Roasted vegetables bring so much flavour to pasta, like this Creamy Orzo Pasta with Roasted Butternut Squash! One of the best things about pasta is how it can be both a comfort food for cold weather or the perfect dish when things warm up. It is a welcome addition to the dinner table in any season! But I really get excited when summer comes. ‘Tis the season for fresh vegetables, which bring out some of my favourite flavours and adds a refreshing lightness to all sorts of dishes. This fried zucchini (or courgettes as they are called in the UK) pasta is one of my favourite ways to bring together pasta and seasonal vegetables. It is light and fresh while still creamy and satisfying. Perfection!
Creamy tomato pasta sauce
Usually when we think of smooth pasta sauces we imagine a lot of cream. But it doesn’t have to be that way. One of my favourite things about this pasta sauce is that it is beautifully creamy but made with a tomato base. This means that it is silky smooth but has the freshness of tomato. If you are a huge fan of ricotta, take a look at my other recipe for Spinach Ricotta Pasta with Lemon Butter Chicken. It’s a reader favourite! The trick here is adding ricotta. Ricotta cheese melts into the sauce to leave it creamy and rich, but never stodgy. It is also relatively low in calories, at least compared to other cheese, so no guilt with this meal! To make the sauce, all you need to do is add the garlic, tomato passata, basil and oregano to a pan with a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer and let it go for 10 minutes. Do this while the pasta is boiling. When time is up, drop in the ricotta and give it a stir. Taste and add salt if it seems to need it. Because of the texture of ricotta, the sauce may be slightly grainy, but it won’t be any less flavourful or satisfying!
Fried Zucchini
I’m a huge fan of courgette (or zucchini if you are in North America) any time of the year, but it is at its stunning best when in season. Although, what isn’t? Fried zucchini is quite simple, and only takes a bit of oil and salt and about four minutes. I prefer using an air fryer because it needs much less oil, even if it needs more time. One of the keys is cutting the zucchini into the right sizes. If cut too small they lose their sturdiness. Stick to pieces about a quarter of an inch for the best results.
Serving suggestions
There’s a whole meal in this dish, so no need to put extra effort in if you want to keep things simple. Personally I’m a sucker for garlic bread, and can’t resist serving it on the side. Love to finish your meals with a sweet treat? There are lots of fantastic Italian options out there, from amarena gelato to salted caramel affagato to sgroppino, a lemon prosecco float that’s the perfect palate cleanser.
Storage and leftovers
Pasta doesn’t do well when kept in the fridge, quickly losing its al dente firmness and trending soggy. Eat fresh and hot if you can. But no point in wasting food, and you can keep leftovers for 4-5 days, though. Reheating in a microwave is the quickest and easiest option.
