I was at the shuk yesterday for the first time in six weeks. I've been travelling and quarantine-ing and quite a bit out of step with my normal routine. I felt like a stranger walking into Nineveh. But it was quieter than Nineveh and quieter than normal. I guess everyone was still sated from the Rosh Hashanah celebrations.
I regularly go to a vegetable stand called Carmela. It is larger than most, a little more expensive than most, but has the best sound track looping in the background, Everything from Aretha Franklin to Frank Sinatra, to HAIR to some Afro-disco tunes that make you want to drop your carrots and begin to dance...and they pack my good for me directly into my wagon (עגלה). Who can complain?
In front of the shop there is always a wild supply of fresh herbs - parsley, cilantro, dill, za'atar, lavender thyme, sage, louisa. Yesterday as I walked in I caught a strong whiff of basil and mint. I decided at that moment that pesto was on the menu. Then I saw the most beautiful yellow squash. A yellow that is only seen in Renaissance paintings. So I had to do pesto with squash.
BT's Pasta With Summer Squash And Basil/Mint Pesto
Ingredients:
For Pesto:
1 small bunch mint - stems removed
1 small bunch basil
4 cloves of garlic
1/2 red chili - seeds and veins included
1/2 cup (120 ml) fruit olive oil
1/2 cup (75 grams) shelled, unsalted chestnuts (optional)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Ingredients:
Sauce:
2 yellow summer squash
1 cup fresh peas
2 tablespoon olive oil
pinch kosher salt
1/2 lemon - zest and juice
Pesto
Ingredients:
Pasta
500 grams pasta - linguine/spaghetti/fettuccine
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8 cups (1.8 l) water
Directions:
Pesto:
Wash mint and basil and leave to dry
Place cast iron pan on medium high heat
Add chestnuts and toast for 2 minutes
Remove from heat and let cool
In a blender add salt, chili and garlic and process for 30 seconds
Add olive oil to blender and feed herbs slowly into the mixture
When all herbs are added process on high for 1 minute
Reserve
Directions:
Sauce:
Wash squash thoroughly
Cut into coins
Add olive oil to shallow frying pan
Turn flame to medium high
Add squash and brown on both sides - approximately 2 minutes
Sprinkle with kosher salt
Add peas and sauté 2 minutes until peas are bright green
Add pesto, lemon zest and lemon juice and remove from heat
Reserve
Directions:
Pasta:
Cook pasta in salted water according to instructions on packet
When pasta is al dente, drain pasta and reserve one cup of cooking water
Place pasta in a wide bowl
Add cooking water to sauce
Heat on medium until sauce begins to bubble
Pour sauce over pasta and toss
Serve with grated parmesan and finely diced mint and parsley
Enjoy! !בתיאבון
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