Everyday Pasta - the latest from Giada

To a large portion of the population, "carb" was nothing more than a nasty, four-letter word a few years ago. Like most diets and trends though, the shelf life on that has largely expired and people are once again venturing down the bread and pasta aisles of their local supermarkets. This is especially good news for lovers of Italian food, and even better news for someone like Giada De Laurentiis.

The Food Network personality, chef, and author of several cookbooks released her latest book earlier this month, entitled Everyday Pasta. She has all the basics covered including spaghetti, ravioli, risotto, salads, wine, and various sauces, plus she incorporates a number of her favorite ingredients into the dishes such as pancetta, fresh herbs, and citrus.

Want a little preview? Amazon.com has a recipe for Giada's Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions displayed, which I have included after the jump.

Rigatoni with Sausage, Peppers, and Onions

(From: Everyday Pasta, Giada De Laurentiis via Amazon.com)

4 to 6 servings
Stroll through any Italian American street fair and you'll smell this classic combo. But while sausage and peppers are great in a sandwich, I think they're even better tossed with rigatoni. Using turkey sausages instead of the more traditional pork also makes it a little lighter.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian turkey sausages
2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and sliced
2 yellow onions, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup Marsala wine
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1 pound rigatoni pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the sausages and cook until brown on all sides, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the sausages from the pan.

Keeping the pan over medium heat, add the bell peppers, onions, salt, and pepper and cook until golden, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and basil and cook for 2 minutes. Add the tomato paste and stir until incorporated, then add the Marsala, tomatoes with their juice, and red pepper flakes, if using. Stir to combine, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release all the brown bits. Bring to a simmer.

Cut the sausages into 4 to 6 pieces each. Return the sausages to the pan. Simmer uncovered until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes.

While the sauce simmers, 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, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to the thickened sauce; toss to combine. Spoon into individual bowls and sprinkle each serving with Parmesan cheese.