7.16.2009

recipe - pasta with anything in your garden!


I really love this recipe and I could eat it just about every night, I 'think' my family feels the same way and the kids just gobble it up! In my opinion just about anyone can make this with anything in your garden, if you don't have a garden I think it's good with all of the leftover greens you have in your refrigerator as well!

GARDEN PASTA
I like to make it this way:

cook pasta (I think it's good to mix it up sometimes with different pastas but the best is just plain semolina)

chop up:
2-3 leeks
4-5 cloves of garlic
3-4 leaves of kale
broccoli (I use broccoli rabe so just the leaves)
1-2 tablespoons of oregano
salt & pepper

when I take it off the heat I add:
1-2 tablespoons of basil
1-2 tablespoons of parsely

add ins:
-olives
-chopped apricots
-beets
-carrots
-yogurt
-goat cheese
-sunflower seeds (instead of salt!)
whatever!!!

saute in olive oil: leeks and add garlic when ready, --then carrots or beets if you are using them just put in what needs to be cooked longer here...-- kale, broccoli rabe, oregano and salt and pepper to taste. Add in pasta and saute all together so that the pasta takes in the flavors, especially the garlic! add a bit of the pasta water (I always save a cup of pasta water when cooking to use for this reason). Put everything in a bowl for serving and add the basil and parsley and a bit of olive oil (olive oil has a better taste if you don't cook it) and salt and pepper if you need it.
If you want to add cheeses this is where you do it, I use yogurt quite often and goat cheese is great, you just need about a tablespoon and then some of the pasta water so that it's not too thick.

This is such a delicious summer pasta! AND it's good and healthy! YUM!