rigatoni with eggplant puree
I think what it comes down to is that all of her recipes seem to be missing a little something, something that would make it more interesting. Like, you made pesto and added a swapped out a little mint for basil? Whoa. Where’d you come up with that! You add crushed almond cookies over an ice cream sundae to give it an “authentic Italian flavor”? I’m bowled over, here. But less sarcastically: does this actually improve it, or just make it different?
But three times lately I have seen her make something and I really, really wanted to make it myself and when the most recent came in the format of a new (to me) pasta sauce that could be made fairly effortlessly, I caved and ended up with, well, the absolutely ugliest pasta dish to have graced the smitten kitchen (though it’s not the recipe’s, nor the recipe creator’s fault–pureed eggplant is just no beauty queen).
To make this, you roast eggplant with cherry tomatoes, whole garlic cloves, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes before pureeing it with more oil, fresh mint and a lot of pasta water to make a sauce that is mixed with parmesan (though this could easily be skipped if you wanted to make it vegan). The pasta is topped with toasted pine nuts. If you like these ingredients, I’m sure you’re drooling right now, as was I. And the results, they weren’t half-bad. It was not actually bland at all, which will hopefully bode well for the other recipes that have caught my eye, but I still have many suggestions for improvement, detailed below.
Still, I’m glad I experimented–the recipe is simple and fairly quick, the dish was tasty enough and seeing as I really wanted to give her recipe a fair shake, I’m glad I can now say I have. Now, who wants to hedge bets on that short rib tagliatelle?
One year ago: Icebox Cake
Rigatoni with Eggplant Puree
Adapted from Giada DeLaurentis
I’ve made a few adjustments/suggestions to the original recipe. The eggplant is a total sponge and it seemed no matter how much pasta water I added, it was still lacking in sauciness. I think a higher proportion of tomatoes to the eggplant (which I have adjusted below) would have loosened up the sauce a bit, and perked up the flavor as well, as would a glug of vinegar or lemon juice at the end. Mixing it with ricotta was something many of the commenters on the Food Network site enjoyed, and I can’t imagine that would steer it in a bad direction.
1 small eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, whole
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 pound rigatoni pasta
1/4 cup torn fresh mint leaves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
Glug of balsamic or red wine vinegar or freshly-squeezed lemon juice (optional)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl combine the eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the vegetables are tender and the eggplant is golden, about 35 minutes.
While the vegetables are roasting, place the pine nuts in a small baking dish. Place in the oven on the rack below the vegetables. Roast until golden, about 8 4 minutes (only do it for 8 if you want them nice and burnt, like mine). Remove from the oven and reserve.
Meanwhile, 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, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve (at least) 2 cups of the cooking liquid.
Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add the torn mint leaves and extra-virgin olive oil. Puree the vegetables.
Transfer the pureed vegetables to the bowl with the pasta and add the Parmesan. Stir to combine, adding the pasta cooking liquid 1/2 cup at a time until the pasta is saucy, as well as a glug of vinegar (optional). Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top and serve.
Yum. It may look ugly but I bet it tastes great.
See ya Sunday!
I feel similarly about Rachel Ray – she kind of annoys me, and mostly I’m not motivated to try her recipes, but the one I did try – Grilled Chicken Cutlet Parmigiana – was a big hit. I’ve actually had some pretty good luck with Giada’s recipes. I don’t think I’m quite the level of foodie that you are, but we really liked her Pork Chops Stuffed with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Spinach and also her Lasagna Rolls, both of which we just tried recently. Ina Garten is the one that, for me, always has recipes that look good, but I haven’t had any luck with any of them that I’ve tried.
Ha! Those are my thoughts exactly on Giada! I did make one of her recipes once (http://straightfromthefarm.wordpress.com/2007/10/11/baked-winter-squash-gratin/) and, while it turned out better than anything else I’ve lifted from the Food Network, it wasn’t anything to write home/blog about until I made some adjustments. Still, the idea of an eggplant pasta sauce is revvin’ my engine. I’ll give your version a go… :-)
Yes yes yes! You know, it’s not only guys who love Giada — my girls are just as googly-eyed when she and her tight sweaters grace the tv set. She’s the apple of every girl’s girlcrush. But she really can’t cook. Her recipes are so blah — far less exciting than her tight sweaters. I was starting to feel lonely in the not-a-giada-fan club — can I count you in?? :)
Crazy, the husband and I just made this the other day. We liked it alright but while I loved the flavor of the eggplant puree by itself, it didn’t make much of a sauce for the pasta. Will have to try your adjustments.
As always your pics are great. I devised an eggplant sauce this weekend for a vegetarian. It wasn’t ‘pretty’, but tasted wonderful, esp with a dab of fresh pesto mixed in at the table.
