The Unique Giada De Laurentiis Hack For The Small Amounts Of Pasta Left In The Box

Many know the experience all too well when making pasta — you look down in the box to see the dreaded stragglers sitting (quite sadly) at the bottom. It's not enough to make a full meal, but there's not so little left that you'd consider tossing it. So, inevitably, you stick the package back in the cupboard to sit with the endless graveyard of other leftover noodles. The good news for the misfit pasta — now is its time to make a comeback with a vengeance in this delicious kitchen sink baked pasta recipe from none other than the Italian cook herself, Giada de Laurentiis.

For this recipe, you'll use one whole pound of pasta in whatever mix you have. The only rule is that the pasta shapes should be around the same size to ensure they cook at the same rate. De Laurentiis pairs the cooked pasta with some cooked meat and sauteed vegetables. 

Once all of the ingredients are cooked, you stir the meat, veggies, and noodle mixture (with a bit of the pasta water) with one jar of marinara sauce, one cup each of ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella cheese. In no time, you've got a cheesy and meaty concoction ready to be stuffed into an oven-safe dish. Before baking at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for around 25 minutes, top it off with 1½ more cups of cheese and your heart's desire of breadcrumbs for a beautifully crunchy texture.

The good news about this pasta bake is that it's totally customizable. The goal is to use what you have, but if you want to take on a small challenge, learn how to make homemade mozzarella cheese and use it throughout the pasta bake for a fun spin. Any melty cheese works in this dish, so experiment with whatever you have in the cheese drawer: Monterey Jack for a buttery taste, Asiago for a nutty and creamy finish, or provolone for a similar mild taste to mozzarella. The same rule applies to vegetable choice: try garlic and mushrooms for a double dose of savory umami flavor, chopped spinach or kale for an earthy taste, or even Calabrian chili peppers for a spicy rendition of the classic baked ziti with Italian sausage.  

Yet another fun, creative take is to gather inspiration from the flavors of fettuccine alfredo. Take your varying-shaped pasta mixture and swap the marinara sauce in the recipe with alfredo sauce. This creamy base mixed with the parmesan and mozzarella cheese pairs perfectly with Giada De Laurentiis' original rendition that features cooked onions and broccoli. As for meat selection, incorporate leftover chopped, cooked chicken to give this pasta dish the ultimate makeover.