Giada De Laurentiis’ Lemon Baked Ziti Is a New Twist on a Classic
Giada De Laurentiis has given classic baked ziti a new twist with, of all things — lemon! The Food Network host shared the easy recipe that has a “creamy cheesy filling and a perfectly crispy top.”
Giada De Laurentiis reflected on her first Food Network show episode
It’s hard to imagine that a classic like baked ziti can get too much of a shakeup but De Laurentiis found a way to take the traditional and kick it up a notch. Her baked lemon ziti was featured on an episode of Giada at Home called “Milestone Recipes.”
“For me, practically every memory is tied to food, so today I’m gonna share four recipes that reflect a special moment in my life,” she explained. “Baked lemon ziti. A comforting twist on a classic. This cheesy pasta is inspired by an everyday Italian favorite.”
Her “trip down memory lane” had De Laurentiis reflecting on her beginnings as a TV cooking show host. “My first year in television was awful,” she said. “Most people that fall in love with cooking and want to become chefs were sort of introverts. So whenever you ask someone like that to step out in front of the camera and talk to an audience, it becomes very difficult.”
De Laurentiis added, “But I had forced myself to come out of my shell.”
De Laurentiis gives ziti a new lemon-cheesy spin
“Lemon spaghetti was one of the first recipes that I made when I started Everyday Italian,” De Laurentiis recalled. “I guess, in a way, that recipe would represent conquering a fear. I remember writing that recipe and thinking, ‘If I write recipes that are this simple, I’m going to be out of a job in no time!’”
She continued, “So it’s just so funny to me that turned into my legacy in a way. I love that recipe so much that I came up with a version that I love to make when I’m looking for more of a comfort food — but still with that same freshness and citrus flavor.”
How to make Giada De Laurentiis’ lemon baked ziti recipe
De Laurentiis started by cooking ziti, then she made a béchamel sauce. The Food Network star added butter, flour, and milk in a pan to create the cheese sauce.
She whisked the ingredients together for a few minutes until they thickened and added the zest of two lemons, salt, and pepper to the sauce.
“We’re going to make this nice and cheesy,” she said as she added parmesan cheese. De Laurentiis mixed and heated the ingredients until the cheese melted, then removed it from the heat.
She scooped the pasta from the water and placed it in a bowl then poured the béchamel over the top and added fresh thyme, basil, crispy cooked pancetta, and the juice of one lemon.
“And you want to add the lemon juice at this point because if you add it into the béchamel, the acid in the lemon can cause the cream saucer to curdle,” De Laurentiis shared. She tossed the ingredients together, poured everything into a buttered baking dish, added shredded mozzarella, and topped it with an easy bread crumb topping.
The Food Network host drizzled olive oil over the top and baked the ziti in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 25 minutes.
After taking a bite, she noted, “Crunchy, cheesy on top. Mmm! Probably one of my favorite all-time baked pastas.”
The full recipe is available on the Food Network website.
