Farmers’ Market Pasta with Basil Pesto and Pine Nuts

Homemade pesto makes all the difference in this simple and delicious farmers’ market pasta dish!

When pasta’s on the menu, Hubby’s happy.

When pesto’s on the menu, I’m happy.

When a warm homemade meal is on the table, we’re all happy.

So here’s the deal – we started up with a new CSA…and man are we thrilled!

Are you wondering why I’m just today talking about our CSA, now that summer is almost over? I imagine most everyone is startin’ to dream about punkins (I swear I’ve never called them punkins before), football and warm apple cider… yet I’m just bringing up this quintessential summer experience…veggies picked fresh and shipped straight from the farm to my favorite little grocer for same day pick-up.

What’s the catch? Dom found a new (to us) local farm that starts up deliveries in August and’ll take us straight through to the first frosty days of fall. How cool is that?

Enter Farmers’ Market Pasta with Basil Pesto and Pine Nuts. (Not much of a segue, there. Sorry.)

There’s nothing like curly pasta, aka riccioli, smothered in basil pesto, finished off with fresher than fresh farmers’ market, aka CSA, finds. <—–Now that’s a mouthful! Which is what I’m hoping will happen with this farm-fresh-prettier-than-a-zucchini-blossom pasta dish……you know…….you’ll grab a fork and have a mouthful…

So what’s included in this super fresh, gorgeously seasonal, and abundantly flavorful dish?

• basil pesto
• yellow squash
• zucchini
• red onion
• red bell peppers
• riccioli
• grated Parm
• toasted pine nuts
• sunshine
• happiness

What more does one need?

So, while there’s still time, please please please join me in a heaping plate of yummy summer goodness! {Oh yeah, before I forget, this lovely little number will make for an awesome dish to pass on Labor Day. Prepare ahead and serve cold or at room temp alongside all your other fun fixins!}

Have a great weekend, my friends!

Buon Appetito!

Farmers’ Market Pasta with Basil Pesto and Pine Nuts

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Author: Ciao Chow Bambina
• Category: Pasta
• Cuisine: Italian

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• Pesto
• 4 cups firmly packed fresh basil
• 2 – 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• Salt, to taste
• Veggies
• 2 large yellow squash, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick
• 2 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick
• 2 red onions, large chop
• 4 red bell peppers, quartered lengthwise
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt & cracked black pepper, to taste
• Pasta
• 16 oz. of your favorite curly pasta, I used riccioli
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts (optional)
• Parmesan, for serving

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat broiler.
2. For the pesto, combine basil, garlic and pine nuts in a food processor with ¼ cup olive oil.
3. Pulse until you have a slightly chunky sauce, but not smooth.
4. Add the remaining oil while processing.
5. Stop once or twice to scrape down the sides.
6. Stir in the cheese and season with salt. Set aside.
7. Toss squash, zucchini, onion and red pepper with oil, salt and pepper.
8. Broil half the prepared vegetables for 8 – 10 minutes, turning once until tender and golden.
9. Repeat with remaining vegetables.
10. Remove from oven and let cool. When cool, cut into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
11. In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta to al dente.
12. When finished, drain pasta, reserving a cup of pasta liquid.
13. In a large bowl, combine the pasta with pesto and a splash or two of the pasta liquid (should the sauce need to be thinned a little).
14. Add the vegetables and gently combine.
15. Finish with 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts and a hefty sprinkle of grated Parmesan.
16. Serve.

---

Would like to pin? Here you go!