Recipe: Bastardized Summer Pasta
This is originally a Williams-Sonoma recipe, but I changed it a bunch. I wanted to halve the recipe, and when I was making it I didn't have white wine and I forgot to put in basil. The original is also meatless but I was craving chicken. I suspect the original is just as awesome, but I was happy with the way mine turned out. B ate three full portions so I would say it was a success.
Penne Bake with Corn, Zucchini, and Chicken
4 completely humongous servings, or about 6 normal-sized servings
About 1/2 - 1 lb penne pasta, or wagon wheels, or whatever you like
2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ear of corn, kernels cut from cob*
1 zucchini, cut into half-moons
1/4 yellow onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, cored and seeded
3 cloves garlic, minced (more or less depending on how much you like garlic)
1 tbsp tomato paste
Hot red pepper flakes, to taste
Dried oregano, to taste
1/4 cup red wine
Mozzarella cheese, about 1 1/2 cups
Parmesan cheese, 2 oz (1/4 cup?)
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Prepare pasta in generously salted water according to package directions. When al dente, drain water and rinse pasta with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a heavy skillet, add about 2 tbsp olive oil (I just count to two when I pour) over medium-high heat. Let heat for a minute or so and then add chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to that large bowl with the pasta.
In same skillet, heat another tbsp or two of oil and add corn. Season with salt & pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until corn is golden. Transfer that to the bowl. Add a little more oil if the pan is totally dry, and saute the zucchini until golden. Yes, you will add that to your large bowl.
Add just a bit more olive oil and saute the onion until translucent, about 2 minutes or so. Add the tomatoes, garlic, hot pepper flakes, and oregano. Cook the tomatoes for about 5 minutes. Add a little S&P if you're feeling frisky. It's always good to season as you go. The tomatoes should soften and become saucy. Mine didn't do that fast enough and we hate chunky tomatoes, so after a while I dumped the mess into my mini food processor and pulsed until it was pretty smooth. Transfer the mixture back to the skillet, but if you like chunky tomatoes, keep on keepin' on. Stir in the tbsp of tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the red wine and cook until the wine has reduced. It doesn't look like it made very much but it will be just fine.
Add tomato sauce to the chicken, pasta, and vegetables. Add mozzarella cheese and 1/2 the parmesan. Combine thoroughly. Dump mixture into a baking dish and cover with remaining Parmesan. Place in oven for about 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
* The recipe is meant to show off the produce you scored from the farmer's market, but I suspect you could cheat and just use a small can of unsalted corn instead of going through the trouble of shucking and cutting the kernels off. I suppose you could also cheat by using store-bought spaghetti sauce, but this sauce is pretty yummy and doesn't have high fructose corn syrup and preservatives. Suck it up.
Penne Bake with Corn, Zucchini, and Chicken
4 completely humongous servings, or about 6 normal-sized servings
About 1/2 - 1 lb penne pasta, or wagon wheels, or whatever you like
2 chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ear of corn, kernels cut from cob*
1 zucchini, cut into half-moons
1/4 yellow onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, cored and seeded
3 cloves garlic, minced (more or less depending on how much you like garlic)
1 tbsp tomato paste
Hot red pepper flakes, to taste
Dried oregano, to taste
1/4 cup red wine
Mozzarella cheese, about 1 1/2 cups
Parmesan cheese, 2 oz (1/4 cup?)
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Prepare pasta in generously salted water according to package directions. When al dente, drain water and rinse pasta with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a heavy skillet, add about 2 tbsp olive oil (I just count to two when I pour) over medium-high heat. Let heat for a minute or so and then add chicken. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to that large bowl with the pasta.
In same skillet, heat another tbsp or two of oil and add corn. Season with salt & pepper. Cook for about 5-7 minutes until corn is golden. Transfer that to the bowl. Add a little more oil if the pan is totally dry, and saute the zucchini until golden. Yes, you will add that to your large bowl.
Add just a bit more olive oil and saute the onion until translucent, about 2 minutes or so. Add the tomatoes, garlic, hot pepper flakes, and oregano. Cook the tomatoes for about 5 minutes. Add a little S&P if you're feeling frisky. It's always good to season as you go. The tomatoes should soften and become saucy. Mine didn't do that fast enough and we hate chunky tomatoes, so after a while I dumped the mess into my mini food processor and pulsed until it was pretty smooth. Transfer the mixture back to the skillet, but if you like chunky tomatoes, keep on keepin' on. Stir in the tbsp of tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the red wine and cook until the wine has reduced. It doesn't look like it made very much but it will be just fine.
Add tomato sauce to the chicken, pasta, and vegetables. Add mozzarella cheese and 1/2 the parmesan. Combine thoroughly. Dump mixture into a baking dish and cover with remaining Parmesan. Place in oven for about 20 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
* The recipe is meant to show off the produce you scored from the farmer's market, but I suspect you could cheat and just use a small can of unsalted corn instead of going through the trouble of shucking and cutting the kernels off. I suppose you could also cheat by using store-bought spaghetti sauce, but this sauce is pretty yummy and doesn't have high fructose corn syrup and preservatives. Suck it up.