Giada's Checca Sauce is a delightful and aromatic Italian sauce that captures the essence of traditional Italian cooking. Named after the renowned Italian chef Giada De Laurentiis, this sauce is a symphony of flavors that combines fresh tomatoes, fragrant herbs, and savory spices. With its vibrant red color and rich texture, Giada's Checca Sauce is a versatile culinary creation that can elevate any dish from simple pasta to hearty meat dishes. Whether you're a seasoned cook or a novice in the kitchen, this article will guide you through the steps of creating this delicious sauce, providing tips and variations to suit your taste preferences and dietary restrictions. So get ready to embark on a culinary journey as we explore the secrets behind Giada's Checca Sauce.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
SPAGHETTINI WITH CHECCA SAUCE
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories main-dish
Time 23m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring often, about 8 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the next 7 ingredients in a food processor. Pulse just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not puree).
- Drain the pasta, reserving some of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the tomato mixture and fresh mozzarella in a large bowl. Add some of the reserved pasta water (about 1/4 cup) if the sauce looks dry. Serve immediately.
VERONICA'S VEGGIE MEATLOAF WITH CHECCA SAUCE
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories main-dish
Time 2h
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- For the Checca Sauce: Combine the cherry tomatoes, scallions, garlic, basil, and oil in a processor. Pulse the tomatoes until they are coarsely chopped, being careful not to puree. Set aside. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
- For the Lentil Loaf: Place the lentils in a large saucepan of cold water. Bring the water just to a boil over high heat. Carefully drain the boiling water and rinse the lentils. Meanwhile, in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat, bring the broth to a boil. Add the rice and return the liquid to a boil. Decrease the heat to low, cover the rice, and gently simmer without stirring for 10 minutes. Stir in the lentils, onion, carrot, and celery. Cover and continue cooking without stirring until the rice and lentils are tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes longer. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the corn over the rice and lentils and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Cover and let stand for 5 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of the butter over a 10 by 4 1/2 by 3-inch loaf pan. In a heavy, large skillet, cook the spinach over medium heat until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Drain and squeeze the excess liquid from the spinach. Transfer the spinach to a work surface and coarsely chop.
- In a large bowl, gently mix the lentil mixture, spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, eggs, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, basil, salt, pepper, and half of the checca sauce. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Arrange the sliced tomatoes in a row over the lentil mixture. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese. Dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Bake uncovered until the loaf is heated through and the topping is melted and starting to brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Slice the loaf into 2-inch slices, arrange on plates, and serve with the remaining checca sauce.
MY MOM'S VEGETABLE "MEATLOAF" WITH CHECCA SAUCE
Provided by Giada De Laurentis
Categories Tomato Bake Vegetarian Dinner Mozzarella Lentil Healthy Brown Rice Pescatarian Wheat/Gluten-Free Peanut Free Tree Nut Free Soy Free No Sugar Added Kosher
Yield Serves 6
Number Of Ingredients 25
Steps:
- For the sauce:
- In a food processor, combine the cherry tomatoes, scallions, garlic, basil, oil, salt, and pepper. Pulse the tomatoes until they are coarsely chopped, being careful not to puree them. Transfer the sauce to a bowl.
- For the lentil loaf:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 10 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan with vegetable oil cooking spray.
- Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl to cool slightly. Reserve the skillet.
- In the same large skillet, cook the spinach over medium heat until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Squeeze the excess liquid from the spinach. Transfer the spinach to a cutting board and coarsely chop. Add to the onion mixture.
- Add the lentils, brown rice, 3/4 cup of the mozzarella, the corn, basil, eggs, egg white, salt, pepper, and 3/4 cup of the sauce to the cooled onion mixture. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Arrange the sliced tomatoes in 2 rows over the lentil mixture, covering the top completely. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup mozzarella and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Bake until the loaf is heated through and the topping is melted and starting to brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Slice the loaf (still in the pan) into 1-inch slices, arrange on plates, and serve with the remaining sauce.