BTW, while I was searching for a beggars purse recipe, I found this blog that I thought you might like if you haven’t seen her pics and recipes. – http://annesfood.blogspot.com/
I have mixed feelings about Giada, too. At first, semi-round girl approach (”don’t trust a skinny cook!) dictated that I be wary of her. Plus, she seemed a bit down all the time. But she’s slowly winning me over. When I saw her make this recipe, I think I turned a corner toward maybe liking her. Is there something wrong with me that I don’t think that dish is unattractive?
But Rachel Ray – appreciating “EVOO” and/or “Choup” is a bridge that I cannot cross!
those are some seriously toasted pine nuts! I’m always afraid mine will burn so I never let them get too dark.
your photos are fantastic. just came across this blog yesterday.
I always had the same reactions to almost everything I saw on the Food Network. Then we moved, and now we no longer have cable, and you know who I miss the most? The sportscasters from ESPN!
But seriously, I have only tried one Giada “recipe” (it’s so simple it can hardly be called a recipe), and that was the prosciutto wrapped asparagus. I highly doubt it was a Giada original, but it was amazing!
wait, are you are vegetarian? I just realized I’ve never seen meat on your blog…
Kirsten — Nah, I think it’s just that you didn’t see the backed-up view of the whole brown, spattery bowl!
Mb — Ditto, I’m usually more cautious but I have this thing where I like to follow recipe to the letter the first time I make it and, though it shouldn’t have surprised me, the eight minutes she suggested burned the bejesus out of them and those were the last I had in the apartment.
My husband doesn’t like her (or so he says), but I’m kinda crushing on her. I think her eyes would make her interesting to photograph. Great photos, and loving that third one just a little too much. – Lisa
This sounds similar to a Barefoot Contessa recipe I made recently, which was delicious. But hers wasn’t a sauce, it was a dip. You roast eggplant, onions, peppers and garlic, then pulse it in the food processor with a tablespoon of tomato paste. It was surprisingly, amazingly delicious. Was wonderful as a dip, and I’m also dreaming of it as a pita sandwich with a slice of cheese on top. It looks to me like the Contessa’s recipe might be a better use for your roasted eggplant.
“Oh, Giada.” That’s the war cry at our house whenever we see yet another low-cut top and a tie-around-the-waist apron. It does not make sense. Plus, every time she smiles, I feel like I see like fifty-odd teeth. And yet, I still watch. Here’s to feeling ill when she loses all of her baby weight in a matter of seconds.
i made something similar recently thats called Sicilian Pasta in my blog. I didn’t puree the eggplant, I just sauteed (can also be roasted) until its super, super soft and then once you stir in the crushed tomatoes, the eggplant just magically disintigrates into a puree-like sauce. mmm…
and i totally agree that giada isn’t as creative as she’d like to think she is. i saw the crushed cookies on the ice cream episode too. yeah….real inventive.
The only Giada recipe that I feel strongly enough about to make regularly is this one for her lemon ricotta cookies. They are, quite simply, some of the best cookies IN THE UNIVERSE. Seriously. I made them yet again this weekend and planned to blog about them but they got eaten by our gaming group before I could take a picture. They go fast.
I did try her butternut squash basil lasagna and that was quite good, although she kind of does annoy me to watch.
Wow, that looks like a plate full of late summer. Bring it on. It seems like we here in the cold white North aren’t the only ones in the midst of the Winter Blah’s! If this doesn’t get us all feeling a little lighter of mood, I’m not sure what will, baring a week in the Caribean!
I saw that episode as well and really wanted to give it a try! Great ideas for improving it. I would love to try it now. I actually just made the short rib tagliatelle a week ago for Sunday dinner. Instead of using the short ribs, however, I opted for a cheaper cut of meat. The end result was very good I thought, however, I wonder the cut of meat I tried was what made it slightly tougher than I imagined. Anyway, I think it’s worth trying, and I am going to try it another time with a different cut. You’re blog is wonderful! I can’t help but check it every day! Thanks!!!
I like Giada, and regularly peek into her “Everyday Italian” cookbook – but I am slightly frightened by her lollipop head. I was mildly suprised when that hack Rachael Ray beat her when they did Iron Chef together!
For being an ugly dish, you still got a lovely shot out of it. I’m in awe of your photographic skilz.
Did you ever notice that her cooking show is shot more like an art film?
I do own her everyday Italian cookbook and the citrus biscotti, the tuna and tomato sauce and the chicken paremsan (she doesn’t bread it but lightly browns the chicken cutlets in an aromatic oil and then bakes it with a bit of cheese and sauce) are big hits here. A good friend swears by her lemon spaghetti.
Deb — have you ever considered polling your readers about their opinions on Food Network “personalities”. I’ll bet you get some strong responses.
Thanks for a beautiful blog.
I think that on a station called the FOOD Network, chicken breasts should be getting more airtime than Giada’s. Seriously, the tiny, cleavage bearing tops are way distracting, even for women without girl-crushes on the pseudo chef.
I tried the Turkey and Cranberry Ravioli from her “Thanksgiving for Two” show. It was kind of a novelty to have Thanksgiving pasta, but not exactly stellar. I think my own touches made a would-be bland recipe into something more delightful.
