Fettucine with Summer Squash

Tonight's dinner was an exercise in frugality - what can I make with 2 pattypan squash from my friend's farm, along with whatever is in the fridge? Well, how about a summer squash pasta with fresh fettuccine? Doesn't really require many special ingredients, and stood to be both healthy and colorful. So I spent about an hour fiddling with pasta dough, and 2 minutes dealing with everything else. The result was a fresh-tasting dish with discernible flavors from the squash, the sweet onion, and the homemade pasta.  What's more, I could point to every single ingredient in my food as I sat down, which always feels nice.

Pattypan squash

I liberated the recipe from Tyler Florence, but modified it heavily based on what was in the house. Here's my version:

Fettuccine with Summer Squash and Tomatoes

• Kosher salt
• 2 summer squash
• 1 large tomato
• 1/2 Vidalia onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and halved
• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound fresh fettuccine (or 1 box, dried)
• Fresh Parmesan cheese to taste

Prepare fettucine through the drying step (I recommend this recipe). As this is wrapping up, preheat the oven to 400 F, and set a large pot of water on the boil.

Cut the squash in quarters and then into slices, and cut the tomato into 1" pieces. Toss the squash, tomato, garlic, and onion with salt, pepper, and the olive oil and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. Place the sheet in the preheated oven and roast for 10-15 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until vegetables are caramelized and beginning to brown.

Remove the sheet from the oven and place vegetables in a bowl. If using fresh pasta, boil for 1-3 minutes until cooked, or as directed for dried pasta. Reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking liquid, and drain the pasta into a large colander.

Add the pasta back into the cooking pot with the reserved cooking water, and gently toss in the roasted vegetables. Serve at once with grated Parmesan.

Remember this scene from my other post?



The finished dish (pre-Parmesan), which disappeared quickly.