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Pasta with Summer Squash
I feel like I have been beating the simplicity theme into the ground the past few weeks, but the fact of the matter is, this is how I cook in the summer. There are so many great seasonal ingredients that I look forward to all year, and I want to put them front and center in the dishes I eat. Plus, it’s too hot to cook anything too complicated or involved.
Zucchini and yellow squash are two of these ingredients that I look forward to so much. Sure you can get them all year round in the supermarket, but they are so much better when they are from your own garden or a local farm. This recipe comes from my Aunt Maria who is an awesome cook.
Pasta with Summer Squash Recipe
Serves 4-6
1 pound farfalle, penne or fusilli pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound small squash such as zucchini or yellow squash, sliced thinly
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt to taste
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese
4 large basil leaves, washed, patted dry and chopped
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook uncovered over high heat.
- While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the squash, red pepper and salt. Cook stirring occasionally until squash is starting to soften about 8 minutes.
- When pasta is cooked to just under al dente reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Add the pasta, Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese, half of the chopped parsely and the reserved cooking water to the pan with the squash, and stir together over the heat until well combined.
- Transfer the pasta to serving plates. Sprinkle with remaining basil and serve.
