Giada De Laurentiis’ ‘Pasta in a Hurry’ Is a Nostalgic Favorite of the Chef’s
Some of the most memorable meals in life are those that are the simplest. Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis shared that one dish with a special place in her heart is called Pasta in a Hurry, or Pasta Sciue Sciue.
It’s a simple meal the celebrity chef says her grandfather made frequently for her mother. And that De Laurentiis and her siblings in turn enjoyed during their childhood.
One of De Laurentiis’ favorite childhood dishes was ‘Pasta Sciue Sciue’
As the Food Network star shared on her food blog Giadzy, a dish she and her siblings looked forward to often was called in Italian “Pasta Sciue Sciue.” In English, that’s Pasta in a Hurry.
“This pasta was made for me all the time when I was a kid,” De Laurentiis said. “My grandfather used to make it for my mom and her sisters, and then our parents made it for us!”
The Simply Giada host explained why the dish’s name is a perfect fit for it.
“Sciue Sciue is pronounced sort of like ‘shway shway’ – it’s as fun to eat as it is to say! – and it translates to ‘hurry hurry,’ but in a kind of improvisational, off-the-cuff way. It’s so simple, but perfect for summer when you have an abundance of beautiful, ripe, and sweet tomatoes.”
De Laurentiis’ Pasta in a Hurry is so easy to make
Calling for just a few ingredients including olive oil, minced garlic, plum tomatoes, fresh cubed mozzarella, fresh basil leaves, and short pasta such as fusilli, this recipe’s simplicity is what makes it so delicious.
The chef begins by cooking the pasta (“You can use whatever short pasta you like,” she says in the Food Network video for this recipe).
Olive oil is drizzled into a skillet (“Enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan”), and minced garlic is heated in the hot oil.
Cube the plum tomatoes and add them to the pan “before the garlic starts to burn.” She also notes on her blog that “you don’t want the tomatoes chopped so small that they disintegrate into a sauce – you still want that meaty, tomato texture all throughout. It gives it a wonderful fresh flavor.”
Salt and pepper the dish as you go along, sauteeing the tomatoes and garlic for a couple of minutes. Chop the mozzarella cheese and basil and set them aside as they’ll be added “at the last minute.”
Spoon the pasta directly from the boiling water right into the tomato mixture. The cheese and basil are added and it’s all tossed together.
Get the complete recipe, video, and reviews on Food Network’s site.
Reviewers loved De Laurentiis’ simply delicious recipe
Many home cooks who tried the chef’s dish returned to Food Network’s website with praise for this fresh and quick meal.
“So easy to make and the kids in my family loved it and have even asked me to make it again (and again),” one reviewer wrote.
Another fan of the recipe added, “This dish was easy and tasted just like Italy. Everyone I have cooked it for absolutely loves it!!”
Lastly, one reviewer got into the spirit of this flexible recipe: “I’ve made it several times since, and love how it’s easily adaptable to what I have on hand. My kids’ favorite add-ins were black olives and leftover grilled chicken!”
