Pantry Pasta

Posted on November 3, 2016 by Tricia

Nothing beats a meal you can whip up in under an hour from what you have in your cupboard. Admittedly, this probably ges a little beyond the cupboard for most people, but it’s a really simple list of ingredients, and what you don’t have you can easily pick up at the market.

I’m sort of obsessed with all the awesome flavors going on in this dish from Bon Appetit. First, there’s olives — and Castelvetrano have to be some of my favorites. They’re more mild than your traditional green olive, with a little sweetness to them. I pop them like candy (or the candy corn pumpkins I’ve been gorging on lately…I digress). We’ve got cherry tomatoes, a little red onion, and some spicy peperoncini, then some salty Pecorino cheese on top and fresh basil, and the delicious meatiness of the sweet Italian sausage. So. Much. Happening. And sooo delicious.

I love that the sauce for this pasta is so simple — it’s just the liquid that comes from smashing the tomatoes, a little oil and butter and the pasta cooking liquid. Because there’s so much going on here, it’s the perfect way to make sure the dish doesn’t get overwhelming and allows the flavors to stand on their own. And stand they do.

TW’s Tips

I used fresh cherry tomatoes — make sure they burst in the pan to give it some juiciness
Instead of spaghetti I substituted penne — or use any pasta
Use fresh basil — store it on your counter with the stem in a glass of water
Really seek out the Castelvetrano olives. Most high end grocery stores will have them either in an olive bar or pre-packed in the olive/cheese section.

This reheats beautifully. I can’t wait to make it again. Enjoy!

Pantry Pasta

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for drizzling
8 ounces sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
½ medium red onion, finely chopped
¼ cup torn pitted olives, preferably Castelvetrano
1 14-ounce can cherry tomatoes
12 ounces spaghetti
Kosher salt
¼ cup peperoncini, thinly sliced
2 ounces Pecorino or Parmesan, finely grated, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ cup torn basil

Directions

Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Cook sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through, browned, and crisp in places, 5–8 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to medium; add onion and olives to skillet. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, mashing tomatoes lightly and stirring often, until juices are slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, stirring occasionally, until very al dente, about 6 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Add pasta and ¾ cup pasta cooking liquid to sauce and cook, tossing, until pasta is al dente and sauce coats noodles. Mix in peperoncini, cooked sausage, and another ¼ cup pasta cooking liquid. Then, tossing constantly, gradually add all but ½ cup cheese, followed by butter. Once incorporated, remove from heat and mix in basil. Divide pasta among bowls. Drizzle with oil; top with remaining cheese.

Spaghetti with Sautéed Cauliflower, Raisins, and Pine Nuts

Posted on September 11, 2016 by Tricia

For Meatless Monday tomorrow, I give you this gem. If you haven’t gotten on the cauliflower bandwagon yet, this may well convince you. There’s a ton of flavor going here, and I get it, at first it sounds weird. But trust me — when you put it all together, it works. There’s the caramelized cauliflower, sweetness from the raisins, acid from the lemon and umami from the anchovy, plus cheese, nuts and lots of parsley to top it off=bliss. I loved the addition of panko bread crumbs on top which gave it a nice buttery crunch. This is yet another of Tyler Florence’s hits from his “Tyler’s Ultimate” cookbook.

It’s nice to have a pasta now and then that doesn’t use a traditional meat or pesto sauce. This one uses just olive oil, a little water and lemon — when reheating you may want to add a bit more olive oil to loosen it up a little.

TW’s Tips

Instead of using anchovies, you can buy anchovy paste in a tube (literally like toothpaste)
On the raisins, you can use golden or regular
To keep this totally vegetarian, just leave out the anchovy (but I don’t recommend it!)
On the pinenuts, you can substitute others — almonds, walnuts are good options
Keep the toasted breadcrumbs separate so you still get a crunch when you reheat the pasta for leftovers — just sprinkle them on top when it comes out of the microwave.

Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Sautéed Cauliflower, Raisins and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, cored and broken into bite-size florets
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup raisins (TW: I used leftover golden raisins)
2 anchovy fillets, mashed to a paste with the side of a large knife (TW: or use anchovy paste)
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted (TW: I used sliced almonds)
1/2 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
1 pound spaghetti
1/2 bunch parsley, chopped, about 1/2 cup
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Freshly grated Parmesan to taste

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Preheat the oven to 350.

