Neapolitan Summer Vegetable Pasta Recipes

RUSTIC SUMMER VEGETABLE PASTA

Steps:

• In a 6-qt. stockpot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add zucchini and yellow squash; cook and stir until tender. Remove from pan., In same pot, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, eggplant and mushrooms; cook and stir until tender. Add garlic and pepper flakes; cook 1 minute longer. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper. Stir in oregano, parsley and half of the basil; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes, stirring occasionally., Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions. Drain; add spaghetti and squash to vegetable mixture. Drizzle with remaining oil; toss to combine. Top with cheese and remaining basil.

SUMMER VEGGIE PASTA SCAMPI

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large saute pan and add the mushrooms, garlic and shallots. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Add some wine (a quarter to half of the bottle), the lemon zest and juice. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Reduce the heat to low to keep the sauce warm until ready to use.
• Using a vegetable peeler, carefully peel the summer squash and zucchini until you reach the center, creating pasta-like vegetable noodles.
• Heat some olive oil in a large pan set over medium heat. Saute the vegetable noodles 2 to 3 minutes. Add the warm sauce then add some chile flakes and season with salt and pepper. Add in the cheese and some tomatoes, and cook 1 to 2 minutes more. Finish with a few pinches of parsley.

SICILIAN-STYLE CAULIFLOWER WITH WHOLE WHEAT PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, then salt it generously. Add the penne and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente--tender but not mushy. Drain the pasta in a colander set in the sink. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower, shallots, and garlic, and cook, stirring, until the cauliflower is well browned, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, 2 teaspoons salt, water, vinegar, raisins, honey, capers, thyme, bay leaf, fennel seeds, if using, and season with black pepper. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until cauliflower is fork tender, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the pine nuts and parsley. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf.
• Toss vegetables and pasta together along with the pecorino. Drizzle with additional olive oil, if desired. Serve immediately, passing more cheese at the table.

GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLE PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, drain the tomatoes (reserving the juice for another use if desired). Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Crush the tomatoes with your hand, adding them to the saucepan as you go. Season with salt and pepper. Add the basil and parsley sprigs (reserve the chopped herbs for later) and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook at a very low simmer for about 15 minutes or until ready to serve.
• While the sauce cooks, heat a large double-burner grill pan over medium-high heat. Toss the pepper, squash, zucchini and onion with the remaining tablespoon olive oil, making sure to coat all sides. Sprinkle with salt and grill, turning once, until well-marked and crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes per side, depending on the vegetable. Transfer the onion to a large mixing bowl. Transfer the pepper, squash and zucchini to a cutting board and cut crosswise into strips. Add to the bowl with the onion and cover with foil.
• Cook the penne in the boiling water according to package directions. Drain and add to the bowl with the vegetables. Remove the herb sprigs from the sauce and stir in half of the chopped herbs. Add to the bowl and toss to coat.
• Serve the pasta in bowls topped with the remaining chopped herbs and Parmesan.

SPAGHETTI WITH FRIED ZUCCHINI (SPAGHETTI ALLA NERANO)

Steps:

• Wash and cut the zucchini into thin slices, then fry them in extra virgin olive oil until browned.
• Once fried, put the slices on paper towels to remove the excess oil.
• Meanwhile boil the pasta in plenty of lightly salted water until al dente and drain, keeping aside a cup of the cooking water.
• Heat some more olive oil in a frying pan with the 2 garlic cloves and cook taking care not to burn the garlic.
• Immerse the zucchini slices in boiling water for 4 or 5 seconds, then cream 1/3 of them either by mashing through a sieve or briefly liquidizing in a food blender with some of the pasta cooking water.
• Remove the garlic and add the cream of zucchini and the zucchini slices to the pan and then stir in the cooked spaghetti. If the dish appears too dry add some of the saved pasta cooking water. Continue to stir over a low heat for a minute.
• Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the grated provolone until it starts to melt and become creamy. Season with a sprinkling of pepper and salt as required, Serve decorated with the basil leaves cut into pieces and some extra grated provolone to taste.

PASTA NAPOLITANA

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, cook bacon over medium heat; drain and set aside. Discard drippings. In same pan, cook ground beef and sausage in olive oil until beef is no longer pink, breaking into crumbles. Add onion; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain. Add tomato paste; cook and stir until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Stir in bacon, marinara sauce, broth, wine, mushrooms, pepperoni, sugar, garlic powder, oregano, basil, parsley, rosemary, marjoram, sage, seasoned salt, pepper, pepper flakes and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened and flavors have combined, about 2 hours. Serve with spaghetti and Parmesan cheese.

SICILIAN CAULIFLOWER PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Reserve 3/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta. Meanwhile, trim the thick stems off the cauliflower and coarsely grate the florets on the large holes of a box grater (it's fine if some small florets remain whole). Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower, raisins, garlic, red pepper flakes and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is crisp-tender and slightly browned, about 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the pasta, parsley, dill, lemon juice, cheese and 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water. Add more cooking water to loosen, if needed. Season with salt. Serve with more grated cheese.

SUMMER PASTA PRIMAVERA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty aluminum foil.
• Combine the tomatoes, shallots, garlic, olive oil, salt, and sugar on the prepared baking sheet. Toss with your hands or a rubber spatula until the vegetables are evenly coated. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer and roast for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are just starting to brown. Remove the pan from the oven and add the zucchini and corn. Toss with a rubber spatula (the tomatoes will collapse; that's okay) and spread into an even layer. Roast for 5 minutes more, until the zucchini and corn are tender-crisp.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain, then add the pasta back to the pan. Add the roasted vegetables and all their juices to the pasta, along with the butter, herbes de Provence, red pepper flakes, pecorino Romano, basil, and pine nuts. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Spoon into pasta bowls and drizzle with olive oil, if desired. Serve with more grated cheese.
• Note: Herbes de Provence can be found in the spice section of your supermarket. Most markets carry it but if you can't find it, dried thyme may be substituted.
• Note: To toast the pine nuts, put them in a dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until golden in spots, about 3 minutes.