Summer Squash and Basil Ziti Recipe

Summer Squash and Basil Ziti Recipe

Our Summer Squash and Basil Ziti recipe produces a creamy sauce that features fresh vegetables. This is a great tasting light pasta dish!

This recipe is property of GreatChefRecipes.com

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 lbs. assorted summer squashes and zucchini, quartered lengthwise, sliced
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 lb. Ziti
1/2 grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup basil leaves, divided

Directions:
1. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat.
2. Sauté garlic until lightly browned around the edges.
3. Add squash, season with salt and increase the heat to medium-high.
4. Cook until the squash begins to break down.
5. Once the squash begins to stick, turn down the heat and cook until the squash is jammy and soft (15-minutes).
6. Season with the crushed red pepper.
7. Cook pasta according to package instructions in a large pot of boiling salted water (until al dente.)
8. Transfer pasta to Dutch oven using a slotted spoon.
9. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
10. Slowly add cheese along with the reserved pasta water.
11. Toss in lemon juice and basil.

Wine Pairings:
We preface all of our wine pairing suggestions by letting you know that it’s really a matter of personal taste. While we do offer our opinions and why we selected a specific varietal, there is no right or wrong answer when pairing a wine with your dinner.

Sangiovese
Our Summer Squash and Basil Ziti recipe has a nice light creamy sauce, that pairs well with a nice light fruity red wine. I think a Sangiovese is the perfect accompaniment for this recipe. Sangiovese wines have dry cherry flavors that wouldn’t overwhelm the flavors from this dish. Follow the link to our wine review site to find our favorite Sangiovese wines-LetsHaveWine.com

Have you tried this recipe? If so, leave us your comments below!