Everyday Italian Season 6 Episode 18 Pasta Potluck

In this episode of Everyday Italian season 6, host Giada De Laurentiis is all about the potluck. Giada is joined in the kitchen by her cousin, Raffy, who is in town to help her throw a potluck party. Together, they share some of their favorite pasta dishes that are perfect for a big gathering.

The first dish Giada makes is a classic Italian pasta salad. She starts by cooking some fusilli pasta until it's al dente, then adds diced salami, mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced red onion, and sliced black olives. For the dressing, Giada combines olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and honey. She tosses the pasta salad with the dressing and lets it chill in the fridge until it's time to serve.

Next up, Raffy shares his recipe for tomato and pancetta pasta. He starts by cooking some pancetta until it's crispy, then removes it from the pan and sets it aside. In the same pan, he cooks some diced onions and garlic until they're fragrant, then adds canned tomatoes. Raffy lets the sauce simmer for a few minutes, then adds some chopped fresh basil. He cooks farfalle pasta until it's al dente, then tosses it with the tomato sauce and the crispy pancetta.

For her own pasta dish, Giada makes orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe. She starts by cooking the sausage in a pan until it's browned, then removes it from the pan and sets it aside. In the same pan, she adds garlic and red pepper flakes and lets them sauté until fragrant. Giada adds some chicken broth to the pan, then adds the broccoli rabe. She lets the vegetable cook for a few minutes, then adds the cooked sausage back to the pan. She tosses the orecchiette pasta with the sauce and serves it hot.

For a lighter pasta option, Giada makes spaghetti with lemon and basil. She starts by cooking the spaghetti until it's al dente, then adds butter to the pan and lets it melt. Giada adds some lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped fresh basil to the pan, then tosses the pasta with the sauce.

Finally, Giada and Raffy team up to make a baked pasta dish that's perfect for a potluck. They start by cooking some rigatoni pasta until it's al dente, then toss it with a mix of ricotta cheese, grated Parmesan cheese, and chopped fresh parsley. They pour the pasta into a baking dish, then top it with tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Giada and Raffy bake the pasta until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Once all the dishes are ready, Giada and Raffy set up a beautiful table for their potluck party. They lay out each dish with utensils and let their guests dig in. Giada and Raffy's guests rave about how delicious each dish is and how perfect each one is for a big gathering.

Overall, this episode of Everyday Italian season 6 is all about the pasta potluck. Giada and her cousin Raffy share some of their favorite pasta dishes that are perfect for a big gathering or potluck. From classic pasta salad to orecchiette with sausage and broccoli rabe, there's a dish for every taste preference. And, of course, no potluck is complete without a baked pasta dish to share!