Quick Italian Summer Pasta
I love a good pasta salad year-round, but of course summer is the season to enjoy them at their finest. With summer veggies bursting with flavor and the ease of throwing a bunch of ingredients into a bowl and serving it as a meal how could you not love a good pasta salad? Of course the same old routine does get a little dull, and who can stand even one more chicken and pasta dish really? So when I spotted this recipe in one of my Cooking Pleasures magazine I just had to try it.
I am a sucker for raw cherry tomatoes...of course I can't grow them, but I can eat them like no other. When these little ones are tossed into a pasta dish it is just an extra burst of flavor to play off the mild undertone of the starches. Teamed up with fresh zucchini, some fresh chives, savory prosciutto and a creamy sauce to top it all off...oh summer heaven. Of course prosciutto is a bit pricey so next time I will substitute some crisp crumbly bacon (or you can use ham or pancetta as well, whatever is working for you) and I have no doubts it will turn out just as yummy.
All tossed together, this dish offers the saltiness of the prosciutto, the freshness of the veggies, the texture of the hearty pasta and the creaminess of the sauce. It's the total package for a one dish weeknight meal. So go gather your ingredients and get to cooking!
Pasta with Zucchini, Tomatoes and Prosciutto (Thanks to Cooking Pleasures)
8 oz bow-tie (or penne) pasta
1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise then sliced into half moons (1/4 inch)
2 C cherry tomatoes, halved
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 C heavy cream
3 oz thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of cooking water (although I didn't need it). Return pasta to pot and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over med-high heat. Cook the zucchini until golden brown, about 4 minutes (I actually turned mine halfway through to make sure both sides browned...but I'm just odd like that). Stir in the tomatoes and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add cream and simmer until slightly thickened.
Toss pasta with the sauce (add reserved cooking water here if needed). Stir in prosciutto and chives.
FYI: I added a good couple of tablespoon-fuls of parmesan cheese - divine.
 Add Comments
|
|
Read More