I like Giada. I’m a little concerned that her head is too big for her body, but that’s possibly because I’m envious her waist is the size of my ankle, but I digress.
I love her garlic chicken and I admit, when I see her show on Food Network I’m compelled to watch it, but it annoys the jeebus out of me when she’s chatting away in her ‘ole American accent and launches into the pronounciation of brusketta and reekohta. I know she’s Italian — and I am not one to talk about having a stupid accent — but when Mario Batali pronounces the same words, it just doesn’t seem as bad.
I guess it could be worse: Giada could say BAM! all the time.
This sounds yummy…but I actually want to comment on the pumpkin muffin recipe you posted. I found it a few weeks ago when I googled recipes for pumpkin muffins. It is mmmmm, so good. I never thought to sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top before I baked the muffins. I added a teaspoon of vanilla and 1/2 cup chopped pecans to the original recipe. Anyway, I know it was posted awhile ago but they were soooo yummy I just had to share. Thanks!
Giada… oh Giada. I’ve come to resent the fake orgasm she has at the end of every show, tasting her own food. I mean… come on. Orgasm aside, I do like how she puts ricotta and mascarpone into already delicious things like whipped cream and cupcakes. I’ll forgive her the fake moans and groans for that.
I met Giada in person and she is really very very beautiful in person and couldn’t be nicer. She tooks so much time to pose for pictures (at a local Williams-Sonoma) and sign autographs. I was very pleased that I waited to meet her.
I have made her Baked Rigatoni with Bechamel sauce (good) and her Pepper, Sausage, and Onion recipe…it was a recipe for Christmas Eve and everyone requested the recipe. It was delicious.
Thanks for the review, I have been wanting to try this recipe. I made the short ribs with tagliatelle and they were delicious. You won’t be disappointed.
May I first say that I LOVE your blog. With that said, what is with food-bloggers and their snobbery when it comes to the Food Network?
I don’t have a problem with Rachel Ray, in theory. I think there are a lot more working parents putting real food on their families’ tables because of the 30-minute phenom. If it takes EVOO and STOUP & SAMMIES to get Taco Bell and Hot Dogs off America’s dinner menu, that’s fine with me. In action, she’s annoying.
On the other hand, do we really want a network full of personality and quirk free celebri-chefs? Gale Gand makes pretty things, but she’s beyond bland.
I really like Giada, and her recipes are sure-fire pleasers at my house. I like putting out simple, easy to prepare meals that (to me & mine) look & taste much more complicated than they really were. It’s all a matter of preference. However, I almost always adjust recipes as I go, first time or 100th time.
Giada’s Italian Wedding Soup is delicious! It’s garlicky, soothing, full of greens, and has replaced even the idea of Chicken Soup in my house.
Oh I enjoy watching Giada – especially when she travels and went to Greece! I also really enjoy Ina Garten’s food – but she’s hard to look at these days. She’s gotten even heavier and so unhealthy looking! I really enjoy all your posts and recipe suggestions. You get my creativity flowing and are making me a better home cook! Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!!!
Cookies and Milk — It’s a good, fair question and I think a lot of it is just because they’re out there, telling people how to cook and often, the recipes (and in several cases, the suggestions of processed, dubiously honest, i.e. advertised ingredients) are terrible. But I find that I really want to like them, I want to be proven wrong but I’m an optimist like that. That said, you won’t catch me making any Kwanzaa Cakes.
. . . or “cooking with cleavage,” as I refer to her.
Giada is certainly not one of my favorites, but she does have some good recipes every once in a while. I made her giandua souffles recently, and they were wonderful.
My better half and I call Giada “donut girl” because in one of the first episodes we saw she was making donuts and she put them in a brown bag to coat them with sugar. She then proceeded to shake said bag (and everything else there was to shake for that matter) with all her might, smiling away, showing every one of her shiny teeth! Funny! Anyway, for an “ugly” recipe you sure managed to make it look good :)
I’m gonna admit it – I love her! Love! If I could write my o’s with little hearts right now I totally would. I’ve never been disappointed with anything I’ve cooked of hers and a few times I’ve even been really impressed. Now, Sandra Lee on the other hand.
Giada looks a little foolish with the clingy, cleavage bearing sweaters, I agree. I’ve rarely seen her do anything earth shattering and her cookbooks are definitely novice level. BUT – I did follow her recipe for Roman Style Chicken a while back and the result was excellent. Quite possibly the most delicious Italian chicken dish I’ve ever made. (I am Italian, and come from a long line of great cooks, many of them professional.) Worth a try.
I agree with much of what has been said in the previous comments, but I still like Giada. She is not nearly as annoying as some of the other FN personalities, and she doesn’t make up stupid words (sammies, yummo, to name a few). Anyone who uses mascarpone as much as she does is all right in my book!
