The long days of summer are upon us here in the Midwest, and with them we see an endless bounty at the local farmer’s markets: berries by the bushel, corn at every corner, and piles of peppers.
It’s impossible to pick my favorite dish, ingredient, or season to cook, but there is no other time of year where you can get away with such simple clean dishes as summer. Today I’d like to highlight a light and simple pasta that’s going to make you feel like you just walked into Nonna’s garden. Made with some fresh ricotta cheese from that leftover milk (learn to do it here), and the simplest of summer squash and tomatoes, you can have a light summer dinner ready in as much time as it takes to boil your water and cook your spaghetti!
All we’ll need is some garden fresh cherry tomatoes, summer squash, fresh basil, a couple cloves of garlic, our dried pasta, and some fresh ricotta cheese. Oh, and don’t forget some great Italian olive oil to seal the deal.
After you have your pasta water seasoned and getting hot, grab a large sauté pan and heat some olive oil until hot but not smoking. We are going to add to this our cherry tomatoes, whole and cleaned, but dry, and cook until they are browning and starting to pop. Don’t be afraid to char them a little here.
Next, we'll add some thinly sliced garlic, and cook it with our tomatoes until everything gets that golden-summer-sunset color. This is where all the depth of flavor for the dish comes from, so don’t be shy with the garlic and getting a little caramelization here.
Next I’ll add some thinly sliced zucchini and/or summer squash, reserving a little for later, and cook until just tender. Season this summer medley as we’re cooking, and then take it off the heat and let it cool slightly while we get our pasta cooking. This mixture should look like a pan sauce (and quite honestly is delicious as is with pasta or bread).
Now in a large serving bowl, I’ll add some fresh ricotta (seasoned with a little salt & pepper, and perhaps a scratch of nutmeg), my cooled-ish veggie mix, freshly torn basil, some grated Parmesan if it’s around, and that raw squash we set aside earlier.
As soon as our pasta is that perfect al dente consistency, drain it and drop it right into that bowl, and toss it all together like a salad. Taste for seasoning, give it a drizzle of that good Italian olive oil, serve with some toasted bread and prepare yourself to receive praise.
This is one that is best cooked from the heart. With the pan sauce you make out of the tomatoes and garlic, you can stack just about anything together with it, add some fresh cheese, and leave everyone asking how you did it.
Especially if I’m using homemade ricotta (again, please try it if you haven’t… it’s too easy and too delicious not to) I love to mix it enough that it’s homogenous, but leave it looking ever so slightly broken so the curd of the ricotta can be seen. This is that “how Nonna used to do it” vibe that we all look for in our Italian food.
If you would like more rustic Italian recipes, don't miss my Tasting Table demo class next Tuesday, July 29 at 6pm at Lincoln Square. You'll get to taste this menu along with a glass of beautifully paired wine:
- Gnocchi Fritto with Salumi, Fresh Ricotta and Honey
- Truffle Ricotta Gnocchi
- Roasted Chicken Ballotine (Roulade) with Braised Kale and White Beans
- Surprise Sweet Treat!
These Tasting Table classes allow us chefs to create whatever we want for our students, and I'm looking forward to sharing an intimate evening with all of you!
