Easy summer pastas: freshen up a pantry staple with seasonal ingredients - Food & Entertaining - recipes

Sunset, August, 2003 by Marcia Smart

The comfort of a warm bowl, the scent billowing from a savory sauce, and the toothsome bite of perfectly cooked pasta-there's nothing like it. Dried pasta is simple to prepare, inexpensive, and often fortified with folic acid and other nutritious ingredients. Its shape and texture will enhance the flavors you pair it with. Made with durum wheat flour (semolina) and water, dried pasta is sturdy enough to stand up to a variety of sauces.

Our recipes take advantage of summer's bounty of juicy tomatoes, delicate zucchini, sweet peas, crisp beans, and herbs and greens. Visit a farmers' market in your area to gather the tastiest spoils of the season. Serve these fresh pasta dishes with a green salad and crusty bread, and you'll have all you need to satisfy your family or impromptu dinner guests with a bright and flavorful celebration of summer.

Farfalle with Arugula Pesto

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes

NOTES: This recipe makes extra arugula pesto; cover and chill up to 1 week (or freeze airtight up to 1 month). Use the leftover pesto for other pasta dishes, stir it into minestrone and other Italian soups, or use it in sandwiches or as a topping for pizza.

MAKES: 4 to 6 servings

8   ounces yellow wax beans and/or green beans, rinsed,
    ends trimmed, and cut into 1-inch lengths
12  ounces dried farfalle (bow tie) pasta
    About 3/4 cup arugula pesto (recipe follows)
1/4 cup grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
1/2 cup yellow and red cherry tomatores, stemmed, rinsed, and halved

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring 4 quarts water to a boil; add beans and cook just until barely tender to bite, about 1 minute. With a skimmer or slotted spoon, remove from water and transfer to a colander; rinse under cold running water until cool.

2. Bring water back to a boil. Add farfalle and cook until tender to bite, 14 to 16 minutes. Drain.

3. In a large bowl, mix pasta, beans, and 3/4 cup pesto. If more sauce is desired, add up to 1/4 cup more pesto. Top with cheese and halved cherry tomatoes.

Per serving: 339 cal., 32% (108 cal.) from fat; 129 protein; 12 g fat (2.49 sat); 489 carbo (2.8 g fiber); 114mg sodium; 5.6mg chol.

Arugula pesto. Spread 3/4 cup chopped walnuts in a baking pan; bake in a 3500 oven until golden under skins, 6 to 8 minutes. Let cool slightly. In a food processor or blender, working in batches if necessary, combine 1 pound rinsed arugula leaves (about 10 lightly packed cups), the toasted walnuts, 1/2 cup grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, 11/2 teaspoons chopped garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Pulse motor a few times, just until mixture begins to come together. With motor running, slowly pour 1/4 cup more extra-virgin olive oil through feed tube or top of blender and whirl until mixture is smooth. Add more salt and fresh-ground pepper to taste. Makes about 21/2 cups.

Per tablespoon: 51 cal., 90% (46 cal.) from fat: 1.1 g protein; 5.1 g fat (0.8 g sat.); 1.1 g carbo (0.39 fiber); 33mg sodium; 1.1 mg chol.

Oreochiette with Chicken Sausage and Spinach

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 35 minutes

NOTES: Look for high-quality fresh sausage; the casings will be easier to remove. Ricotta salata is available at specialty food stores and some well-stocked supermarkets; if you can't find it, substitute 2 ounces crumbled feta cheese,

MAKES: 4 to 6 servings

 12 ounces dried orecchiette pasta
  3 tablespoons butter
  1 onion (8 oz.) peeled and chopped
  2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 teaspoon hot chili flakes
  8 ounces chicken sausages, removed form casings and
    crumbled (see notes)
  1 pound ripe tomatoes, rinsed, cored, and chopped
  8 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 3 packed cups), rinsed
  4 ounces ricotta salata cheese, thinly sliced or crumbled
    (see notes)

1. In a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring 4 quarts water to a boil. Add pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender to bite, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch frying pan or a 4- to 5-quart pan over mediumhigh heat, melt butter. Add onion and stir often until lightly browned around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.

3. Lower heat to medium and add garlic, chili flakes, and crumbled chicken sausages. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up sausage if necessary, until meat is beginning to brown, 5 to 10 minutes; if garlic begins to scorch, lower heat.

4. Add tomatoes and spinach; stir until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes.

5. In a large bowl, mix pasta and sauce to coat; top with ricotta salata.

Spaghetti Carbonara with Pancetta, Leeks, and Peas

Per serving: 442 cal., 35% (153 cal.) from fat; 189 protein; 179 fat (8.3 g sat.); 55 g carbo (5 9 fiber); 726mg sodium; 66mg chot.

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 25 minutes

NOTES: The eggs in this dish are not fully cooked. If you are concerned about bacteria, use yolks from eggs pasteurized in their shells, which are sold at some specialty food stores, or substitute 1/3 cup egg substitute for the raw yolks. Pancetta-an Italian bacon that is cured but not smoked-is available at Italian markets, specialty food stores, and some supermarkets; if you cannot find it, substitute 6 ounces thick-cut bacon.