Ep 9. International Pasta

In this episode of Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics, Ina Garten focuses on one of her favorite ingredients: pasta. However, instead of sticking with traditional Italian recipes, she broadens her horizons and takes inspiration from international flavors.

First up, Ina creates a simple yet flavorful dish of orecchiette with broccoli rabe and sausage. She walks viewers through the process of blanching the broccoli rabe and making a quick and easy sausage and garlic sauté. This recipe is a great example of how Ina likes to take classic dishes and put her own spin on them.

Next, Ina dives into a Moroccan-inspired dish of spaghetti squash with meatballs. She shows viewers how to make tender and juicy lamb meatballs that are infused with bold spices like cumin and coriander. The spaghetti squash serves as a unique base for the dish, adding a slightly sweet and nutty flavor that complements the spices in the meatballs.

Moving on to Asian-inspired flavors, Ina creates a dish of spicy shrimp and noodles. She starts by cooking up a flavorful sauce made from garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and honey. Then, she adds in the shrimp and allows them to cook until they turn pink. Finally, she tosses everything together with some cooked lo mein noodles and tops the dish off with some sliced scallions.

For her final recipe, Ina returns to Italy for an updated take on classic lasagna. Instead of using traditional noodles, she opts for thinly sliced zucchini that serves as the base for her dish. She layers the zucchini with a mixture of ricotta cheese, Italian sausage, and tomatoes, creating a lighter version of the classic dish that's perfect for summer.

Throughout the episode, Ina shares tips and tricks for perfecting pasta dishes. She emphasizes the importance of salting your pasta water and cooking your noodles until they're al dente. She also reminds viewers not to overcook their ingredients, especially when it comes to vegetables like the broccoli rabe and the zucchini.

With its mix of international flavors and creative takes on classic dishes, this episode of Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics is sure to inspire viewers to get into the kitchen and start cooking.