Saute the cauliflower and the anchovies in a saute pan in 1/4 cup of olive oil. Heat over medium heat until the oil is hot and the anchovies are sizzling. Add 1/4 cup of water and season with salt. Bring to a simmer, heat on medium, cover and and steam the cauliflower for about 5 minutes. Uncover and cook for about 5-7 minutes more until the water has evaporated and the cauliflower is starting to brown. Add the raisins and pine nuts and toss to warm through. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm.

On a baking sheet, drizzle the panko with 2-3 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat and spread out in a layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 10 minutes or until it’s lightly brown and crunchy.

Cook the spaghetti until al dente.

Drain the spaghetti and place in a large bowl. Add a 2 count of olive oil and toss. Dump in the cauliflower mixture, add the parsley and lemon juice, and fold together. Arrange on a plate and sprinkle with the bread crumbs and cheese.

Spaghetti with Tomato and Walnut Pesto

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Tricia

I’m sticking with my tomato theme this week — why limit a good thing, right? This Bon Appetit recipe for Spaghetti with Tomato and Walnut Pesto uses cherry tomatoes as a base for a non-basil related pesto — alongside walnuts, anchovies (trust me), garlic and Parmesan. I say trust me on the anchovies because people tend to feel squeamish about these little filets of flavor. And you’re right, I wouldn’t recommend eating one on its own. But these guys are the ones responsible for the great, funky undertone in food classics like Caesar salad dressing. It works the same way fish sauce works in Thai food — used sparingly, and you won’t be able to say “that’s anchovy,” but it adds depth and character. Using the tomatoes for a base makes for a pesto that’s a bit sweeter than what you’re probably used to, but it’s totally delicious and rich and I couldn’t stop eating it.

And while the pesto doesn’t have basil involved, basil is added at the end of this dish in full leaf form, so you still get that great basil flavor, which cuts through the rest of the tastes beautifully.

TW’s Tips

Rather than toast the walnuts in the oven, I did it on the stovetop in a dry skillet — easier and you don’t have to heat up the whole oven.
When you buy basil, cut off the bottom of the sprigs and put it in a glass of water on your countertop. I can’t tell you how many bunches of basil I’ve had go bad in one day in the fridge despite my best efforts. This is the way to go — and if you get really fresh basil, it will last a long time — mine lasted two weeks!
If you don’t have spaghetti, any type of pasta will work

Enjoy!

Spaghetti with Tomato and Walnut Pesto

Ingredients

⅔ cup walnuts
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons plus ⅓ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
Kosher salt
6 oil-packed anchovies, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
½ ounces Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), plus more for serving
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces spaghetti
½ cup (packed) basil leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until slightly darkened, 8–10 minutes. Let cool. (see TW tip for another option)

Heat broiler. Toss tomatoes with 2 Tbsp. oil on a rimmed baking sheet; season with salt. Broil, tossing once, until tomatoes are blistered and have released some of their liquid, 5–7 minutes. Let cool.

Pulse anchovies, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, and ½ oz. Parmesan in a food processor until finely ground. Add walnuts and half of tomatoes, then, with motor running, stream in ⅓ cup oil; process just until combined. Season with salt. Transfer pesto to a large bowl and stir in black pepper.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.

Transfer pasta to bowl with pesto and add a splash of pasta cooking liquid. Toss, adding more cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Add basil and remaining tomatoes.

Divide among bowls; top with more Parmesan and black pepper and drizzle with oil.

Do Ahead: Pesto can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Cheese Tortellini

Posted on March 29, 2015 by Tricia

If you know me, you know I love pasta — any type, shape, filling, flavor or sauce. As long as it’s cooked al dente, I’m in. This is a great winter meal that combines pasta with roasted acorn squash with a pretty impressive presentation. And you don’t have to feel quite as guilty about the cream-based, cheese sauce since you have vegetables involved.

So yes, it’s cheesy and rich, but it’s delicious and perfect for a dinner party since the presentation is so lovely. The sage on top is the perfect finisher. And for the record, another Tyler Florence.

