Foodstuff: Summer markets come through once again

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Each Saturday and Sunday, I head to Aspen and Basalt, respectively, to stock up on my produce for the week and enjoy my favorite summer tradition — cooking with my freshest farmers’ market finds.

This summer, after a tree was unceremoniously chopped down in the front yard of my house, I have also incorporated my very own tomatoes into the mix. This arborist assault left a very sunny spot on the patio, which ended up being a perfect place for a pot after much pouting on my part toward my neighborhood homeowners’ association. And now I have Sungold cherry tomatoes for days!

I put them on avocado toast, stuff them in quesadillas, toss them in quiches, pair with peaches for the ultimate Caprese salad, and, most frequently, melt them down in a pan to make a summery sauce, which is great for serving with pasta but can also be thrown on top of polenta or grilled fish and meat to add a bright flavor (and color!) with very little effort.

My mom recently came to visit, and because she loves staring at food almost as much as I do, I towed her to the Aspen Saturday Market, where I picked up some fresh summer squash and lemon ravioli from La Pastaiola, and a few zucchinis, arugula, and ingredients for a side salad. I plucked my patio plant of its brightest orange fruits, and we were off to the races in the kitchen in my mom’s preferred style, Italian.  

Pasta with melted cherry tomato and summer vegetable sauce

Serves four

• 4 T olive oil, divided
• 2 small zucchinis, sliced
• Small yellow summer squash, sliced
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
• Parmigiano Reggiano cheese rind (optional)
• 8 oz. of arugula, chopped
• 2 T butter
• 1 lb. fresh pasta of choice*
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Parmigiano Reggiano, for garnish**
• Basil, for garnish

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add sliced zucchini and squash, season with salt and pepper, and fry until golden brown, turning halfway through, so both sides are evenly colored.

Remove from the pan, and set aside on a paper towel to drain excess oil.

Wipe out the pan, and heat additional two tablespoons of oil over medium heat until hot. Add cherry tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and turn heat to medium. Cook tomatoes until broken down and saucy, about 15 minutes. *** If using, add your parmesan cheese rind about halfway through cooking.

While tomatoes are cooking, heat a large pot of water until boiling. Salt copiously, and add your preferred pasta, cooking until slightly under al dente. Reserve about one cup of the starchy pasta water and set aside.

Add butter, cooked zucchini and squash, arugula, and cooked pasta to the pan with the tomatoes. If the sauce is too thick, add about half the pasta water and allow ingredients to come together, adding more pasta water as needed, cooking for three to five additional minutes to let the pasta finish cooking and the flavors emulsify.

Remove rind from sauce, portion on to plates, and top with grated cheese and chopped basil as desired.

Cook’s notes

* Make sure this is fresh pasta rather than dried, as it better absorbs the sauce. Refrigerated ravioli is an excellent option!

** If you’re not saving your cheese rinds in the freezer, what are you waiting for? Use them to flavor sauces, stocks, or soups.

*** You may need to add a few tablespoons of water after 10-12 minutes to keep tomatoes from burning or becoming overly reduced.

You could easily riff on this sauce, omitting the zucchini, squash, or arugula and/or adding other vegetables such as mushrooms or asparagus. It’s easy to cook and even easier to customize for a perfect al fresco dinner.

Katherine Roberts is a mid-Valley based writer and marketing professional who will see you at the farmers’ markets this weekend! She can be reached via her marketing and communications firm, Carington Creative, at katherine@caringtoncreative.com.