Summer Pasta
This vegetarian pasta dish makes good use of zucchini, one of summer’s most prolific vegetables. The charred tomatoes and fresh herbs add depth. I prefer adding both marjoram and oregano, as they each bring slightly different flavor profiles.
Summer Pasta
Serves 4 as a main course
¾ cup olive oil, divided
¼ cup pine nuts
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ teaspoon coarse salt
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes
2 zucchini
1 ½ tablespoons fresh marjoram or oregano (or both)
3 cloves garlic, slivered into tiny matchsticks
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
12 ounces dried spaghetti
¾ tablespoon fresh basil, torn
¾ tablespoon Italian parsley, torn
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Directions
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small skillet. Add pine nuts. Toss and toast until nicely brown (keep a close watch as they burn quickly). Using a slotted spoon, transfer nuts to a small bowl, leaving excess oil in the pan.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, red pepper flakes, and coarse salt in a medium cast-iron or heavy-duty skillet. When the oil begins to shimmer, increase heat to medium-high. Add cherry tomatoes, giving them a quick toss, and then leave alone for 3 to 4 minutes before tossing again. Char tomatoes for another 3 minutes, then remove pan from heat. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan, and set aside.
On a large cutting board, cut the zucchini in half lengthwise and half widthwise. Cut each half lengthwise 4 to 5 times to create matchsticks. Set aside. Mince the fresh marjoram or oregano, or a combination of the two. Add garlic, zucchini, herbs, and butter to the tomatoes. Toss with a wooden spoon.
Place skillet over low-to-medium heat and gently poach zucchini in the oil, gently tossing occasionally with a wooden spoon, for approximately 30 to 40 minutes. You want the zucchini to retain a slight bite and not be mushy. The tomatoes will form a sauce. You do not want this sauce to brown, so keep the temperature low or medium-low.
Bring a pot of water to boil, salt it, and cook spaghetti only until al dente. Remove ½ cup of the pasta water before draining. Return pasta to the pot. Taste sauce for salt and pepper. Toss sauce, fresh basil and parsley, and half of the cheese with the spaghetti. If dry, add reserved pasta water slowly while tossing to let it combine with the sauce. Plate and sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve remaining Parmesan in a bowl on the table.
Sally Uhlmann’s passion for cooking led her to publish a memoir-style cookbook, “Just Cook with Sally.” She splits her time between the States and her farmhouse in Cortona, Italy, when she is not traveling the world. Sally cooks, develops recipes, and writes stories—mostly about the intersection of food, travel, and her life.