TW’s Tips

Any small stuffed pasta would work here — mini ravioli, etc.
It took a while for the squash to cook through — longer than the recipe indicated. Make sure it’s done well by testing with a knife. Nothing is worse than crunchy squash.
Reheating this meal isn’t easy — I scooped the whole bit out of the squash and reheated in a bowl.
This is a heavy meal. Serve with a salad on the side.

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Cheese Tortellini

Ingredients

2 medium acorn squash (about 1 pound each)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound store-bought fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
1 sprig fresh thyme, leaves only
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for topping
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Fresh sage leaves, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut the squash in half through the equator and scrape out the seeds with a spoon. Cut a small piece off the rounded edge of both halves to give them a base to sit on. Place the squash halves, cut sides up, on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and roast for 25 to 30 minutes until tender.

Cook the tortellini in salted boiling water according to package directions; drain well, reserving some of the pasta water. Set tortellini and pasta water aside.

In a separate saucepan heat the cream over medium heat. Add garlic and thyme; cook 5 to 7 minutes, until liquid is reduced and mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon. Add the 1 cup the Parmigiano-Reggiano and the nutmeg, stir over low heat to melt the cheese. Toss tortellini into cream mixture. (Use some of the pasta water to thin sauce, if necessary.) Season with salt and pepper, then divide among cooked squash bowls.

Turn the oven to 400°F. Sprinkle the tops with Parmigiano-Reggiano and fresh sage leaves; bake for 10 minutes more, until the cheese is melted and golden.

Chicken and Egg Soup with Orzo, Spinach and Dill

Posted on December 9, 2014 by Tricia

It’s getting to be soup weather in New York — complete with a rainy Nor’easter. This soup has some nice bright flavors from the lemon and dill, and it cooks up in 30 minutes — the perfect comfort food on a chilly night. I’ve never made soup with egg in it before — it adds a nice creaminess without cream or milk — just make sure you whip it thoroughly before stirring it in. Quick, easy and the leftovers are delish!

TW’s Tips

The recipe calls for pastina, which you could probably find at a specialty Italian grocer. I opted for orzo, but you could also use Israeli couscous or any small pasta.
I used shredded roasted chicken and threw it in at the end to heat through, instead of putting the whole chicken on the bone in the pot.
Serve with pita or flat bread.

Chicken and Egg Soup with Orzo, Spinach and Dill

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 (2 1/2-to-3-pound) rotisserie chicken (on the bone)
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 lemons
1/2 cup pastina (small pasta) or orzo
2 large eggs plus 2 egg yolks
2 cups baby spinach or other baby greens
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
Crumbled feta cheese, for garnish (optional)

Directions
Heat the 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the onion, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste; cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken, the broth, 4 cups water and the juice of 1 lemon; cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, add the pastina/orzo and simmer until the pasta is cooked and the soup thickens slightly, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken; when cool enough to handle, pull the meat off the bone and shred into bite-size pieces.

Remove the soup from the heat. Whisk the juice of the remaining lemon with the whole eggs and yolks in a medium bowl until frothy. Gradually whisk a ladleful of the hot soup into the egg mixture, then stir the warm egg mixture into the soup and return to medium-low heat. Cook until creamy, about 1 minute. Stir in the shredded chicken, spinach and dill, and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls; garnish with feta, if desired.

Roasted Chicken With Moroccan Spices, Cheesy Orzo and Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots and Walnuts

Posted on September 11, 2014 by Tricia

If you’re craving a home-cooked meal, this one will hit the spot. It’s homey and comforting, but with an interesting twist — Moroccan spices on the chicken, with a little sweetness and a little spice, classic green beans but with shallots and walnuts to dress it up, and the orzo is pasta transformed into pure homey, cheesy goodness.

The chicken and green beans are recipes courtesy of Tyler Florence, and the orzo is Rachael Ray. This delicious orzo is a recipe I’ve been coming back to again and again. And if you know how I cook, that’s unusual. I love trying new recipes, so it’s not often that I’ll choose to revisit something I’ve tried. But this orzo is just too good. It’s easy, quick and the end result is creamy and delicious — with great garlic and onion flavor and the tanginess of fresh Parmigiano. I admit this is best fresh off the stove, but it doesn’t stop me from eating the leftovers, either. It’s the perfect go-to side for whatever meal you’re cooking.

