Tomato and Summer Squash Pasta*

Ingredients:

1/2 pound whole grain rotini, fusilli, or penne pasta

2 cups diced tomatoes

2 medium yellow squash, quartered vertically and then sliced into 1/4 inch wedges

1 medium zucchini, chopped the same as the squash

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled

1 clove garlic

Pinch of red pepper flakes (or a bit of minced jalapeno)

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (and/or dill)

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Preparation:

1.  Preheat oven to 400 and line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. On the baking sheet toss the tomatoes and sliced zucchini and squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer. Roast for about 25 minutes, tossing halfway, until the squash is tender.

2.  Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente, according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain pasta and return to pot.

3.  While pasta is hot, add the lemon juice, butter, goat cheese, garlic, and red pepper flakes to pot. Add about 1/4 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water and gently toss the pasta until the ingredients are evenly mixed and the pasta is coated in a light sauce (add more cooking water if it seems dry).

4.  Once the tomatoes and squash are out of the oven, add them to the pot along with all of the tomato juices. Gently toss to combine. Season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper, then sprinkle chopped basil or dill on top. Serve immediately.

*Adapted from Cookie and Kate’s “Creamy Cherry Tomato and Summer Squash Pasta” – cookieandkate.com