Roasting concentrates the flavors of the squash and tomatoes, and adds sweetness as well.
INGREDIENTS:
3-4 cups summer squash cut into ¼ inch cubes
3-4 cups cherry tomatoes, halved, seeds shaken out and liquid reserved
Sugar as needed
½ medium red onion, cut into ¼ inch dice
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 loose tablespoon fresh marjoram leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups pasta cooking water
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive oil as needed
2 tablespoons butter if you wish
1 pound casarecce noodles
¼-½ cup of grated parmesan-reggiano or romano cheese
METHOD:
Start bringing a pasta pot (5-6 quarts) of water of water to a boil.
Heat oven to 350°F. While oven heats, spray tomatoes with olive oil or lightly coat. Arrange on a sheet pan and taste one. Depending on how sweet they are, scatter with some sugar. The sugar is to help them caramelize, and if not sweet, to add a little sweetness as the tomatoes roast. Scatter with some of the chopped herbs and season with salt and pepper as well. Place in the oven and roast until the tomatoes are colored a little and heated through. Don’t cook until they collapse, you just want to concentrate flavor and dry them out a bit. Remove from the oven and set aside, draining off any liquid and mixing it with the reserved liquid from seeding the tomatoes.
Once tomatoes are in the oven, put the squash into a large bowl and spray or drizzle with enough oil to coat. Toss to coat all surfaces and season with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly oiled sheet pan in a single layer, so they are not crowding one another, and roast until colored all over but not mushy. Shake the pan to toss squash about as needed. After they are just cooked through and golden remove for the oven and keep warm, around 15-20 minutes.
While tomatoes and squash cook, heat a large skillet over medium heat. When hot, film with oil and add onions and garlic and gently cook until rendered soft and very aromatic. Scatter with the rest of the herbs and ensure the alliums do not burn. Remove the pan from the heat if needed.
When the tomatoes and squash are about 10 minutes from being done, ensure you still have at least 4 quarts water in the pasta pot and salt it very well. Tasting the water it should be almost oceanic. Add the pasta and stir well, and cook according to package directions.
When pasta is done, BEFORE you drain it, remove 3 cups of pasta cooking water and reserve. Drain your pasta.
Crank the heat under the pan to high. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil, and add the noodles. Pour any accumulated liquid from the tomatoes into the pan, and add a cup of pasta water to the pan. Toss and stir, letting the pasta water evaporate 50%. Add some more water, stirring with a wooden spoon. The water should be getting starchy in the pan bottom now, which is the “sauce”. Add some more water and stir, then add the vegetables. Toss. The starches in the water should be concentrating and forming a sauce now. Add more water as needed, and if you wish add the butter for a silkier texture. Scatter with cheese and toss to combine. Taste pasta for balance-you might want to add a little more water to loosen the sauce up, or if you feel it needs salt, use cheese rather than salt. Hit it with some pepper and you should be there.
Serve hot!
Chef’s Notes: This pasta lends itself to pepperoni or bits of salami or spicy Italian, or specifically Calabrian, sausage. The milder slightly sweet flavors make a good flavor for salty and spicy sausages.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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