Summer Fettuccine Recipes

SUMMER CORN FETTUCCINE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to boil over medium heat. Salt the water, add the pasta and cook to al dente.
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook a few minutes until rendered and crisp. Put a small bowl inverted into a large bowl, steady the corn cobs on the smaller bowl and scrape the ears. Add 3/4 of the scraped corn and any corn liquid to the pan with the bacon. Add the shallots and red pepper and liberally season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook until the vegetables are tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Add the remaining corn and half-and-half to a food processor and puree until smooth.
• Pour the stock or wine into the corn and vegetables, and simmer over low heat for a minute to reduce. Stir in the thyme and corn-cream mixture and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, to thicken. Add the hot sauce or cayenne and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Drain the pasta and add it to a large serving bowl. Pour in the sauce, add a couple of handfuls of cheese, about 1/2 cup and toss. Top with torn basil or chopped tarragon and pass the remaining cheese at the table.

FETTUCCINE WITH SUMMER VEGETABLES AND GOAT CHEESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Toss the tomato, squash, chives, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl. Season with salt. Sprinkle in half of the goat cheese. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook as the label directs, adding the wax beans to the pot during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and beans and add to the bowl with the vegetables. Drizzle with the reserved cooking water and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss until the goat cheese begins to melt. Add the parmesan and toss. Divide among bowls and top with the remaining goat cheese.

SUMMER PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, RICOTTA AND BASIL

Steps:

• Put a pot of water on to boil. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the onions in 3 tablespoons olive oil until softened, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat as necessary to keep onions from browning. Add zucchini, season generously with salt and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally until rather soft, about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.
• Meanwhile, use a mortar and pestle to pound garlic, basil and a little salt into a rough paste (or use a mini food processor). Stir in 3 tablespoons olive oil.
• Salt the pasta water well and put in the pasta, stirring. Boil per package instructions but make sure to keep pasta quite al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup of cooking water.
• Add cooked pasta to zucchini in skillet and turn heat to medium-high. Add 1/2 cup cooking water, then the ricotta, crushed red pepper and lemon zest, stirring to distribute. Check seasoning and adjust. Cook for 1 minute more. Mixture should look creamy. Add a little more pasta water if necessary. Add the basil paste and half the grated cheese and quickly stir to incorporate. Spoon pasta into warm soup plates and sprinkle with additional cheese. Serve immediately.

FETTUCCINE WITH SUMMER SQUASH AND ROSEMARY BUTTER

Steps:

• Fill a 6-quart pasta pot three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for pasta.
• Trim vegetables and cut into 1 1/2 x 1/4-inch sticks. In a deep 12-inch heavy skillet melt butter over moderate heat and cook vegetables with salt and pepper to taste, stirring gently, 2 minutes. Add rosemary and cook, stirring gently, until vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes more. Remove skillet from heat.
• Cook pasta in boiling water, stirring occasionally, until al dente and ladle out and reserve 1 cup pasta water. Drain pasta in a colander and add to sauce with 1/4 cup reserved pasta water and salt and pepper to taste. Heat mixture over low heat, gently tossing (and adding more pasta water as needed if mixture becomes dry), until just heated through.
• Serve pasta with Parmigiano-Reggiano.