Summer is winding down, and season 3 of Hannibal is over. It was all I ever wanted* and it was beautiful. For one of our last Hannimeals, I made a dish almost entirely out of items from the farmers’ market, save the sweet basil from my fledgling balcony herb garden and lemon and cheese from the supermarket. We served it with Bainbridge Vineyards Sigerrebe.

In this recipe, I use fresh beet pasta from La Pasta (Broadway Farmers’ Market), but if you can’t find it fresh, you can make it yourself, buy dried (note that weight will not be the same), or use fresh or dried egg pasta.

This recipe is vegetarian. Omitting the cheese and using a vegan pasta will make it vegan.

Ingredients

16 oz (450 g) fresh beet pasta (go for a thicker noodle like linguini, pappardelle, or tagliatelle) OR ~12 oz (340 g) dried pasta
Olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium (~7 oz / 200 g) zucchini, thinly sliced into half-rounds
1 medium (~7 oz / 200 g) yellow summer squash, thinly sliced into half-rounds
2 cups raw spinach (either baby spinach or about 7 bunches spinach leaves), well washed and drained, roughly chopped
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
10 basil leaves
10 squash blossoms, cleaned and with anthers removed**
~2 TBSP lemon juice
salt
freshly ground pepper
Grated Parmesan, to taste

Equipment

A large pot with lid
Colander
A large pan

Procedure

1. In a large pot, boil salted water for the pasta. Cook pasta according to directions.
2. In the pan, heat olive oil, then add minced garlic.
3. When the garlic is fragrant, add the zucchini and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the rosemary and yellow squash and cook until squashes are tender and lightly browned.
5. Add the spinach, squash blossoms, and basil, and cook until the spinach wilts and the squash blossoms soften.
6. Remove from heat, and add lemon juice, salt, and cracked pepper.
7. Add more olive oil as needed, and toss cooked pasta with the vegetable mixture. Garnish with cheese.

Notes

*PINK SHORTS OR GET OUT.

**Victorian Lady Friends (read: Vintage Gal Pals) Moment: You’re basically removing the genitalia of the blossoms, which is a fun activity to do with your gal pal. I am so, so not reading the narrator of  Constance Naden’s “Scientific Wooing” as a man. Come on.
Who solved by courtship Life’s enigma;
I’ll teach her how the wild-flowers love,
And why the trembling stamens move,
And how the anthers kiss the stigma.