it the day before and just toss it in the oven!

• Whole-wheat linguine with green beans, ricotta, and lemon

  • MsMonsoon on July 15, 2021

    Loved this, so easy. Made it as written, just with two cloves of garlic instead one one. Would definitely make again and might 1.5x the veggies (green beans and cherry tomatoes) for extra color and vitamins. And maybe even 3 cloves of garlic :)

• Swiss chard and sweet pea manicotti

  • debcapecod on November 21, 2010

    This recipe is delicious. I hadn't used swiss chard before and now I have it in my garden! This is very easy to make and I highly recommend trying it.

• Linguine with shrimp and lemon oil

  • foodie005 on August 03, 2011

    Serve with Fennel slaw on page 77

• Rigatoni with squash and prawns

  • MsMonsoon on April 23, 2024

    This was ok, not spectacular. I may repeat. Used frozen shrimp from Trader Joe’s, which come without shells or tails. When making this, I thought it was a bit watery so I didn't add the remaining 1/4 cup of milk, but will next time as it dries out or absorbs the liquid rather quickly. (Edited to add that I quite enjoyed the leftovers so I will make again!)

• Penne with eggplant purée

  • swiand on September 10, 2011

    Very good

  • ckbkaddict on March 27, 2017

    Replaced basil for mint. Easy and delicious.

  • MsMonsoon on October 24, 2021

    Loved this. I doubled the garlic and probably used extra mint. Easy, a little spicy, and delicious. I make this often!

• Orzo-stuffed peppers

  • Cheri on December 25, 2010

    Makes too much stuffing for 6 med/large peppers. Otherwise, this is an excellent recipe. Needed more chick broth for bottom of pan, sprinkled cheese on top and baked, without cover. This was fine. Excellent left over. Served with grilled salmon (nice combo) and leftover with grilled sausages, also very good.

• Strawberry and mascarpone granita

  • Dthomasc on July 25, 2024

    Sooo good and easy for summer when berries are at their height

• Ricotta orange pound cake with strawberries

  • Breadcrumbs on November 28, 2010

    p. 189 - Looks and sounds delicious! Recipe also appeared in Dec 2010 Food Network Magazine.

  • Breadcrumbs on February 15, 2011

    p. 188 When I first purchased this book I immediately flagged this recipe as a must try and its taken me almost 3 years to finally get to it!! This is the first time I’ve made a cake w ricotta other than a cheesecake. Prep is very simple. Flour, baking powder and salt are mixed together and set aside. Butter, ricotta and sugar are mixed together until fluffy then eggs are added one at a time before adding vanilla, orange zest and Amaretto. I decided to skip the Amaretto and instead, added an equal amount of orange juice. Dry ingredients are incorporated w the wet and then the mixture is poured into a loaf pan and baked for 45-50 minutes. In my case it took 60 mins for the tester to come out clean. The aroma of this cake baking is heavenly! This is an absolutely wonderful, moist cake with a tender crumb. It is dense but not heavy feeling at all. It may have taken me 3 years to make this but I doubt it will take 3 weeks before I make it again! I’d highly recommend this cake.

• Lemon ricotta cookies with lemon glaze

  • Breadcrumbs on November 28, 2010

    p. 190 - These look wonderful, must try!

  • Julia on June 18, 2011

    These are cake like in texture. I used Meyer lemon and the flavor is great. Easy and a little different.

  • vickster on April 25, 2014

    I substituted Blood Orange for the Lemon in recipe. They are delicious! A different texture than any cookie I have made before. Kind of cake like, I assume from all the ricotta in the recipe.

• Orecchiette with mini chicken meatballs

  • swiand on June 09, 2025

    This is a family favorite recipe that is in regular rotation for us. The entire family enjoys this meal.