I’m not sure if it’s the heat or the newfound abundance of summer produce, but lately most of what I want to cook — as in actually cook, rather than simply assemble and eat in front of the AC — is pasta.
Outside of an Amalfi-esque pasta freddo or a more Americanized pasta salad, these are two of the most summery pasta dishes I make, and they’re both adaptations of family recipes. If I’m turning on the stove in this weather, these are what I’m likely to cook.
The first is one my grandma makes often, with zucchini cooked to medium-soft in a mélange of tomatoes, onions, and garlic, finished with copious amounts of basil. (If you have the blossoms of that zucchini, all the better.) I like it served with shells, which absorb all the vegetal juices, and it’s especially good with a dusting of fennel pollen and grated smoked mozzarella.
The second is a pesto dish that my grandfather, an accomplished craftsman who worked as a scenic artist, published years ago in a small recipe book for artists, eponymously named Pesto Alfonso. It’s a Genovese-inflected pesto enlivened with spring peas, cherry tomatoes, and shrimp sautéed in garlic. This was served with farfalle at my grandparents’ table nearly every summer; the original recipe is below, and my adaptation down a bit further.
As always, you can adapt and modify as necessary, reflecting the whims of the greenmarket. One mandatory ingredient, however, is great olive oil; given the importance of EVOO to these (and all) summery pastas, I’ve worked with my friends at Primis Imports to set up a promo code, ANCHOVY20, for 20% off our newly-restocked Anchovy Trove Coratina extra-virgin olive oil.
Shells with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Basil
Ingredients
For 2-3 people
1/2 lb shell pasta
1 zucchini, quartered and sliced into 3/4 inch pieces
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 sweet onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 tbsp tomato paste
Handful zucchini blossoms (optional)
Water or chicken stock
Generous handful of torn basil leaves
Fennel pollen and/or grated smoked moz
Instructions
Set a deep pasta pan over medium-low heat and add a generous amount of extra-virgin olive oil and the garlic and tomato paste. Cook until the garlic starts to turn golden brown, then add the diced onions, zucchini, tomatoes, and a splash of water. Salt the vegetables.
Cook the zucchini and onions on medium heat until they soften, adding roughly 1/2 pint of water or stock throughout the cooking process. (Adjust water/stock volume as necessary if it is cooking off quickly.) This should form a very light tomato sauce; you want to produce just enough sauce to coat the pasta.
Once the vegetables have fully softened, remove from heat and reserve in the pan.
Bring a large pot of water to boil and salt generously. Cook the pasta to package to 1 min below package instruction.
When the pasta is ready, transfer directly to the pan and set over medium heat. Toss the pasta in some reserved pasta water. Salt to taste.
Stir in the basil and/or blossoms in at the last moment.
Garnish with fennel pollen and cheese.
Pesto Alfonso
Ingredients
For 2-3 people
1/2 lb short pasta (rigatoni, farfalle, etc.)
Approx. 4 cups Italian basil leaves
Small handful of pine nuts
1 garlic clove for pesto, grated into paste and mashed with kosher salt; 3-4 chopped garlic cloves for shrimp
About a dozen small shrimp, shelled, cleaned and deveined
1 cup fresh or frozen spring peas, cooked in boiling water until tender and bright green
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 pat butter
1/2 cup (plus extra) EVOO
Parmigiano Reggiano or pecorino cheese, finely grated
Instructions
Make the pesto. Blanch the basil leaves in boiling water for (literally) one second. Immediately dunk in ice water and dry them very thoroughly and gently (don’t press them forcefully, to prevent bruising). Blanching and drying is essential to preserving the basil’s color and flavor.
Ideally, chill the blender and its blades for an hour or so prior to blending. This will also help prevent oxidation/damage.
In the blender, combine garlic/salt mixture, pine nuts, and a splash of olive oil. Pulse a few times. Add the basil leaves and 1/2 cup of oil; pulse until smooth. (Don’t leave the blender running.) Incorporate a bit of grated cheese and salt to taste. (Note: it’s best to do this right before making the pasta, but if you must do it ahead, drizzle a layer of olive oil over the pesto in whatever container you’re storing it in, to help prevent oxidation.)
Bring a pot of water to boil and salt generously.
While the water is boiling, cook the shrimp. Set a pan over high heat and add the olive oil and chopped garlic. Add shrimp and salt to taste. Cook shrimp for approx. 3 minutes on each side, or until they are pink and cooked through. Set aside.
Boil the pasta to package instructions, including the When done, deposit the pasta in a large bowl. Add the pesto, butter, and cheese, along with a few splashes of reserved pasta water; salt to taste. When the pasta is thoroughly coated in pesto, plate and top with the shrimp, tomatoes, and peas. Garnish with additional grated cheese.