Of all, I was most smitten by the baby green tomatoes. Perhaps it was their vibrant green color that threw me off, but I was not prepared for the flavor that burst forth as I 
popped one in my mouth. This little ball of dead ripe dynamite utterly exploded with sheer tomato essence!
Still reeling, I wandered over to Grateful Harvest’s booth and blankly asked Jessie about those funny looking green beans she was fussing over. It always amazes me how patient our vendors are, repeating the same information over and over as if it were the first time. With a sweet smile, Jessie explains that these Italian flat beans may look tough, but they are quite tender and cook in a flash.
At home much later, it occurs to me that I have all the makings for a delicious fall pasta "primavera". One quick bite of a Romano bean tells me Jessie was right: these are so tender they will cook in a hurry!
Since this will be shades of a stir fry, I begin by bringing the pasta water to a boil. I sauté the veggies and add winter savory, my current favorite herb. It ties the fresh green flavor of the beans and the earthiness of the mushrooms together into a lovely package; the jewel-like baby green tomatoes are left whole for mouth popping entertainment. Yes, the pasta creates the perfect canvas for these beauties to shine and clearly begs for cheese. Ricotta salata, my choice, plays an active role here; if not available, feta would be another good option.
Pasta with Romano Beans, Mushrooms and Baby TomatoesFor a special finish, sprinkle this “primavera” with sauteed bread crumbs flavored with garlic and herbs
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
½ Walla Walla sweet onion, cut into long strips
3/4 pound broad beans, trimmed and diagonally cut in 1 1/2" lengths
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces mushrooms, stemmed, sliced
1 cup baby tomatoes, red, green, or any color as available
1 teaspoon fresh savory
1/2 teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes to taste
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
1/2 pound fettuccine or linguine
1/2 cup ricotta salata, 1/4" slice and cut into 1" strips
fresh oregano for garni
Begin by bringing salted pasta water to a boil. When water is boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente, approx. 10 minutes. Drain, reserving @ 1/2 cup of hot pasta water, and rinse.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in large sauté pan over medium high heat, add onion and cook briefly til aromatic. Add cut beans and stir fry until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, then the savory; cook 3-4 minutes til mushrooms begin to release their liquid. Stir in the tomatoes and heat well.
Place the rinsed pasta pot back over medium heat, heat the remaining tbsp or oil, and add the drained pasta. Toss the pasta to coat with olive oil and season with salt, red pepper, and oregano. Add the sauteed veggies and combine lightly. Add the ricotta salata and heat well. Garnish with the fresh oregano if desired. Serves 2 as entree, 4 as a starter or side. ~~
popped one in my mouth. This little ball of dead ripe dynamite utterly exploded with sheer tomato essence!Still reeling, I wandered over to Grateful Harvest’s booth and blankly asked Jessie about those funny looking green beans she was fussing over. It always amazes me how patient our vendors are, repeating the same information over and over as if it were the first time. With a sweet smile, Jessie explains that these Italian flat beans may look tough, but they are quite tender and cook in a flash.
At home much later, it occurs to me that I have all the makings for a delicious fall pasta "primavera". One quick bite of a Romano bean tells me Jessie was right: these are so tender they will cook in a hurry!
Since this will be shades of a stir fry, I begin by bringing the pasta water to a boil. I sauté the veggies and add winter savory, my current favorite herb. It ties the fresh green flavor of the beans and the earthiness of the mushrooms together into a lovely package; the jewel-like baby green tomatoes are left whole for mouth popping entertainment. Yes, the pasta creates the perfect canvas for these beauties to shine and clearly begs for cheese. Ricotta salata, my choice, plays an active role here; if not available, feta would be another good option.
Pasta with Romano Beans, Mushrooms and Baby TomatoesFor a special finish, sprinkle this “primavera” with sauteed bread crumbs flavored with garlic and herbs
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided½ Walla Walla sweet onion, cut into long strips
3/4 pound broad beans, trimmed and diagonally cut in 1 1/2" lengths
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces mushrooms, stemmed, sliced
1 cup baby tomatoes, red, green, or any color as available
1 teaspoon fresh savory
1/2 teaspoon salt and red pepper flakes to taste
1 teaspoon fresh oregano
1/2 pound fettuccine or linguine
1/2 cup ricotta salata, 1/4" slice and cut into 1" strips
fresh oregano for garni
Begin by bringing salted pasta water to a boil. When water is boiling, add pasta and cook until al dente, approx. 10 minutes. Drain, reserving @ 1/2 cup of hot pasta water, and rinse.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp oil in large sauté pan over medium high heat, add onion and cook briefly til aromatic. Add cut beans and stir fry until just tender, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic, then the savory; cook 3-4 minutes til mushrooms begin to release their liquid. Stir in the tomatoes and heat well.
Place the rinsed pasta pot back over medium heat, heat the remaining tbsp or oil, and add the drained pasta. Toss the pasta to coat with olive oil and season with salt, red pepper, and oregano. Add the sauteed veggies and combine lightly. Add the ricotta salata and heat well. Garnish with the fresh oregano if desired. Serves 2 as entree, 4 as a starter or side. ~~
1 comments:
Pasta with Romano Beans, Mushrooms and Baby Tomatoes
This dish sounds very very good. Great photos, too! I love reading the blog.
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