This is my first time visiting your lovely website and I must say it was inspiring! In fact I was so inspired I went right to the store after work to pick up an eggplant to use in this recipe. I used a small (but not japanese) eggplant and the whole pint of tomatoes and the result was a delicious creamy pale red sauce due to the juice of the tomatoes (the consitency reminded me of a thick vodka sauce). Totally Delicious! Your hunch about the porportions was right on!! (and I didn’t even have to use any of the pasta water.)
I really like the idea of roasting everything before hand, but I’m usually disappointed with most eggplant pasta and/or Giada recipes, so I probably wouldn’t be the best judge… though my mother and sister would love me to make this for them!
There’s a broccoli rabe, sausage, and cavatelli recipe of Giada’s that I like, though over the years I’d tweaked it so much that I don’t know if it even resembles the recipe anymore.
love it! yum! i’ve put chopped eggplant in my tomato sauce recipe before and it’s wonderful. so this would be right up my alley!
Eggplant is my favorite vegetable. This is what I’ll be making the next time I use a kitchen… with bread and good cheeses for appetizers…
Deb,
You just read my mind. I have been planning to make some pasta dish but didn’t have any recipes. I am going to try this and let you know. This will be my first step into the world of making pasta :)
I brought rotini pasta the other day. Do you have a ‘yummy deb’ recipe for that?
Thank you
I love Giada. When I was teaching myself to cook, her recipes were a godsend– they weren’t fussy and they always came out as I expected them to. Nothing ever ended with tears and disaster. I’d like to think that I’m more adventurous now, but her pork loin with fig and port sauce is my staple for Christmas, and I still always add a pinch of cinnamon to my carbonara.
Ech.. Giada Delaurentis >_<
I’ve found I can’t watch her without staring at the Enormous Jaw Of Doom – she might have nice features otherwise, but I could never look past the Jaw (and that pretentious pronounce of hers) and ogle her in earnest, even if I am in the appropriate camp to do so.
As far as her cooking goes… I don’t have much respect for anyone whose crowning moment in the kitchen strikes when the dish is doused in butter, salt, sugar, bacon or cheese. It isn’t hard! Millions of years of evolution taught us to seek salty, fatty and sweet things, but the widespread belief that ‘bacon makes everything delicious’ makes me wretch.
So I don’t know about the tagliatelle, though, the lady lost me at ‘1/2 cup pancetta’
- not that I have much against smoked and cured pig, but half a cup???!
le sigh
The rest of Food Network, other than the atrocities a la Sandra Lee, I’ve trusted a few Alton Brown recipes and never regretted them (I have yet to wean my SO off his chocolate chip cookies, even after my conversion to the Blue Chip ones) and while I admit him to be annoying and over the top at times, he’s nothing when compared to her!
She makes me forget any enmity I have for cured pig, moreover, she makes me want to stick my head into a live one as to avoid seeing and hearing…
But that’s a whole different network *wipes forehead*
I love eggplant. No, I love, love, love eggplant, but you can’t have eggplant sans bell pepper – it’s not right.
I think you managed to make it look good, or maybe you just angled the photo really well. ;-) Either way, looks and sounds good to me!
But yea, aside from the parade of mediocrity that is the Food Network, the true trifecta of poor cooking they run really gets me riled up (Sandra Lee, Rachel Ray, Paula “HEY YALL ADD SUMMO’ BUTTA!” Deen)…e.g. how to make home-made salsa: buy a jar of salsa, pour in dish–that’s semi-homemade! >:o But don’t get me started…
I too have a love-hate relationship with Giada (http://chewonthatblog.com/2007/10/30/my-love-hate-relationship-with-giada/). I have made many of her recipes, but you’re right, they often lack imagination and I end up changing them a bit. This eggplant pasta looks great though – thanks!
Ha ha! I think it’s very funny that you’ve gotten so many responses to this entry. I now receive your updates via feedblitz, so I’m afraid I’m late adding my two cents.
At our house “Everyday Italian” is known as “Cooking with Cleavage”. Coined by my husband. We know what he’s paying attention to! I haven’t tried a lot of her recipes, but the mini frittatas I made were tasty and enjoyed by all, even though they may not have been particularly originial.
Wow, there is some serious animosity out there about celebrity chefs! Come on kids – take a chill pill (yes, I’m a child of the 80s). I guess I just think there is no reason to take their personalities so seriously. Yeah, they have some annoying quirks but I agree with the earlier comment that you need some personality in the delivery or else there’d be no inspiration to try anything. My god daughter(age 6) LOVES Rachel Ray. She wants to watch her and cook like her and she understands that healthy food comes from the kitchen not the golden arches. There’s more value to these people than their receipes. At least, they provide more wholesome inspiration than typical Hollywood celebrities. Stepping down from the soap box now . . .
Like so many others, I feel the same way about Giada. Also, I’m a little frightened by her giant jaw and teeth, and the camera work and music on her show are a little too similar to actual, non-food porn with the close-ups of a tomato being washing and the bowm-chicka-bowm-bowm. But, you usually can’t go all that wrong with a good eggplant-tomato combo; I did one a week or two ago from Claudia Roden’s Middle Eastern cookbook that was also ugly but yummy, and this one seems even easier and quicker.
