Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Ok Fine Enough Procrastinating! Here's a Post!!

I've been putting off making posts to this dear little blog for my lack of camera. I figure a food blog without pictures won't look very interesting but I just don't care anymore and I want to write about a simple tasty pasta I made last night. I had foot surgery just one week ago and cooked this meal almost entirely seated. I do not recommend this method as it is dangerous and not terribly ergonomic but I can not keep myself out of the kitchen for the sake of a bum foot and hey, ya gotta eat. My ma helped with the hot pasta and the basil picking; my lot was mostly chopping and stirring but still!

Creamy Zucchini-Basil Pasta
3/4 # penne pasta (normally I would use whole wheat but the delicate flavors and textures of the vegetables wouldn't stand up well to the texture and nuttiness so I recommend using regular semolina-style here)
1 tsp fresh minced garlic
2 medium zucchini, cut 1/4 in. thick on the bias and then in half (to form two slender half-moons)
1 small spring onion, thinly sliced
2 ears-worth fresh corn kernels
2-3 Tbs mascarpone or neufchatel cheese
"a good handful" chopped fresh basil (should measure about 1/4 cup when chopped)
1. Set the water to boil and cook pasta like normal. Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in a large saute pan and add garlic and onion. Cook garlic and onion over a low heat until they are tender and starting to look a little tan (it's summer!) which means they are caramelizing and will be sweet and yummy. When the garlic and onion achieve malibu tan status add the zucchini and corn and turn up the heat to medium-high. Spread the zucchini pieces evenly over the bottom of the pan so they brown a little then stir.
2. Hopefully the pasta is done by now. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water then drain well. Put the pasta in a large bowl and top with the cheese. Stir in the cheese so that it softens and coats the pasta with creamy goodness. Add the cooked vegetables, basil, a good glug of olive oil and a healthy splash of the hot pasta water. Gently fold everything together and pile your bowl high! If you are lucky enough to have a mom and a back porch around, pile her a bowlful and join her on the porch for a light summer dinner and a chat!
* this would be lovely with a crisp pinot grigio or vinho verde.