Tag Archives: herbs

Fusilli with Basil, Mint, and Mozzarella

Posted in Main Courses, Pasta & Rice Dishes by

It was the offer of fresh herbs from my mother that inspired this recipe — big bunches of mint and basil that I was determined to make good use of right away. I thought of using them together over pasta, and I took inspiration from a New York Times recipe for the addition of fresh mozzarella and fusilli pasta. While at the store to buy the pasta, I saw grape tomatoes I wanted to use. That’s how I came up with this recipe, an easy one that is great for warm weather, when we don’t want heavy sauces and don’t want to spend a long time in the kitchen.

I can’t give exact amounts of the herbs, but I recommend using a whole lot. I had about six sprigs of garden-grown mint that, when chopped, yielded a large pile on the cutting board (if I could have scooped it up, it would have been a giant handful). Same with the basil. I had maybe three stems of organic basil that were huge and gave me about the same amount as the mint. But go with what you have, or whatever amount you prefer.

16 oz. fusilli pasta
1 punnet (about 1 pint) grape tomatoes
16 oz. mozzarella pearls (I used these from BelGioioso) or balls of mozzarella, cut into bite-size pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
A lot of mint, chopped
A lot of basil, chopped
Garlic powder (about 1/2 tsp.)
Salt and pepper to taste

Chop the tomatoes in half width-wise (if they are especially long grape tomatoes, cut them in thirds). Place them in a large bowl with the rest of the ingredients, mix and let sit at room temperature while you cook the pasta.

Cook the fusilli until al dente, then drain and add to the bowl with the tomato mixture. Mix well and serve.

Yellow Squash Minestrone

Posted in Pasta & Rice Dishes, Soups & Chilis by

When we lived in London, we had a wonderful selection of fresh produce from all across Europe and Africa, but one thing I always missed was the yellow squash we have here in the South. Zucchini (or courgettes, as they are known in the UK) was a substitute, but I still missed the squash, which I have loved since I was little.

Now that we’re back, I’m buying it whenever I can. The other day, I came upon a farm stand selling yellow squash grown in Lawrenceville, just outside Atlanta. I bought a punnet and can’t wait to use it.

I also made this recipe, which I think is a great soup for spring. It’s another one that I’d never tried, despite it being in my cookbook for years. And now that we’re back in the beautiful South, I was finally able to make it — and it turned out great.

Makes 6 servings

1 1/4 cups chicken broth
1 medium onion, diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
1 green pepper, seeded and diced
1 1/2 cups small pasta, like ditalini or stellini
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
3 medium to large yellow squash, diced
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, undrained but chopped
4 to 6 cups vegetable broth or water
1 15-oz. can white beans, like Great Northern, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat the chicken broth in a stock pot and add the onion, simmering until soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the carrots, green pepper, pasta, herbs, squash, tomatoes, vegetable stock, and beans; simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes. Add enough stock or water to the pot to make the mixture as soupy or as thick as you like. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve.