A Life, Lived: Pasta with Summer Squash, Spicy Sausage, and Goat Cheese

August 13, 2009

Pasta with Summer Squash, Spicy Sausage, and Goat Cheese

It is that time of year - not just summer . . . the time of year when zucchini has taken over the garden. You have provided every one of your neighbours with free zucchini (which may explain why they turn and go the other way when they see you coming) . . . you've brought so many zucchini loaves to work that you colleagues are a wee loaf like themselves . . . and the damn things keep coming on.

if this is your life you might want to give this quick pasta recipe a try. I first saw the recipe at Jenn's wonderful blog - Use Real Butter (hello - you have to LOVE that name!). I bookmarked it because it looked amazing but forgot about it untilI realized Ihad zucchini in the fridge that needed using. Happily I had most of the other ingredients - except for the rotini so I use orecchiette.

This was a great dish - the spicy sausage is offset nicely by the creamy goat cheese. I made one other change and tossed in some fresh herbs form the garden (the oregano and basil is growing like a WEED!) We both loved this - a perfect summer meal!

Give it a shot if your zucchini runneth over . . .

Pasta with Summer Squash, Spicy Sausage, and Goat Cheese
slightly modified from Fine Cooking #86

Kosher salt
1 lb. dried pasta (rigatoni, rotini, etc.)
3 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 lb. bulk hot Italian sausage (or links with the casings removed)
1/3 cup shallots, finely chopped (~3 medium shallots)
2 cups yellow and green summer squash, medium dice
3 oz fresh goat cheese, crumbled (~3/4 cup)
2 tsps fresh flatleaf parsley, finely chopped
black pepper, freshly ground
1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated (optional)

Add pasta to a large pot of boiling well-salted water and cook for about 10+ minutes or al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a sauté pan and cook the sausage, breaking it into small bits with spatula until cooked through. Drain off the fat and reserve the sausage in a bowl.

Heat the rest of the oil in the same pan and sauté the shallots over medium heat until they are soft.

Increase the heat to medium high and add the squash, sautéing until the squash softens.

Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water and drain the pasta.

Place the pasta, sausage, and squash in a large bowl together and toss with a few tablespoons of the pasta water. Add the goat cheese and parsley and toss.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Garnish with grated cheese