The green beans are pretty amazing too. They’re fresh and crisp, with some acidity from the lemon juice, great savory flavor from the mild shallots and crunchy nuttiness from the walnuts. Plus the finish of the fresh parsley…this is one of those vegetable dishes I could eat for a main course. It’s that good.

And don’t forget the chicken. I love a great roasted chicken — it makes your house smell delicious, it’s warm and comforting, and the leftovers are fantastic. This one uses some great spices and you will love it.

TW’s Tips

Make sure you have a coffee or spice grinder for the chicken spices — otherwise, use already ground spices. It won’t be as potent and flavorful, but grinding spices otherwise is impossible.
Eat the chicken skin. Trust me.
Don’t overcook the beans. Test them with a sharp knife or fork and keep them nice and crisp.

Roasted Chicken With Moroccan Spices

Ingredients

1 whole chicken, about 3-4 pounds
1 cinnamon stick, chopped in pieces
8 whole cloves
1 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon coriander seed
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lemon, halved
1/4 bunch fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Rinse chicken with cool water, inside and out – then pat dry with paper towels.

Combine the cinnamon stick, cloves, cayenne, cumin, fennel, coriander and paprika in a dry skillet over low heat and toast for a minute – just to release the fragrant oils – shake pan so spices don’t scorch. In a clean coffee grinder, grind the toasted spices together with the sea salt and brown sugar.

Massage the chicken skin with the spice rub, making sure you don’t miss any spots.
Season the inside of the chicken with salt and pepper. Stuff the lemon halves, cilantro and garlic into the cavity of the chicken. Place the chicken into a roasting pan, fitted with a rack, and fold the wing tips under the chicken and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Drizzle oil all over chicken. If you have the time, let the chicken sit for 30 minutes to really let the flavors meld into the chicken.

Roast the chicken for one hour, then check with an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh – if it reads 160 degrees F, then it’s done! Take the chicken out of the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before carving – so the juices can settle back into the meat. Squeeze the lemon halves that have cooked inside the chicken over the meat for added wow.

Cheesy Orzo

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 cans (14 ounces) chicken or vegetable broth or stock
2 cups orzo pasta (enriched rice may be substituted)
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat a 8 inch pot with a tight fitting cover over moderate heat. Add oil, onion and garlic and saute for 2 or 3 minutes. Add broth to the pan and bring to a boil. Stir in orzo and return broth to a boil. Cover pot and reduce heat to simmer. Cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until liquid is absorbed and pasta tender. Remove lid and stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper to your taste. You favorite fresh herbs may also be stirred into the orzo or rice to strengthen the flavor even more.

Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots and Walnuts

Ingredients

1 pound green beans — trimmed
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 large shallots — sliced
1/2 cup walnuts
1 dash sea salt
1 dash freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley — chopped

Directions

Bring a pot of water to boil, blanch the green beans for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Put a skillet over medium heat and add oil. Saute shallots for 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften and get some color. Add the walnuts and cook for 3 more minutes, tossing frequently.

Add the green beans, season with salt and pepper. Toss together and add lemon juice and parsley.

Sausage and Pea Pesto Pasta

Posted on August 16, 2014 by Tricia

As many of you know, it’s been 2-3 months of major life changes for me — new job, new city (New York!), cross-country move, new apartment, new practically everything! So needless to say it’s been a bit crazy around here, and I’m super delinquent on this blog. Here goes redeeming myself!

This is the first meal I made in NYC and a recipe I found on the Very Culinary blog — I was looking for something simple that didn’t require buying a ton of ingredients that I would have to move to a new apartment, but something that would still be delicious. Grocery shopping and meal-making is a whole new world in New York — forget hopping in your car and running to the massive Vons/Safeway/Trader Joe’s and carting out several bags worth of heavy groceries. You’re walking, you’re finding a nearby (small) grocery store, probably something independent that looks halfway promising, and you’re carrying what you buy home with you with your own two arms. It’s a great way to really make you rethink the impulse purchases. Quite the adventure!

