**A few notes about this recipe. You can swap out the fresh pasta for regular dried. You can add cannellini beans or sautéed chicken or shrimp for added protein. You can use dried and/or fresh basil instead of the oregano and parsley. I use scallions here because they're easier to chop, they're less harsh and allow for the flavour of the veggies and lemon to shine. Serve it with a sprinkling of feta, Parmesan, shredded mozzarella or fresh mozzarella. It makes an entire large pot full and reheats well for work-week lunches or dinners. Experiment, have fun and eat the rainbow!**
You'll Need:
24 oz fresh pasta, I used fettuccine, cooked according to the package directions.
4 tablespoons of olive oil, plus more for drizzling. I used extra virgin unfiltered.
2 pints of cherry tomatoes, sliced or quartered depending on their size
4-5 scallions (spring onions), diced
2 small to medium zucchini (courgettes), chopped into small pieces
2 small to medium yellow squash, chopped into small pieces
1 fresh red chilli pepper seeded and diced or a pinch of red chilli flakes. (optional)
1 lemon, zest the lemon and reserve.
1/2 cup of olives, you can pit them if you feel like it.
1 teaspoon of dried oregano, when adding it to this dish, rub it between your fingers to release its flavour.
Sea salt or kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
A handful of flat leaf parsley chopped
Crumbled Greek feta, fresh mozzarella, shredded mozzarella or Parmesan for serving
Crusty bread or garlic bread for serving
Method:
Place a large pot of water on the stove and cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.
Meanwhile, sauté the scallions (spring onions) and the chilli (if using) in the olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper in a large non-stick skillet on medium/medium high heat until soft. Add the zucchini (courgettes) and yellow squash with a bit more salt and sauté until tender-crisp. Covering the pan helps to cook them. The zucchini and yellow squash should be cooked, but not mushy. They should retain their bright colours Be careful how much salt you add because the olives you will add are salty. Add the tomatoes, olives and oregano, lemon zest. Warm the tomatoes and the olives through. You don't have to cook the tomatoes too much. You want them to be whole and barely cooked. Adjust salt and pepper.
Toss the pasta with the veggies and add a drizzle or two of olive oil and some squeezes of fresh lemon.
Garnish with fresh parsley.
I used my favorite eco-friendly nonstick Scanpan for this recipe. You can heat the pan up without oil or with very little oil. It's the best nonstick pan I own!
Submitted by: Jilly Inspired
