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Recipes: Dinner ideas with a little pasta, a lot of fresh veggies

Seasonal vegetables like zucchini, tomatoes, and grilled eggplant are the stars of the show.

Spaghetti with zucchini and goat cheese. Photographs by anthony tieuli / food styling by Sheila jarnes/Ennis inc.

Mid-September farmers markets are an embarrassment of vegetable riches, and deciding where to begin with all that gorgeous local produce can be a challenge. How about a simple pasta dish for a glorious seasonal dinner? In these recipes, veggies like zucchini, leeks, and grilled eggplant lead the charge, while the pasta adds substance (whole-grain styles work beautifully). Boil the pasta to just shy of al dente, and then let it finish cooking with the sauce so the flavors and textures marry.

Spaghetti With Zucchini and Goat Cheese

Serves 4 to 6 

If goat cheese isn’t your thing, try substituting pieces of Boursin. You’ll need a 5.2-ounce wheel.

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2        pounds zucchini or summer squash (about 4 medium), coarsely grated

Salt and pepper

¼      cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

1½    tablespoons pressed or grated garlic (about 6 medium cloves)

It’s common to use some pasta cooking water to help join the pasta and sauce. At “America’s Test Kitchen,” I learned a trick to make sure I don’t forget to save some: Place a heatproof measuring cup in the colander as a visual reminder. When you go to drain the pasta and see the cup, you’ll know just what to do.Anthony Tieuli

1¼    cups fresh bread crumbs

1         large onion, finely chopped

2        teaspoons finely grated lemon zest

1         package (12 to 16 ounces) spaghetti or linguine, drained and hot, and 1 cup cooking water reserved separately

½      cup crumbled fresh goat cheese (about 2 ounces), at room temperature

½      cup chopped fresh basil

In a colander set over a bowl, toss the zucchini with 2 teaspoons salt and let stand for 30 minutes (it should exude about 1 cup liquid). Place the zucchini in the center of a dish towel, gather the edges, and twist hard to wring out as much liquid as possible. Fluff the zucchini and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a very large nonstick skillet over medium heat, mix 2 tablespoons of the oil and 1½ teaspoons of garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant and just beginning to sizzle, about 1½ minutes. Add the bread crumbs, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste, and cook, stirring constantly, until light brown and toasted, about 8 minutes. Scrape the crumbs into a bowl and set aside.

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Wipe out the skillet, adjust the heat to medium-high, add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and heat until shimmering. Add the onion and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons garlic and continue to cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 40 seconds longer. Add the zucchini, stir to break up any remaining clumps and incorporate the onions and garlic, spread into an even layer, and cook, stirring 2 or 3 times, until barely tender, about 4 minutes. Add the lemon zest and stir to incorporate.

Add the pasta, ½ cup pasta water, ½ teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste, and cook, tossing, about 1½ minutes. Add the goat cheese and stir to begin melting. Adjust the consistency with a little more pasta water and the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Add most of the basil and stir to incorporate. Transfer to a warm serving bowl, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with about half of the bread crumbs (bring the rest to the table) and the remaining basil, and serve at once.

Pasta With Grilled Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Mint

Serves 4 to 6 

¾      cup golden raisins

Neutral oil, for the grill

2        pounds eggplant, peeled if desired, and cut into ¾-inch-thick slices

½      cup extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and ground black pepper

1         tablespoon pressed or grated garlic (about 4 medium cloves)

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¾      teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1         dry pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved (or quartered if large)

1         package (12 to 16 ounces) short pasta, drained and hot, and 2/3 cup cooking water reserved separately

2/3     cup Parmesan strips, shaved with a vegetable peeler

½      cup chopped fresh mint

In a small bowl, cover the raisins with hot water, set aside to soften, at least 15 minutes, and drain.

Meanwhile, prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high. (If using gas, adjust burners to medium-high and grill with the lid closed.) Clean and oil the grill grates. Brush the eggplant slices with about 1/3 cup olive oil, sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and grill, undisturbed, until well browned, about 5 minutes. Flip and continue grilling about 5 minutes longer. When cool enough to handle, cut eggplant into bite-size pieces and set aside.

In a very large nonstick skillet over medium heat, mix the remaining olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until it just begins to sizzle, about 1½ minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, about 1½ minutes. Add the pasta, raisins, eggplant, ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water, 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste, and cook, tossing, about 1½ minutes. Add most of the Parmesan strips and toss. Adjust the consistency with a little more pasta water and the seasoning with salt and black pepper if necessary. Add most of the mint and toss. Transfer to a warm serving bowl, sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and mint, and serve at once.

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Pasta With Roasted Potatoes, Leeks, and Kale

Serves 4 to 6 

16      small red, Yukon gold, or creamer potatoes (about 1½ pounds), halved

1/3       cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

Salt and ground black pepper

1½    pounds leeks (about 3 medium), white and light green parts, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces

¾      pound kale (about 1 small bunch), stemmed and cut into 2-inch pieces

1½    teaspoons pressed or grated garlic (about 2 medium cloves)

¼      teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1         package (12 to 16 ounces) short pasta, drained and hot, and 2/3 cup cooking water reserved separately

2        teaspoons fresh lemon juice

½      cup chopped fresh parsley

2/3     cup Parmesan strips, shaved with a vegetable peeler

With the rack in the middle position, heat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Spread the potatoes in a single layer over half of a large, rimmed baking sheet, cut sides down. In the bowl, gently toss the leeks with 1 tablespoon oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste, and spread them in an even layer on the other half of the baking sheet. Roast undisturbed, until the leeks are tender and browned, about 15 minutes. Remove the leeks from the pan and set aside.

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Meanwhile, in the bowl, toss the kale, 2 tablespoons oil, ¼ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste, and coat the kale. Spread the kale on the empty side of the baking sheet and roast until the potatoes are tender and the kale leaves are shrunken and crisp around some edges, about 12 minutes longer, turning the kale with tongs once halfway through. Remove the pan from the oven and let potatoes and kale cool on the pan for 5 minutes.

In a Dutch oven over medium heat, mix the remaining oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until the mixture just begins to sizzle, about 1 minute.

Add the pasta, leeks, potatoes, 1/3 cup pasta water, ½ teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste, and cook, tossing to combine, about 1½ minutes. Add the lemon juice and most of both the parsley and the Parmesan strips, and toss. Add the kale and toss again. Adjust the consistency with a little more pasta water and the seasoning with salt and black pepper if necessary. Transfer to a warm serving bowl, drizzle with oil, sprinkle with the remaining parsley and Parmesan, and serve at once.


Adam Ried appears regularly on America’s Test Kitchen. Send comments to cooking@globe.com.