It’s officially summer. We’re already more than halfway through the year and my husband and I have yet to plan a vacation. Short of a few long weekends and holidays, we’ve been working nonstop since our honeymoon to France two Septembers ago. In fact, I’ve accumulated 352 hours (and counting) of paid time off. That’s 44 days!
The truth is, the two of us (and Rookie) are homebodies. When Saturday rolls around, we prefer to lay low and stay local. That’s why we’ve been dragging our feet planning anything. Our goal is to take a short road trip to Napa in the next month or so and then a longer vacation abroad next year. Don’t hold us to it. So until then, we’re celebrating the start of summer the best way I know how: with food.
This vegetable pasta spotlights the season’s best produce – summer squash, sweet tomatoes and basil – and requires little hands-on work. You literally cut and roast the vegetables (which brings out their flavor and creates a delicious sauce), cook the pasta, add a little butter and cheese, and you’re done! No muss, no fuss, which means you can enjoy time under the sun and still sit down to a home-cooked meal at the end of the day.
Recipe adapted from Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast.
- 2 pounds summer squash, cut into 1" pieces
- 2 pints mini heirloom or cherry tomatoes
- 1 large red onion, cut vertically into quarters and then crosswise into ½"-thick pieces
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
- ¼ cup olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 8 ounces short pasta, such as gemelli or fusilli
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup grated Gruyère cheese, plus more for serving
- 1 cup firmly packed torn fresh basil
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Divide squash, tomatoes, onion and garlic between two large baking sheets. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread evenly on baking sheets.
- Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and stir gently. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are caramelized and fork tender.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil; add a generous amount of salt. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to pot.
- Add roasted vegetables, butter, Gruyère cheese and basil to pot. Season with salt and pepper and toss gently to combine. Serve immediately.