I’m also willing to put $5 on the short ribs being mucho tasty.
Us vs. Food
I, too, find Giada’s recipes boring and bland. While I will refrain from commenting on her looks (because my mother told me never EVER to comment on something people have no control over) I will comment on the cleavage. It is so effing annoying. The thing is, it is a conscious effort by her handlers, because if you look at her earlier shows, there is no cleavage. Her tops are getting lower and lower, soon she will be cooking topless!!!
Okay, this has nothing to do w/ Deb’s recipe, but I have to say it: Jane M, I LOVE Ina Garten! I know she’s plump and nearly everything she cooks contains two sticks of butter or 1/2 a cup of olive oil, but I think she’s adorable. I mean, if I’m being honest, I think she’s kind of sexy (she has the best skin, a great manicure and a sultry laugh). And I love her food, even though her knife skills make me a little sad (it’s hard to watch her and Jamie Oliver back-to-back).
I admit it, I love Giada. She’s just so charming and adoreable. Her food is simple, but that’s why the show is called “Everyday Italian” and not “Gourmet Italian.” Being Italian myself, I know that traditional Italian food is very basic in ingredients and preparation.
Truth be told, I watch the Food Network for entertainment and occasional ideas, but rarely make a recipe from one of the shows, so maybe Giada’s cleavage is more a priority for me than her food is.
I’ve watched Giada’s show many times, though have never attempted one of her recipes. I may have a hyper-active imagination (no, this comment is not about cleavage), but I can, in my mind, “taste” a recipe by hearing or reading the ingredients, and i agree with most of you, in that her recipes need another level to make them something to write home about.
But while we’re on the subject, I wouldn’t kick her out of the kitchen based on her attire! If you’ve got it, flaunt it! What’s the harm?
I actually want to jump it with my own discomfort with the appearance-related comments. I would hate for this site to be part of the relentless cultural dogpile that is judging women by their looks first and foremost. I had hoped to just focus on the recipes: do they work, do I recommend them, what have others’ experiences been?
I’ve made the short-rib tagliatelle and so I can personally vouch that it is very tasty. It’s not at all bland, and the chocolate does add a lovely depth. My only qualm is that the sauce is a bit watery – which can be fixed by reduction. It’s another ‘ugly’ dish, but real comforting to tuck into. Give it a shot though, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
I’m delighted to have just discovered your site! I absolutely ADORE eggplant, and can’t wait to try this. I think the modifications you’ve made seem good, although I’m wondering why there are no herbs of any kind suggested here. It seems to me, perhaps some dried basil vs. the mint might be interesting, but who knows.
As for Giada, cleavage notwithstanding, I’ve got to admit to loving her Lasagna Rolls as a good basic recipe which can be easily augmented to include ingredients of your choice. Others of hers I have tried do seem to be lacking that certain “something” that would make them truly special. Thanks for sharing this one!
oooh, or how about some fresh basil chiffonade as garnish vs. the mint in the sauce?
OK, I watch Giada occasionally,and while it’s difficult to avoid the glam, I really enjoy her style of Italian cooking. It’s down to earth and not overly complicated. Most of all, it’s tasty stuff. The short ribs pasta is a killer…sometimes I look more forward to the left-overs of short ribs with pasta, than the the short ribs themselves. And the discussion about celebrity chefs can be a short one…don’t let style get in the way of the substance.
I just turn 52 and feel I’m young at heart. I also have two grown children and don’t understand today’s generation of clevage. Most of the younger women love to wear low-cut neckline and show their clevage, not only when they dress formal, but with their everyday casual wardrobe, i.e., T-shirts. I’m also seeing a lot of butt cracks as well. I have two neices that loves to show their clevage and my 30-year daughter, I told her not to dress like that in my presence. Now I see Rachel Ray showning her clevage on her new segments and a couple of her new talk show. What happened to Rachel…she used to be pretty conservative, but I guess she’s changing.
I also used to love watching Giada, but she’s getting stale. I got tired of her after seeing her on the Next Food Network Star because she had that “fame gotten to her head” attitude.
Sorry for misspelling cleavage.
Sorry again! Despite of Giada’s cleavage, I have all her cookbooks and love her recipes.
Maybe a little red wine to make the sauce saucier? I will definitely be trying this, probably with whole wheat rigatoni and a little less oil to up the health factor.
I also made this a few weeks ago and I added ground lamb to the eggplant mixture.
It added that something I thought this recipe was missing too.
High Five Alex on getting busted.
Giada is an amateur in the Food Er0t1ca department when compared to Nigella.
I’m with Mike on Sandra Lee and Paula Dean. I can’t believe people cook with Velveeta. And as for the Krispy Kreme Bread Pudding with Butter Rum Sauce, it was just wrong.
