Penne with garden Fresh Tomatoes and Basil plus Mozzarella

Posted on by aurorameyer


Our garden seems to choose every year what it will do well and what it won’t. One year, it was zucchini. Another year, basil. This year seems to be tomatoes. So with the overabundance of tomatoes and a few small basil leaves, we wanted to make something that would be quick and easy and not super hot, since of course it’s late August in Missouri.

Luckily, J found this super simple recipe on the Food Network. We’ve talked about how we love lots of Emeril Lagasse’s dishes before (here, here and here) and he did not disappoint this time either.

Penne with garden Fresh Tomatoes and Basil plus Mozzarella

Print Recipe
Servings 2 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons divided
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic
  • 5 cups chopped fresh tomatoes
  • 1 pound penne pasta we used whole wheat
  • 1/2 cup shredded basil
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/4 pound fresh salted mozzarella sliced or cubed (I don't know if we used the whole 3/4 of a pound. We did just get a fresh mozzarella log from our favorite grocer)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (J added this to his I left it out)
  • Balsamic vinegar to taste

Instructions
 

  • Put a large pot of salted water on for the pasta. Meanwhile, prepare your sauce.
  • In a large skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil.
  • Add the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute or less.
  • Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, just until they begin to release some of their juice.
  • Cook the pasta in the pot of salted boiling water for 12 to 13 minutes until al dente (you're best bet is to follow the package directions).
  • Drain the pasta. Add the pasta and basil to the pan with the tomatoes and toss.
  • Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Serve the pasta in bowls, equally distribute the fresh mozzarella between the bowls. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the bowls of pasta and serve immediately.
  • We reserved some mozzarella to top the pasta and then drizzled it with Balsamic vinegar.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

My opinion:
So very tasty and perfect for a hot summer evening. Next time we might add additional veggies like onions or zucchini.

Chicken and Zucchini Bow Tie Pasta

Posted on by aurorameyer


The zucchini at the Farmer’s Market is HUGE. So much that we needed a dish where this was the main component. Luckily, we found this Rachel Ray dish from her 365 No Repeats. With a few modifications, it was super easy to make, filling and a nice end of summer dish.

Ingredients:
1 pound bow-tie pasta
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons for the chicken.
6 garlic cloves, minced (we used more)
2 medium zucchini, diced (we used one HUGE zucchini instead)
Coarse black pepper
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (we omitted this)
1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or shredded, about 20 leaves (we used dried and added a few more Italian seasonings, like fresh oregano)
2 chicken breasts, diced

Directions:
Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta. While waiting for the water to boil, cook the chicken breasts in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Turn heat to medium low. Add the rest of the olive oil and the garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the zucchini. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and additional seasonings. Drain the pasta and add to the zucchini, reserving about a cup of the cooking liquid. Add the cooking water. Turn heat to low. Toss for 2 minutes, until the liquids are absorbed.

My opinion:
Next time we’ll add more garlic and some red pepper flakes. Maybe a few more vegetables. Good additions would include broccoli, onion, peas, and more.