Herbed Summer Squash Pasta Bake
Summers in Seattle are beautiful, 95% of the time. But every now and then mother nature reminds you that you live in the Pacific Northwest, and she throws some clouds and 60 degree weather at you. This was the case last week, and thus got me craving more comforting food. I didn't want to totally abandon lovely summer produce and flavors though, so I needed something to strike the right balance of hearty yet fresh. And voila, Smitten Kitchen delivered. I love her recipes, and this one did NOT disappoint. In fact, Kris and I loved it so much that I'm planning on making it again tonight (and I never repeat recipes so quickly). It is creamy, flavorful (thanks to multiple herbs), and slightly spicy with red pepper flakes. So delicious. She made it ahead to freeze for later, but I couldn't help but dive right in. So, here you have it:
Ingredients
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1 pound summer squash , halved lengthwise and sliced thin
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1 teaspoon lemon zest finely grated
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half lemon Juice of a
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3 tablespoons unsalted butter (45 grams)
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2 cloves garlic , minced
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3 large or 5 scallions skinny , sliced thin and white/pale green parts and dark green tops in separate piles
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Pinches of to taste red pepper flakes
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3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (25 grams)
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1 1/2 cups milk , ideally whole but low-fat will also work
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1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley chopped , divided
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to taste Salt pepper and more
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4 ounces mozzarella (115 grams) , cut into small cubes
Cooking Instructions
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1
Cook the pasta: If you’ve got an oven-save 3-quart deep skillet or braising pan, use it here and you’ll only need one pot for the whole recipe. Otherwise, bring an medium/large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes before perfect doneness. Drain and set aside.
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2
Heat oven to 400 degrees
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3
Prepare the squash: Heat a large skillet or the pot you just used to cook your pasta to high heat. Once hot, add olive oil, and let it heat until almost smoking. Add sliced squash, season it with salt and pepper flakes and let it sear underneath, unmoved, until golden brown. Continue to saute until browned and somewhat wilted, about 10 minutes, trying to get some color on each layer before moving squash around. Transfer to a bowl and squeeze lemon juice over bowl. Add more salt or pepper if n...
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4
Make the sauce: Reheat your the same pot over medium heat. Melt butter in bottom of pan. Add scallion white and pale green parts and garlic and let sizzle for 1 to 2 minutes. Add flour and stir until all has been dampened and absorbed. Add milk, a small splash at a time, stirring the whole time with a spoon. Make sure each splash has been fully mixed into the butter/flour/onion/garlic mixture, scraping from the bottom of the pan and all around, before adding the next splash. Repeat until all...
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5
Assemble dish: Off the heat, add drained pasta, summer squash, 1/2 cup grated parmesan and all of the mozzarella to the pot, stirring to combine. If pan is ovenproof, you can bake your final dish in it. If not, transfer mixture to a 2 to 3 quart ovenproof casserole or baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup parmesan.
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6
Bake: For 25 to 30 minutes, until edges of pasta are golden brown and irresistible. Sprinkle with reserved parsley and serve hot.
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