It’s been a while…I hope you are well.  I’m kicking things off with this very summery pasta dish that happens to be both beautiful and simple to make.  It’s pretty delicious as well!  Stay tuned as there’s lots more ahead…I’ve been cooking a lot and am way behind on writing the recipes up for publishing.  I hope to correct that very soon with a slew of new things to keep you busy!  I apologize for the delay.

Squash blossoms are available in markets and farmer’s markets but you have to look for them.  If you go to a farmer’s market, you will likely have to arrive early to find them as they usually go quickly.  As implied by the name, they are simply blossoms found on the plants of summer squash.  They have a delicate squash flavor and are really beautiful.  Unfortunately, as they are delicate, they have a tendency to go bad rather quickly so it’s best to use them the same day you buy them.  Since they do have a more subtle flavor they can take on various flavors rather quickly and can easily be overpowered.  Traditionally, they are often served stuffed with ricotta and delicate, lightly flavored herbs such as parsley and chives.  Sometimes they are steamed or flash sautéed with just a touch of olive oil.  Another very popular thing to do is stuff them as above but then lightly bread them and serve them fried.  I love stuffed squash blossoms but sometimes they are small and since they are delicate, they can fall apart rather easily while attempting to stuff them.  So this is a great recipe to use if you find yourself with small blossoms.  Further, if you are like me, and you just want to make it easy on yourself sometimes, skip stuffing them and simply toss them in some pasta with the same flavor profiles used when stuffing.  This is a fast and easy pasta dish that is great either for a weekday meal or for a more special occasion because no matter how you serve them, they really are striking in their presentation.  Recipe follows after the jump…

Ingredients:

1 Box of pasta (I used Tagliatelle)

1 Bunch squash blossoms

2 Spring onions, sliced very thinly

1-2 Cloves of garlic, smashed

½-1 Cup ricotta cheese

Olive oil

Salt and Red pepper flakes to taste

Instructions:

• Bring a very large pot of water to boil. While waiting for the water to boil, slice the spring onions as thinly as possible and set aside.  Smash the garlic and then remove the outer paper.
• Place a fairly large skillet on low and add enough olive oil to cover the skillet. Add a sprinkle of red pepper flakes to the pan and then add the smash garlic.  Allow the oil to gently heat to take on some of the peppery and garlicky flavor.  If the garlic begins to brown, reduce heat to simmer or remove it from the heat completely.
• When the water comes to a full boil, add a handful of salt to the water and allow it to fully absorb into the water. The water will go from cloudy back to clear again and you should see no more salt at the bottom of the pan.  Once it returns to a boil, add the pasta to the pan and give it a stir.
• Increase the temperature of the skillet to medium heat and remove the smashed garlic. Add the spring onions to the pan and just a pinch of salt.  Cook the spring onions until they become wilted and translucent (about 5 minutes).  Reduce the heat to low.
• Taste the pasta and, when it is just under done, reserve 3 cups of the pasta water and then strain the pasta. Turn the skillet temperature back up to medium and add 1.5 cups of the pasta water to the skillet.
• Allow the water to being to come to a boil. Once you are there, add the pasta into the skillet and toss to coat.  If, after 20-30 seconds, you feel need to add more water into the skillet, go ahead and do so.  Continue tossing the pasta for another minute or so.
• Place pasta in a large bowl. Toss with the ricotta cheese to blend.  Then carefully add the squash blossoms to the bowl and gently toss again to just incorporate (the blossoms will tear so go slow and use a gentle touch.  No need to over incorporate here).
• Taste and adjust seasoning by adding salt and red pepper flakes as necessary.

Serve while hot/warm with a drizzle of fresh olive oil over the top.