Hi Deb,
Saw this on etsy and thought of you:
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=8948866
I rarely miss her show (the new ones, not all the weekday repeats) and her recipes ARE getting a bit bland and repetitive, but I do, in principle, love her. She seems to add ricotta to most of her sauces these days. Frankly, I’d rather add cream and often do.
The BEST eggplant recipe ever is this recipe of Ina’s: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_23515,00.html
I have made it dozens of times and it’s fabulous.
I guess I have the opposite of the “never trust a skinny cook” perspective – I have a difficult time getting interested in cooking shows hosted by fat, unhealthy looking people, even if I know they’re fabulous chefs, even if they’re Iron Chefs…yet even so, Giada doesn’t usually inspire me, and I do wonder how she stays that size, given what she cooks.
I love the shows where she ends sitting around a table with her skinny fabulous girlfriends eating insane amounts of pasta and cheese and ice cream…
I think the fact that she started as a food stylist is telling.
The appearances of things are an art in themselves.
Wow, I have recently discovered your site and really enjoy it. Beautiful photos, interesting content.
As for Giada, I do watch her but have a hard time with the camera ogling her – how many times can we watch her wash her hands and who smiles that much, I mean, come on. I’m not surprised to learn that she started as a food stylist: so many of her comments about her creations are about how “pretty” they look, or how nice the color combination works. Like she’s picking out which shoes to go with an outfit.
Skinny cooks, fat cooks, drunk cooks, slutty cooks – - all that really matters is what the food tastes like. If it looks good, too, that’s a bonus. Personally, I’d trust a lot of these personality cooks more if just once in a while they tasted the finished dish and said, hmm, needs some salt! How many of us (and I bet there are a bunch of good cooks out there; I like to think I’m one) tastes every single one of our dishes and says “perfect!” or “awesome!” or, god forbid “yummo!”
This looks great. I will give it a try next week. Over the past two weeks I have made several of your recipes and they have all been hits, which is some what a challenge, trying to please 4 kids from 8 to 3 years old and a husband.
To be perfectly honest, I’m one of those rare creatures- a food blogger who hardly ever watches Food Network. That said when I do happen to see one of Giada’s programs I think most of what she makes looks good, but I would agree that it looks fairly basic. By basic I mean something that would be appealing to me, as a novice cook, but probably not to anyone looking for a challenge. I’ve only made one Giada recipe, which I actually found through another blog, but I made it with my personal adjustments from the get-go. I do really like the recipe though, so I wouldn’t mind trying more of hers.
I personally am not crazy about mint. Do you think this would be good with oregano perchance?
I think you could definitely use oregano, but if it is fresh, I might use a little less because I understand it to have a very strong flavor (I haven’t cooked with it, yet). Basil would also work in this. However, I was very wary of the mint flavor and it was subtle, and went surprisingly well with the eggplant without dominating, if that helps you give it more consideration.
I have always found her recipes rather boring and she irritates me – the camera work on her show also makes me feel ill.
It’s always interesting to roast vegetables — the flavors come out in a completely different way. I may try this dish.
My few cents about Giada — she’s a successful young woman, who, according to many, looks good. Good for her.
Most of the Food Network so called chefs are entirely lame including Giada, the annoying Rachel Ray, the sickenly sweet Paula Deen not to mention the helmet haired blond I don’t even know her name.
Just a side note: Your Dental Hygienist has been a daily lurker on this site, and is absolutely in love with it. She doesn’t miss a day. She said she would love to see some more kosher recipes. I told her, “Improvise.” :-)
:) 52 IS young. :-)
I’ve never really watched Everyday Italian but caught an episode randomly. And I have to say: try Giada’s Butternut Vanilla Risotto.
My husband is lukewarm on risottos but I love them so he’s tried more than a few variations. He would not stop raving about the butternut vanilla one. I honestly had a brain block, always preferring savory to sweet myself, but it was actually amazing.
Vegetables roasted with plum or cherry tomatoes and garlic = great stuff. A nice, simple meal even if it won’t win any gourmet titles.
Ha! I busted my boyfriend for the exact same ogling.
Although my opinion on Giada tacks pretty closely to yours, Deb, I still like her a lot better than some of her Food Network peers—to paraphrase Anthony Bourdain, she actually knows her way around a kitchen. Since the Food Network is focused on peddling aspirational products anyway, at least there are figures on it like Ina Garten, Alton Brown and Giada; people who take a more considered approach to cooking. (I mean, what Sandra Lee does is basically glorified box-ripping and can-opening.)
That being said, I do love Giada’s cornbread panzanella, and that short ribs recipe is giving me ideas for this weekend. …
I love Santadad. He makes me laugh.
Deb! Deb Deb! Did you see this?! http://www.culinate.com/chocolate
You could quite possibly get to go to Napa again!
No, no, no. I wouldn’t run again. In fact, I’ll be a judge. Start plying me with gifts now! (I kid.)
