Baked Ziti With Summer Vegetables
We lightened up the usual baked pasta with loads of in-season squash and tomatoes—this is a delicious way to use up your farmers’ market haul. When making a pasta dish, one simple trick will take the dish from good to great. Quality ingredients are a must; always choose the best cheese, sausages, and vegetables available.
The key to making great tasting pasta, however, is in the cooking water. Add about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt to a large stockpot of water before boiling. Salted water flavors the pasta internally as it absorbs liquid and swells. When the pasta is cooked, reserve a couple of cups of cooking water before draining the pasta.
The salty, starchy liquid seasons your homemade sauce, gives it a silky texture and helps it cling to the noodles.
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked ziti pasta
- 2 1/2 pounds yellow squash and zucchini, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds and half-moons
- 2 pt. red grape tomatoes
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
TO CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE, CLICK NEXT PAGE.