I ventured beyond the local market for this meal — I got all the ingredients at Chelsea Market, a veritable foodie heaven that is now only a few blocks away from my new apartment. (When I made this meal it was a subway ride and 15 minute walk — much more of a mission.) I will definitely be frequenting the place. The Italian market there is fabulous, and I used fresh made pesto, dried pasta straight from Italy and some amazing fresh sausage — even an Italian brand of frozen peas! It was simple but delicious — fresh, a little spicy and great reheated.

TW’s Tips

I got fresh sausage from the meat counter, but packaged Jimmy Dean would work as well.
I recommend fresh pesto — you can find remarkably good pesto at Costco in the refrigerated section. I swear by it. Or hit your local Italian market. I’m NOT a big fan of jarred pesto.
Serve with crusty bread and salad.

Sausage and Pea Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

1 pound medium shell pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small sweet onion, finely diced
1 pound seasoned pork sausage
1 cup frozen sweet peas, thawed
salt and freshly ground pepper
crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup pesto sauce

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the shells to al dente texture, according to package instructions, about 10 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add in the pork and cook, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon until no pink remains; about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes to taste. Gently toss in the peas until warmed through.

Drain the pasta and return to the pot. Stir in the pesto until all the shells are coated. Stir in the sausage mixture until thoroughly combined. Ladle into bowls and serve right away.

Strip Steaks and Blue Cheese Spaghetti

Posted on July 29, 2012 by Tricia

As I’ve said before, I love cheese, and this recipe featuring blue cheese spaghetti had me intrigued. Blue cheese? With pasta? And steak? It sounded brilliant. I had to give it a whirl. The result was rich and delicious and made me feel like I should be drinking a dirty martini. (Tip #1: serve this meal with a dirty martini.)

Why a martini? This dish has big flavors that would stand up to it. The steak is hearty and delicious, cooked to a perfect medium rare. And the pasta is quite the accompaniment. The blue cheese is bold and pungent, and once you add in some spicy arugula and top the pasta with bacon, it packs even more punch.

TW’s Tips

The garlic chive butter to top the steaks makes a lot — wrap the extra in plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to use later on veggies or warmed up bread.
I’d cut the pasta in half — it makes a TON and it’s really rich, so I ended up having to throw a lot of it away. And, it’s better when you first cook it, versus reheated.

Ingredients

4 slices bacon, chopped into 1-inch pieces
Salt
1 pound spaghetti
4 (8-ounce) NY strip steaks
Ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
5 tablespoons butter, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 to 1/3 cup cream or half-and-half, eyeball it
8 ounces blue cheese crumbles
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped sage leaves
2 tablespoons chives, chopped, a palm full
2 cups arugula, a small bunch, cleaned, trimmed and shredded

Directions

Put a large pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil for pasta.

Preheat broiler to high with rack on top shelf.

Preheat medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chopped bacon and cook until crisp.

Salt water for pasta and add spaghetti to the pot. Cook to al dente, with a bite to it.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper on both sides and arrange on slotted broiler pan.

Remove bacon to paper towel lined plate with a slotted spoon and drain off most of the fat, return pan to heat and reduce heat to medium. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan and 1 tablespoon butter. When butter melts into extra-virgin olive oil, add in 2 cloves garlic and the shallots, saute for 3 minutes.

Arrange steaks on the broiler pan. Place under broiler – leave door to oven cracked ajar to limit flare ups and smoke. Cook 4 minutes on each side for medium rare, up to 5 to 6 minutes on each side for medium well doneness.

To the garlic and shallots, add in flour and cook a minute more. Whisk in stock, bring to a bubble, about 30 seconds then stir in the cream. When cream comes to a bubble, add in blue cheese and sage and a few grinds of black pepper. Stir until cheese melts. Reduce heat to lowest setting.

Soften 4 tablespoons butter in microwave on high for 15 seconds. Mix in chives and 2 cloves minced garlic and reserve.

Remove steaks from oven and let rest 5 minutes. Place 1/4 of the chive and garlic butter mixture on each steak to melt down over the meat as they rest.

Drain pasta and toss with sauce to coat and combine evenly. Taste to adjust seasoning.

Serve steaks with pasta alongside. Scatter the arugula and bacon bits across the top of the pasta.

