riffing a recipe

summer pasta 

Sarducci's in Montpelier is one of our favorite places to go for a lunchtime treat. The first time we went there, I ordered Cappellini de Verdure. It was so fabulous that despite my frequent resolutions to try something new, I rarely order anything else. Here's how it's described on the menu,"Angel hair pasta with spinach, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, black olives, tomatoes and goat cheese in a white wine basil sauce".

The sungold cherry tomatoes are coming on strong here in our gardens, and I thought I'd try to make a pasta dish that featured them, with the Cappellini de Verdure as inspiration. I "made do" with what I had on hand and this is what I came up with.

In the time that I boiled some whole wheat pasta, I made the sauce.

1-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 large (fresh) garlic clove, chopped lightly

1 large handful of cherry tomatoes (from the garden), sliced in half

3 artichoke hearts, sliced in half

a handful of Kalamata olives

two scallions, sliced thin

2" cube of feta cheese, cut into small cubes

a bit of fresh oregano, with blossoms, (from the garden), chopped

Heat oil in cast iron pan.

Saute garlic for a minute or two.

Add scallions and tomatoes, stir a minute.

Add artichoke hearts and olives, stir another minute, until all is heated through.

Plate pasta, spoon vegetables on top. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil. Sprinkle feta on top, and oregano, too. Top with a little salt (the feta is very salty, so this is optional) and a generous grind of black pepper.

This recipe could be adjusted to add any number of fresh vegetables. I think the trick is to keep everything simple and quick. There's nothing worse than fresh, summer vegetable that have been literally cooked to death!

Most afternoons, during this hot, hot summer, there's a spell when the breeze up here on the ridge drops, the sun bakes and it all just feels like too much for me. I really am not a summer gal, and I work hard at finding my way through it. Sometimes I use this time of day to read, or write. Yesterday I did some mending. Some of the bedsheets had a hole or two, so I tackled them while listening to NPR. Very satisfying, and I felt the presence of both my grandmothers, who were thrifty women.

This summer, my cousin Kristen, her partner Gary and I have been enjoying "movie night" on Wednesdays. We choose a movie, I order it from Netflix, they come up the hill, we make supper together and watch the movie in the coolness of the downstairs dorm. Kristen and Gary are self-described "movie snobs" so we stick to foreign films and documentaries. Last night we saw The Women on the 6th Floor, which was in French and Spanish, with English subtitles. It was a sweet movie, and a bit of a relief after the last few heavier movies we've seen.

Last night we made summer rolls for supper, something I have long been wanting to try. I found the recipe, here, a few years ago, on one of my favorite blogs.  They were wonderful! We used all sorts of slivered veggies for the filling and we loved the texture that the noodles added. Strips of Asian seasoned baked tofu added some protein. Kristen brought green beans from their garden down the hill, and she sauteed them with garlic and sesame oil, and sprinkled them with some plum vinegar at the end. We also has local corn on the cob.  So healthy, delicious and fun!

I hope all of you are enjoying some summer abundance...in your gardens, or your local farm stands, in your kitchens and in the relationships you value most. xo