Although I’m not a big fan of Giada, I have make the Short Ribs with Tagliatelle twice.
For some reason that recipe appealed to me as well! I think it’s definitely worth giving a try. Rating: 4 out of 5.
I tried this last night and it was wonderful. Thank you. Your pictures inspired me to make it. I added a spoonful of creme fraiche at the end and it came out perfect. I also didnt puree all the tomatoes and eggplant and left some chunks in the sauce. Cant wait to see what you make next.
This looks amazing! I definitely have to give it a try :) Re the short rins tagliatelle… I’ve made it twice: Once as written and once without dredging the short ribs in flour… The second time was a million times better. I sprinkled a LITTLE arrowroot on them and rubbed it in with the salt and pepper and the sauce ended up with a much better consistency!
Made this last night….apprehensively as I am not a huge eggplant fan but it sounded good and relatively good for you. Loved it!! I used basil instead of mint and asiago instead of parmesean because it was what I had. Fabulous..I left the sauce a little thick….stick to your ribs thick. The red wine comment above sounds like it may be a nice addition . I enjoy Giada’s show…although she does seem to be out of balance…
Normally I don’t love any of the Food Networks’ folks either. However, I tried Giada’s sea bass fusion thing, and it is now a staple item in our household. We use whatever white fish is available. VERY good!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_30002,00.html
Oh, also Tyler Florence’s polenta with raisins and pine nuts kicks butt, served in ramekins every time we make veal chops.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_23207,00.html
But otherwise we’re in agreement. :)
Deb you’re hilarious! I don’t think I’ll be trying Sandra Lee’s Kwanzaa Cakes any time soon!!! As for “Everyday Italian” recipes I’ve tried and loved:
Sea Bass alla Fiorentina (love this one!) http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_34109,00.html
Ginger Sea Bass over Wilted Greens (are you seeing a pattern? ;)
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_30002,00.html
Lemon Spaghetti
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_26916,00.html
Deb – The recipe calls for cherry tomatoes, but your photo shows grape tomatoes, which are different in flavor as well as juiciness. I’d imagine that might have affected the result.
I made it and it was delicious — though I might cut down the red pepper flakes a bit. With one teaspoon the hotness risks overwhelming the eggplant and tomatoes.
Love the blog, keep it up.
Deb – Thank you for this site. I’ve just been steered here, and am so enjoying your way with food and words. There is fried chicken in my (very) near future.
As to Giada, I agree with your point as to her dishes typically lacking something to set them apart, but I do find her show a nice source for ideas (I made a modratley successful re-tooled version of the spicy bean and veg soup from last week). And really, her ways are not at all offensive –unlike some of her collegues at the food network. I had some time on my hands last spring and did this…
kitchenatricities.blogspot.com/
Wow, that looks great. Ok, maybe not, but I would still want to eat it. I love eggplant!
Deb, thanks for your response to all the appearance-related comments. They were making me uncomfortable as I was reading them. I find the constant close-ups on Everyday Gourmet off-putting, but I’ve enjoyed some of the recipes.
Your eggplant is on tonight’s menu!
Thanks for the great blog!
Oh, that looks good. I love roasted eggplant and roasted vegetables in general on pasta. I’ve never watched Giada, as I’m not a TV person. But her name scares me… a little too close to giardia, which is a water-borne intestinal parasite. I can’t quite get beyond that. I’ll still try this recipe, though.
This is the BEST rigatoni recipe I have ever seen…thanks for sharing!
Gaida can’t possibly eat her own cooking–she is so scrawny!
I’m going to make this for dinner tonight. But I think roasted porchini mushrooms would make a good addition. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Sarah
For somebody purporting to be an Italian cooking expert with an Italian mother, she sure does pronounce a lot of Italian words incorrectly (per a native speaker I had as a teacher). She also repeats a lot of bogus cooking “theory.” I generally like to take ideas from her and “fix” them.
Give me Mario any day.
Try her lemon spagetti, its really simple yet amazing.
I happen to love Giada…and being married to an Italian, I know her food is authentic and truly “everyday” Italian cooking. On the ether hand, I cannot watch Ina…I like Rachel and have tried several of her recipes. I love to watch Paula…but couldn’t cook and eat her recapes because of my dietary restrictions.
I tried it with one portobella mushroom, and 1/2 pkg dried porchini’s. I also cut the red pepper in half, and sadly that was all I could taste. My husband said “Is this from cooks illustrate?” When I said no, he just shook his head sadly, and looked at me in knowing way…
I’m going to try it again, and only put in a 1/4 of a teaspoon of the pepper flakes–its just too easy to give up on!
I made this last night – and didn’t really taste the mint. I was bummed about that. It was a bit too spicy. I don’t think I’ll make it again… but your site is great and I’ll be back! G
My husband and I both like Giadi and it is confusing to me why someone would or would-not cook a recipe because of who presents it on Food Network. Mario B, seems like a butt, but his food looks and sounds wonderful and that is why I try his recipes; sometimes (his recipes are a bit overwhelming at times). As for this recipe, since I can’t eat gluten I always look for sauces that do well over rice, and this one is great. I do add onions and it makes it a bit sweeter.
