Photographed By Scott Suchman
One-dish pasta meals are a great vehicle for fresh summer vegetables. Making them is a snap for the chef, and cleanup is easy. To assemble these dishes, forgo the grocery store and make a trip to your favorite roadside stand or farmers’ market.
I love green beans, and I’m always trying to get my children to eat them. They actually do, in my recipe for spinach rotini with chicken, a simple dish that bursts with the taste of fresh sweet basil. Grilling summer squash and peppers to include with the trofie (short, squiggly twists of pasta) is easy; pulling them together with fresh pesto takes them to another level. Spaghetti and tomatoes is a classic pairing. Adding feta, crunchy bread crumbs and thyme reinvents the dish. For a more sophisticated option, try the radicchio with shrimp, artichokes and capers— a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for any special occasion.
Don’t let the simplicity of these dishes fool you— ripe, well-sourced vegetables perfectly capture the bright, clean flavors of a summer garden.
Recipes:
- Trofie with Grilled Summer Vegetables and Pesto
- Spaghetti with Feta, Cherry Tomatoes, and Thyme
- Orecchiette Pasta with Shrimp, Radicchio, and Lemon
- Spinach Rotini with Chicken, Basil, and Green Beans
Andrew Evans is owner/chef of Thai Ki in Easton.