ALLA CHECCA
A wonderful recipe for an uncooked sauce made with fresh garden tomatoes and you don't have to cook a thing except for the pasta!
Provided by Star Pooley
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta
Time 2h20m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Combine tomatoes, garlic, basil, and olive oil in a non-metal bowl. Stir in salt. Cover with plastic wrap. Allow to sit at room temperature at least 2 hours, or as long as 10 hours.
- Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain. Pour uncooked sauce over hot pasta, and toss. Add grated Parmesan cheese to your liking.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 609.7 calories, Carbohydrate 69.4 g, Cholesterol 85.1 mg, Fat 30.7 g, Fiber 6.4 g, Protein 15.5 g, SaturatedFat 4.6 g, Sodium 76.7 mg, Sugar 4.1 g
CHECCA SAUCE
Steps:
- In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the cherry tomatoes, scallions, garlic, Parmesan, basil, and oil just until the tomatoes are coarsely chopped (do not purée). Transfer the sauce to a large bowl. Stir in the mozzarella cheese and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste. Toss the sauce immediately with your choice of freshly cooked pasta.
VEGGIE MEATLOAF WITH CHECCA SAUCE
Adapted from Everyday Italian, this is loaded with nutrition. This recipe came from Giada's mom, who is a vegetarian!
Provided by Sharon123
Categories Brown Rice
Time 2h
Yield 4-6
Number Of Ingredients 24
Steps:
- Checca Sauce:
- Combine the cherry tomatoes, scallions, garlic, basil, and oil in a food processor. Pulse the tomatoes until they are coarsely chopped, but not pureed. Set aside. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.
- For the Brown Rice Lentil Loaf:
- Place the lentils in a large saucepan of cold water. Bring the water just to a boil over high heat. Carefully drain the boiling water and rinse the lentils. Meanwhile, in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat, bring the broth to a boil. Add the rice and return liquid to a boil. Turn heat to low, cover the rice, and gently simmer without stirring for 10 minutes. Stir in the lentils, onion, carrot, and celery. Cover and continue cooking without stirring until rice and lentils are tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes more. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle the corn over the rice and lentils and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff the rice with a fork. Cover and let it stand for 5 more minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350*F.
- Spread 1 tablespoon of the butter over a 10"x4 1/2"x3" loaf pan. In a large heavy skillet, cook the spinach over medium heat until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes. Drain and squeeze the excess liquid from the spinach. Move the spinach to a cutting board and coarsely chop.
- In a large bowl, gently mix the lentil mixture, spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese, eggs, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, basil, salt, pepper, and half of the checca sauce. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan. Arrange the sliced tomatoes in a row over the lentil mixture. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese and 2 tbls. of Parmesan cheese. Dot the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Bake uncovered until loaf is heated through and the topping is melted and starting to brown, about 30 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes. Slice the loaf into 2-inch slices, arrange on plates, and serve with the remaining checca sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 658.7, Fat 32.5, SaturatedFat 13.3, Cholesterol 149.2, Sodium 756.5, Carbohydrate 67.7, Fiber 10, Sugar 6.5, Protein 28.2
Tips for Making Giada's Checca Sauce:
- Use fresh, ripe tomatoes for the best flavor.
- If you don't have fresh tomatoes, you can use canned tomatoes. Just be sure to drain them well before using.
- Use a good quality olive oil. This will help to give the sauce a rich flavor.
- Don't be afraid to experiment with different herbs and spices. You can add a little bit of chili flakes for a spicy kick, or some dried oregano for a more earthy flavor.
- Let the sauce simmer for at least 30 minutes. This will help to develop the flavors and make the sauce nice and thick.
- Serve the sauce with your favorite pasta. It's also great on chicken, fish, or vegetables.
Conclusion:
Giada's checca sauce is a delicious and versatile sauce that can be used in a variety of dishes. It's easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. So next time you're looking for a quick and easy meal, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!
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