While I can sometimes be known to search at all lengths for a special ingredient to make incredibly specific dishes, the recipe I'm sharing today is not one of those. In fact, it is about as opposite as can be! This is the dish you make with whatever happens to be fresh in your world, whatever catches your eye at the farmers market or beckons to be harvested from your garden. Or in some cases, whatever needs to be used from your fridge. The options are endless!
But first, lets look at some garden photos! My babes and I finally got our hands on a little plot of land to start gardening again, and we couldn't be happier to have returned home from vacation with food to be harvested (thanks so a sweet friend who watered while we were gone!).
On my most recent trip to the garden, I got lost for a bit photographing bees... I could definitely photograph bees for a nearly endless amount of time. I love the chase, being as still as possible to not disturb them, and finally capturing clear shots of those speedy little wonders. Bees are so vital to our world, they deserve our respect.
Also, I always want to give that little hairy bit on their back a pet!
In our plot, greens abound - everything from kale to mustards to tender salad mix. Even many of the non-greens plants could be eaten as greens if we so wish - turnips, radishes, and beets. It's a salad in the soil!
In a neighbors plot, early planted onions are going to seed, creating these big and beautiful displays.
Now - back to that pasta!
The few things that do matter in making this dish shine are having a flavorful olive oil, quality sea salt, freshly ground pepper, and a tasty hard cheese. Those things aside, you just go ahead and fill the veggie space with whatever you so dream.
My version of this dish is made from rustic spinach pasta we've had in the pantry, but you can make it with whatever pasta you please. Veggies were made up of the harvests of my garden, some broccoli that caught my eye at the farmers market and was kindly traded to me for lunch from the food truck I work for once a week, and carrots: a must-have in our fridge.
It's nothing more than a bit of veggie prep, cooking pasta, and doing a little sautéing to bring this meal to the table. Perfect for a quick weeknight meal, and as leftovers for lunch the next day!
Pasta Fresca
note: I'm not going to include amounts in this recipe... please don't let that frighten you! Start with the amount of pasta that will serve your anticipated number of eaters, and aim for an equal amount of veggies.
garlic
onions
veggies fresca (whatever is fresh and/or on hand), chopped into bite sized pieces
pasta, any shape you fancy!
olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
fresh basil, chopped into fine ribbons
freshly grated parmesan cheese, or another hard cheese
- Set a generously salted pot of water to boil over high heat. When it comes to a boil, add your pasta and cook for the directed amount of time given your pasta type.
- While the water is boiling and the pasta is cooking, start sautéing your vegetables. Heat a pan over medium heat, add a bit of olive oil, then the onions. When they start to become translucent, add the garlic and any other hearty vegetables that need a bit of cooking. Add in the remaining veggies based on their cooking times, ending with the things that need the least amount of cooking. Just give it your best guess if you're unsure - the worst that can happen is a few of your veggies still have their crunch factor! In my case, I added the carrots with the garlic, then the broccoli, then the kale. I stirred in the turnips and radishes fresh.
- When the veggies and the pasta are cooked (and the pasta is strained!), stir it all together in one of the pots you're using. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and stir it to coat.
- Plate the pasta with an extra drizzle of oil, salt & pepper sprinkled on top, and a bit of fresh basil and cheese to your liking.