Oyi, oyi, oyi! We are in the THICK of summer right now. It is H. O. T. - HOT! But, one thing I'm not mad about is the plethora of summer veggies and fruits that comes along with the heat. The summer squash and tomatoes are in season here right now and I am eating it up. Pun totally intended.
Summer squash is one of my favorite veggies, that's because they are so versatile. And while there's a lot of things that you can do with them, I've been craving pasta - so that's where they went today. Not just any pasta though. Whole wheat pasta that's kept light and yet creamy still with some ricotta cheese.
This pasta dish is a bowlful of summer in just about every aspect. I started off with some whole wheat noodles and added in plenty of squash, cherry tomatoes, ricotta and some fresh basil straight from my back yard! The end result was a perfectly delightful pasta dish that honestly, I could see being served either hot or cold.
The ricotta is what makes this dish. Mixed in, it gives the noodles a creamy texture without making it too heavy and rich. Instead, it's light and full of fresh flavors. I was lucky enough to get my cherry tomatoes and summer squash from local farms, which always seems to make for an even more tasty meal!
Yum... tastes like summer! You really can't beat this quick and east dish. While you can use any sort of shaped noodle that you want, I would say that the bigger and more open the noodle is, the better. I wouldn't go any smaller than rigatoni, myself.
When mixing in the ricotta, I reserved a bit of it to place on top of the pasta along with the garnish.
TheSkinnyFork.com A lighter summer inspired pasta dish that's made with whole wheat noodles, summer squash, cherry tomatoes, and plenty of ricotta cheese! Prep Time: 5 Minutes • Cook time: 15 Minutes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 Prepared Salad • Calories: 390 • Fat: 13 g • Saturated Fat: 7 g • Carb: 53 g • Fiber: 2 g • Protein: 21 g • Sugar: 5 g • Sodium: 193 mg
• 8 Oz. Whole Wheat Pasta
• 1 C. Ricotta Cheese
• 1 Tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Small Red Onion, Chopped
• 3 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 2 Summer Squash, Sliced Thin
• 1 1/2 C. Cherry Tomatoes
• 1/3 C. Grated Parmesan
• 1/4 C. Chopped Fresh Basil
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the 8 Oz. pasta according to package directions. In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta with salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Drain the pasta and set aside, reserving 3/4 C. of the pasta water. In a large skillet, heat the 1 Tsp. extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Add in the onion and sauté for about 4-5 minutes or until tender. Add in the 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute or until fragrant. Place the 2 sliced summer squash and the 1 1/2 C. cherry tomatoes and cook for another 4-5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add in the 3/4 C. reserved pasta water to the squash mixture, along with the pasta and 1/3 C. parmesan cheese, and 1 C. ricotta cheese; stir to combine. Garnish with the 1/4 C. fresh basil. Divide evenly among bowls and serve right away! Optionally, you can chill in the fridge if a cold pasta dish is desired instead.
Step-by-Step Photos:
Nutritional Claims: Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Egg Free, Peanut Free, Tree Nut Free, Soy Free, Fish Free, Shellfish Free, Pork Free, Red Meat Free, Crustacean Free, Celery Free, Mustard Free, Sesame Free, Lupine Free, Mollusk Free, Alcohol Free, No Sugar Added, Kosher
