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.

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.

PASTA NEAPOLITAN

Steps:

• PREPARE RED SAUCE: Heat oil in pan over medium heat& saute onion until translucent.
• Add garlic& saute for another minute.
• Stir in the rest of the ingredients; bring to a boil, then reduce heat& simmer uncovered for 15- 20 minutes.
• Adjust seasoning, if necessary and remove the bay leaf.
• PREPARE CHICKEN SAUCE: Melt butter in a heavy fry pan over medium heat.
• Very thinly slice the chicken into strips; saute along with the almonds, stirring frequently, until the chicken is cooked (about 5 or 6 minutes).
• Meanwhile, pour the cream into a small, heavy pan over a low heat.
• Bring to a boil& boil for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until reduced by almost half.
• Combine the cream with the chicken mixture and season.
• Set aside& keep warm.
• PASTA: Add oil, then noodles to a large pot of salted, boiling water& cook until tender.
• Drain well.
• ASSEMBLY: Turn noodles onto individual plates.
• Spoon tomato sauce over them, leaving the outer edge of the noodles visible.
• Spoon chicken sauce onto the center of tomato sauce, leaving the outer edge of the tomato sauce visible.
• Sprinkle with basil leaves.

PASTA WITH SUMMER VEGETABLES

Steps:

• In a saucepan of boiling water boil the fava beans for 4 to 5 minutes, or until they are tender. Drain the beans, let them cool until they can be handled, and peel off and discard the tough outer skins. In a steamer set over boiling water steam the zucchini, covered, for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until it is just tender. In a large bowl combine the beans, the zucchini, the tomatoes, the onion, drained well if soaked, the garlic, the bell pepper, the parsley, the oil, and salt and black pepper to taste and toss the mixture until it is combined well. In a kettle of boiling salted water boil the gemellini until it is al dente, drain it, and while it is still hot add it to the vegetable mixture, tossing the mixture until it is combined well. Serve the pasta warm or at room temperature with the Parmesan.

PASTA WITH GRILLED SUMMER VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Light a charcoal fire. Grill the peppers whole until the skin is charred on all sides. Remove and place in a paper bag. Close the bag and let the peppers cool. Cut the peppers in half and remove the seeds. Peel the skin and slice the peppers into thin strips.
• Meanwhile, slice the summer squash and eggplant in thin strips, lengthwise. Brush with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill on both sides until lightly browned. Cut plum tomatoes in half and grill skin side down until lightly browned and barely soft. Slice onions in rings, brush with oil and grill until browned.
• Bring six quarts salted water to a boil. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet. Add the tomatoes, garlic and thyme and cook for a few minutes until they start to form a sauce. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, cut them in thin strips. Add them to the sauce and simmer for about five minutes. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until al dente. Drain and toss with the vegetables. Season and garnish with the basil leaves, snipped into strips with a pair of scissors. Serve the cheese separately.