Celetini with Summer Squash and Ricotta

You may have been eyeing the pasta sitting next to my Wild Rice Salad in my last post.  Yep, it was delicious too.  It's Mario Batali's recipe so of course it was amazing!  I give him all the credit on this one, but have one minor suggestion; put in lots more squash and zucchini because it's super yummy.

PENNETTE WITH SUMMER SQUASH AND RICOTTA

1 cup fresh ricotta

6 tbs. olive oil

1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano, plus extra for serving

1 pound (I'd do more!) summer squash or zucchin (or both!), cut lengthwise in hald and sliced into quarter moons

1 lbs pennette rigate (Walmart doesn't carry this so I used celetini)

6 tbs chopped mint

salt & pepper

1.  Bring six quarts salted water to boil.

2.  Meanwhile, whisk the ricotta and 3 tbs olive oil together in a bowl.  Add the parmigiano, whisking until it's evenly incorporated.  Whisk in 2 tbs. warm water, then whisk in another tbs. water if necessary to loosen the consistency.

3.  Heat the remaining 3 tbs. olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the squash and cook, stirring until tender.  Season well with salt and remove from heat.

4.  Drop the pasta into the water and boil until al dente.  Drain and reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water.

5.  Add the pasta and reserved water to the squash, stirring and tossing over medium heat to mix well.  Cover, reduce heat to low and allow to steam together for 2 minutes.

6.  Stir in the mint, season with salt and pepper, if necessary and transfer to a serving bowl.  Garnish with dollops of whipped ricotta and serve immediately with grated parmigiano on the side.

This is just me, but I think this dish would be lovely with toasted pine nuts or a seasoned bread crumb topping dotted with butter and broiled to golden.

Wild Rice Salad with Sweet Lime Dressing

I'm back in my kitchen experimenting away in an effort to add vegan and vegetarian foods to my diet.  For this recipe, I had to use my husband and friend as test tasters since my children wouldn't recognize a salad unless it contained only leafy vegetables and was drowning in ranch dressing.  Asking them to spoon up a pinkish salad with rice sent them scurrying for the boxes of cereal.  If you ask me, it's their loss.  I found this recipe incredibly satisfying and my test tasters agreed.  It has the perfect blend of sweet, tart and nuttiness that makes my taste buds sing.

Thanks to vegan chef Isa Chandra Moskowitz for the bones of this dish.  I love her adventuresome spirit but I'm not quite ready to marry the sweet, tarte, nuttiness of this salad with hot chili sauce the way Ms. Moskowitz prefers.  I like my lips when they're not constantly burning.  If that's your style, then dive into her original recipe found in her "Appetite for Reduction" cookbook.

WILD RICE SALAD WITH SWEET LIME DRESSING

1 navel orange, sliced in 1/2 inch segments

2 tbs. toasted sesame seeds (yep, toss them in a heated pan and stir them around for a couple minutes)

2 cups cooled long grain and wild rice

1 handful craisins

6 cups lettuce mix

1 lb tinfoil beets chopped

SWEET LIME DRESSING

1/4 c. lime juice

2 tbs. red wine vinegar

2 tbs. salad oil

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tsp. agave nectar (honey or sugar works in a pinch)

Toss everything together except the oranges and sesame seeds.  Drizzle on the dressing and toss with tongs (preferably in beat with your favorite song playing on your ipod).  Add the oranges and sesame seeds and toss one last time.



Lick Your Bowl Clean Summer Pasta

This recipe was a total experiment and a total hit.  My family gobbled it up faster than I've ever seen them eat anything.  They were asking for bread to sop up the remaining sauce.  It's flavorful and just a tad spicy.  Please give me feedback on this dish.  We think it's "lick your bowl clean" good.

RECIPE: LICK YOUR BOWL CLEAN SUMMER PASTA

Ingredients: 

• Diced summer vegetables:  such as squash, mushrooms, and broccoli.  Lots if you want lots of vegies with your noodles, less if you prefer more noodles than vegies.
•  Diced red pepper and red onion: about two tablespoons each.
• 2 tsp minced garlic (out of the jar is fine)
• 1 pkg. bite sized pasta such as mini-piccolini.
• 1 cup. vegetable broth
• 1 cup white wine.
• Red pepper flakes (to taste)
• Optional: Grated Parmesan cheese and a diced tomato

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Toss diced summer vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Place on a cookie sheet and roast for approx. 20 minutes, flipping the vegies midway.

Meanwhile, start the pasta water and cook according to the package directions.

In a large pan, sautee the red pepper and onion in a tablespoon of olive oil.  Once the onion is translucent, add the garlic and sautee until fragrant.  Stir in the broth and white wine and bring to a boil.  Add the drained pasta and the roasted vegetables and toss.  Heat through.  Top with grated parmesan cheese and diced tomato (for vegetarians) or seasoned bread crumbs (for vegans.)