Spaghetti with Summer Squash and Tomatoes

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Tricia

Inspired by my friend Megan’s gift of a fresh zucchini from her garden (jealous!), I found this Tyler Florence recipe for Spaghetti with Summer Squash and Tomatoes and hit the farmer’s market for some more super fresh produce to round out the dish. Oh boy, was it worth it. This pasta is light and fresh, and bursting with great flavors from the veggies — and the fresher you go, the better this will taste. I even got some arugula from the farmer’s market and it was unbelievable — spicy, peppery and the perfect hit in this tasty bowl of pasta.

Roasting all the vegetables instead of sautéing really make a difference in this recipe. The roasting caramelizes the veggies and also adds more of a nutty taste to them — so much better than a turn in a frying pan, even if it does take a little longer. There are so many vegetables in here that you don’t even feel bad about eating a bowl of pasta!

TW’s Tips

Use fresh farmer’s market veggies.
Go super al dente on the pasta — I love when pasta has some bite to it, and it makes this even better reheated.
Cut the tomatoes in half if they’re bigger than normal (which you may get since farmer’s market produce isn’t so uniform)
Don’t forget the ladle of pasta liquid before you drain!
Use lots of fresh cracked black pepper on top, and sprinkle with a little sea salt/kosher salt. Yum!

Spaghetti with Summer Squash and Tomatoes

Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 zucchini, sliced into thin rounds
1 summer squash, sliced into thin rounds
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Handful of arugula leaves, chopped
3/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat for the spaghetti.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the squashes, tomatoes, onion, garlic, and oregano in a large bowl. Add the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and give it all a good toss. Dump that out onto a baking sheet and roast for 10 to 12 minutes, until the squash is tender and caramelized. Scrape the vegetables into a large pasta bowl and cover with a plate to keep everything warm.

The pasta water should be boiling by now. Add the spaghetti and stir to separate the strands. Cook for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente.

To finish, scoop out about 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and toss gently with the roasted vegetables. Add the pasta water if needed. Toss with the arugula and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

Posted on January 21, 2012 by Tricia

My best friend Melissa had a gorgeous baby girl, Ruby Lyn, on December 8. I was there for the birth and it was one of the most amazing experiences of my life — beautiful, heart-wrenching, crazy and happy in the span of an insane 22 hours of labor. What can I say — Melissa is a champ! And Ruby is just perfect.

This was the first meal I made for Melissa after the birth: Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne. My goal was to avoid onions (quite hard to do, actually), include some protein and have it be a pretty simple meal so I could spend more time loving on Ruby than cooking.

The recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis, from her Everyday Pasta cookbook. It’s so simple, but the sauce, a combination of lemon zest, cream and a hit of spice from cayenne pepper, is full of flavor. If you think lemon on pasta is weird, you have to give this a try. The acidity you typically get from tomato sauce is transformed in the lemon cream, and it’s lighter and more refreshing. The hit of more lemon juice and a sprinkling of parsley at the end add even more brightness.

This is so simple I don’t even have any tips! I served it with a simple green salad. Have at it!

Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne

Ingredients

1 lb penne pasta (or substitute your favorite type of pasta or spaghetti)
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts , diced into 1-inch cubes
1 teaspoon herbes de provence
1 pinch salt , plus
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
Zest of 1 lemon
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, season with salt. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season the cubed chicken with herbes de Provence, salt and pepper. Cook the chicken until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and set aside. Pour off excess oil from pan. Add the chicken broth to the pan and cook over medium-high heat, scraping up any bits with a wooden spoon. Add the cream, lemon zest, and cayenne. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the pasta, chicken, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, chopped parsley, and lemon juice. Toss to coat the pasta and chicken with the sauce and serve.

Taste by Taste

Stirring, Sipping and Savoring: My Life as a Food Lover

Tag Archives: pasta

Pantry Pasta

Spaghetti with Sautéed Cauliflower, Raisins, and Pine Nuts

Spaghetti with Tomato and Walnut Pesto

Roasted Acorn Squash Stuffed with Cheese Tortellini

Chicken and Egg Soup with Orzo, Spinach and Dill

Roasted Chicken With Moroccan Spices, Cheesy Orzo and Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots and Walnuts

Sausage and Pea Pesto Pasta

Strip Steaks and Blue Cheese Spaghetti

Spaghetti with Summer Squash and Tomatoes

Spaghetti with Summer Squash and Tomatoes

Chicken in Lemon Cream with Penne