After some lovely scores at the farmers market I was on the hunt for a quick and easy weeknight dinner – I found exactly what I was looking for from Real Simple. I must admit I was surprised a pasta dish not lathered in some sort of chunky meat or buttery cream sauce would be so flavorful, but it was…maybe I’m turning over a new leaf, give me vegetables! Will definitely make this again and try out some different veggie & herb combos.
Ingredients:
3/4 pound linguine
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups fresh corn; they say two ears, but I would say at least 4
3 cloves garlic, sliced
kosher salt and black pepper
2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
2 small zucchini (about 1 pound), cut into thin ribbons with a vegetable peeler
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves (this is a must!)
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve ¾ cup of the cooking water; drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Meanwhile, heat oven to 350° F. Spread the walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet and toast, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes (don’t burn like I did – keep an eye on them.) Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the corn, garlic, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until the corn is tender, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the corn, tomatoes, zucchini, and ½ cup of the cooking water to the pasta. Cook over medium heat, gently tossing, until the liquid is slightly thickened and coats the pasta, 2 to 3 minutes (adding more cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce). Serve sprinkled with the oregano, walnuts, and goat cheese. Once everything was tossed together, I added a dash of garlic powder and a bit more salt just to give it even more flavor. Also, it’s awesome cold.