Pasta with Roasted Summer Vegetables and Basil
I don’t have too much to say about this recipe. I was drawn to the “summer” vegetables, because it was about 100 degrees out and it seemed only natural to make a dish that was “summery.” It was fast, it was easy, and it tasted fantastic. There were only 2 things that disappointed me:
1. It didn’t taste very “summery.” I figured it would be kind of a light and refreshing pasta dish, which it really wasn’t. When is pasta ever summery unless it’s a pasta salad? The answer is never.
2. I realized as I was combining everything together that it tasted exactly like my personal pasta creation, Pasta Tongue Explosion, the only differece being using summer squash and chicken instead of capers and sausage. (PTE is more of a winter meal, so maybe to someone who has not experienced it this recipe would have been considered summery. Or maybe not. Maybe my idea of summery food is completely wrong.)
I’ve included the following photo because I thought it looked pretty. Plus, as I’ve stated previously, I love roasting vegetables. I’d consider being a vegetarian with all my new vegetable roasting concoctions, if it weren’t for the fact that Jon would probably divorce me if I did:
OVERALL RESULT:
Excellent, easy and fast. Tons of leftovers, which is a bonus, because then I don’t have to make Jon lunch the next day. And the pictures look beautiful against the color scheme of the page.
RECIPE:
4 yellow summer squash (about 2 pounds total), sliced 1 inch thick crosswise, halved if large
2 pints grape tomatoes (about 4 cups)
2 medium red onions, halved and sliced 1/2 inch thick
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 ounces short pasta, such as campanelle or fusilli
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
1 cup torn fresh basil leaves
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide squash, tomatoes, onions, and garlic between two large rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Roast without tossing until tender and starting to brown, 30 to 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain, and return to pot.
Add vegetables, butter, Parmesan, and basil to pasta; season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine.