We just had this for dinner and it was WONDERFUL! and easy. Thanks for the idea! I added 1/4 of an onion with the veggies for roasting, just because I seem to find it impossible to cook without them. I will definitely make this again – I was just trying to think of summertime garden-fresh adaptations to make.
I just found your website on a search for a blondie recipe. The pictures alone are enough to make my mouth water. I will definitely let you know how they turn out.
I have a sink full of dishes, but my dishes will wait until I post this message. I sometimes like to cook ahead for the entire week, so I just completed this recipe. I doubled the eggplant puree mixture just in case my pasta needs more sauce since I’m using 100% whole-grain with flax PENNE pasta (not rigatoni). I followed the recipe exactly as written, except I added 2 teaspooons dried Herbes de Provence. Transfer the eggplant tomato mixture into two shallow pans and roast as directed. I only needed 4 tablespoons of pasta water to thin the sauce out as I was tossing the pasta wth the sauce. It turns out that I have a enough sauce for 1-1/2 pounds of pasta, but I can use the extra sauce with pita chips. TASTE IS FABULOUS1 IT IS VERY, VERY GOOD! I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS RECIPE TO ANYONE WHO LOVE EGGPLANTS. YOU CAN HARDLY TASTE THE MINT SO STICK WITH MINT.
I ♥ Giada, and not in an altogether innocent way. Let’s just say that I would gladly be the filling in a Giada and Nigella sandwich. And I’m not even into chicks! Dammit, Food Network gets me every time …
I agree though that her recipes are simple at best, but usually look downright delicious. This one has got me cravin’, and for once I might venture out from Rachael Ray’s vodka-creme pasta. Now there’s a woman I would *not* like to meet between the sheets, but that’s a whole ‘nother story!
By the way, I love your blog. Cheers! :-)
I made this last night and it was wonderful! My boy licked the plate clean – high compliment ;)
I made this tonight. It was quite good. I tried adding some balsalmic with the puree… I’d use red wine vinegar or lemon next time — it was a bit too sweet and not bright enough. I also might only puree half of the eggplant/tomato/roasted goodness, to end up with a chunkier sauce. I used brandywine heirloom tomatoes from my garden instead of the cherry version, and only added a bit more than half a cup of the pasta water to get a good sauce.
There I was surfing for dinner ideas and WHAM! I already had roasted eggplant and roasted cherry tomatoes the needed to be eaten soon. I threw a few garlic cloves into the oven to roast, boiled some pasta heated the leftover eggplant and tomatoes, then spun it up with the roasted garlic cloves…. toasted a hand full of pine nuts and topped it all with some shaved parm and some minced basil from the garden…. OH YUMMY!!!!
THANK YOU for the inspiration!!!
PS your oatmeal raisin cookies were a huge hit at my office.
:)
Made this last night – yummy with your changes. I did use red wine vinegar and I roasted a head of garlic in the skin and used more than a few cloves (also used pecorino romano (sp?) and forgot the pine nuts). My puree was a bit too pureed, next time I might only puree half like another reviewer said…a chunkier sauce might be good. Overall, very good. Thanks for the post!
So delicious! Didn’t have cherry tomatoes so pureeing with canned stewed tomatoes worked fine (although I’d imagine roasted cherry tomatoes would be even tastier!) Loved the burnt goodness of the pine nuts … didn’t think it would make a big difference but together with the freshly grated parmesan, it really brought the meal together. Thanks for the post!
I was a bit unsure about eggplant, but now I’m sold! As my husband says, this is possibly one of the best pasta dishes we’ve ever eaten. The mint and pine nuts are definitely the key ingredients, that take a bland-looking dish into a whole other world!
this is so mother-f’ing AMAZING.
I made this using the only tomatoes I had on hand, which were two Roma’s. Rather than puree it though, I left the roasted mixture chunky. I sauteed a pan of ground turkey with chopped red onions, and added a can of diced tomatoes. Mixed everything together and tossed with penne. It was so delish I had it for lunch and dinner the next day. My coworker said it may be the best thing I’ve ever made! The eggplant was incredible, both caramelized and smoky. Thanks again Deb!
Made this tonight – absolutely fantastic! I used balsamic vinegar at the end – I think I’d like to try with lemon juice next time.
Nice call about stopping the dissing of female appearances. But I really wanted to write and comment on your comment in the first paragraph: “(busted!)” I say, that just had me on the floor! Perfectly subtle, heehee!
Oh, and eggplant being my top fav veggie, this looks/sounds much like my eggplant stew (although I use cumin and coriander as well) that I make probably every two weeks, not because I’m boring but because I love it so. I’ve been too insecure to share it with friends, though, because of the unprettiness of it but maybe will jump out of that box now.
Always the best blog, Deb.