Summer Veggie Pasta with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes, Zucchini & Corn
There’s nothing better in the Summer than a visit to the Farmer’s Market to get some super fresh veggies that are ripe in the peak of the season. Some of my favorites are fresh cherry tomatoes, zucchini and corn that are lightly roasted or sauteed tossed with some roasted garlic, fresh herbs, extra virgin olive oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese over pasta. It’s light, healthy and refreshing for a Summer dinner with a glass of wine with some friends at a table out on the back patio served with a green salad and some crusty bread.
Summer Veggie Pasta with Roasted Garlic, Tomatoes, Zucchini & Corn
Yield: 4
A light and healthy Summer pasta dish with farm market fresh vegetables including roasted garlic, cherry tomatoes, corn and zucchini topped with fresh herbs and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Delicious!
Ingredients
1 package fresh or dried spaghetti (can sub fettucine, penne or tagliatelle)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small to medium garlic bulb
4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
1 medium zucchini, sliced into ribbons
1 or 2 ears of corn, husked
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 cup fresh mint or basil leaves, torn
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
½ cup shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Shave off ¼” of the top of garlic bulb and peel away the outer layers of the garlic bulb skin. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and wrap in foil. Roast for 45 minutes up to one hour and let cool. Squeeze out the garlic bulbs, slice or mash, and place in a bowl to the side.
Bring a pot of water to a boil (you can add a teaspoon of sugar and milk to the water if you like sweeter corn), and add the corn, bringing water back to a boil (about 5-7 minutes.) Once water is back to a boil, remove the corn ears. Let cool, shave off kernels and set aside.
Cut zucchini in half lengthwise and then cut in half again into quarters. Shave zucchini into thin ribbons and set aside.
In another large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain; place pasta in a large serving bowl.
While pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add zucchini to pan; and sauté for 5-7 minutes until soft and cooked through, stirring often. Add cooked corn kernels and roasted garlic and sauté together for another minute or so.
Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan along with tomatoes and ½ teaspoon salt; cover and cook 4-6 minutes. Add tomato-garlic-corn mixture to the cooked pasta; toss to combine. Top with torn mint or basil leaves, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
Serve with a green salad and crusty bread and a glass of crisp white wine such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc.
There’s some new kids on the block – and some mighty tasty ones at that. Buitoni reached out to me and asked me to create some recipes to go with their two new stuffed pasta flavors which are totally rockin’!
The RoastedButternut Squash Agnolottiis a luscious half-moon pasta generously filled with oven-roasted Butternut Squash, Impastata Ricotta, aged Parmesan and Grada Padano cheeses, accented with amaretti cookie crumbs. I decided to create a luscious sauce with Brown Butter, Sage, Pancetta, Shallots, and Toasted Pine Nuts.
The savory Chicken Marsala Ravioli is a delicate pasta filled with all-natural white meat chicken, roasted portabello mushrooms and caramelized onions with Impastata Ricotta, aged Parmesan and Asiago cheeses, accented with Marsala wine. To compliment the savory chicken and mushroom flavors inside, I created a Wild Mushrooms, Leeks, and Thyme in a Garlic, Wine and Cream Sauce to go with.
The fresh pasta cooks super fast (approximately 5-6 minutes) so you’ll want to get your sauce going first before you cook the pasta, or you can cook the pasta first and set it aside until you add it to the sauce at the end to coat.
I recommend a dry white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or or a dry Rose to go with the Butternut Squash Agnolotti, and a light red table wine such as Montepulcciano d’Abruzzo or Pinot Noir to accompany the Chicken Marsala Ravioli. Serve both with a side of toasty garlic bread and a simple Arugula or Romaine salad with some shaved Parmesan cheese a light lemon vinaigrette dressing (a few tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, two teaspoons of Dijon or grainy mustard, a squeeze or two of lemon and salt and pepper).
Roasted Butternut Squash Agnolotti w/ Brown Butter, Sage, Pancetta, Shallots and Toasted Pine Nuts
Butternut Squash Agnolotti with Brown Butter, Pancetta, Shallots, Sage, and Toasted Pinenuts
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Serving Size: 4
Ingredients
1 package Buitoni Butternut Squash Agnolotti
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 shallot, minced
4 oz. pancetta, diced
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/2 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for garnish
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted, for garnish
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Instructions
Boil water in a large saucepan and season with salt and olive oil. Cook stuffed pasta according to package directions (about 4-6 minutes) and drain; set aside.
Heat a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook garlic and shallots for about two minutes until lightly browned. Add pancetta and cook until crispy and browned. Add chicken stock and sage to the pan and reduce over medium-high until sauce thickens. Lower heat and add cooked Agnolotti to the sauce; toss to coat.
Toast pine nuts in a small pan over medium heat until lightly golden brown, remove from heat.
Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with extra Parmesan cheese, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste), toasted pine nuts and a few sage leaves for garnish.
Notes
Serve pasta with a simple Arugula salad tossed in a light lemon Vinaigrette dressing and some toasted garlic bread. Wine pairings: Sauvignon Blanc, dry White table wine or Rose.
Chicken Marsala Ravioli with Wild Mushrooms, Leeks, Thyme in a Garlic Wine Cream Sauce
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 4
Ingredients
1 package Buitoni Chicken Marsala Ravioli
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 shallot, minced
1 leek, rinsed, trimmed and sliced
3.5 ounces Wild Mushrooms (Chanterelle or Porcini)
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half or heavy cream
1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, chopped
Dash of Sea Salt (I used Pink Himalayan Onion Sea Salt)
Fresh ground black pepper
5-6 sprays White Truffle Oil (equal to 1 teaspoon) - optional
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Instructions
Boil water in a large sauce pan (with some salt and olive oil). Cook pasta according to package directions (approximately 5-7 minutes). Drain and set aside.
Melt butter over medium heat in a large saute pan; add garlic and shallots and cook about 2 minutes until translucent. Add leeks and mushrooms and saute until brown, about 7 minutes. Turn heat up to medium-high and deglaze the pan with wine and broth, until sauce thickens and reduces by half, for about 5 minutes. Add cream and stir in chopped thyme and parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook on low for about 1 minute, stirring often.
Return cooked Ravioli to sauce pan and toss to coat with the sauce, cooking over low heat for about 1 minute. Add a few sprays of Truffle Oil if using.
Transfer pasta and sauce to a serving dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Garnish with additional chopped thyme and parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
Serve Chicken Marsala Ravioli with a simple green or Arugula salad with shaved Parmesan cheese and a light lemon Vinaigrette dressing and some toasted garlic bread. Wine pairing: Pinot Grigio, Pinot Noir or light red Italian table wine such as Montepulcciano d'Abruzzo.
