This Kiddie Pasta is No Joke 🙂

 

Cooking with kids is likely the surest way to get them to try new veggies or dishes. When I get school groups and summer campers in The KITCHEN, I never go the tentative route and try to hide vegetables in dishes. Just the opposite, I aim high on the veg-o-meter, go big or go home, make it all about the vegetables. I like to have them try the veggies individually, raw when relevant, during prep—mirai corn freshly shaved off the cob, a chunk of Berkeley tie-dye heirloom tomato, a wedge of Nicolazzo or Hungarian Round sweet red pepper, a palmful of (magic) purple string beans… It’s not hard to display my true feelings for our produce and an eagerness to share it with them… And that excitement is generally infectious, draws kids in, and establishes the tone and outlook on the class and the dish they are making! (Woooooot!!!)

Many of the kids I see don’t eat fresh vegetables on a regular basis. My Thomas Menino Community Center kids from Monday, I’m happy to report, were little veggie fiends….!!!

Ms. Shadeah: “What’s this vegetable?”
Small kid up front: “Chinese eggplant”
Ms. Shadeah: Ok, I’m going to stump you now.
                        What’s THIS??? [picks up a very round, ostrich egg-sized light green edible]
Kid to my left: eggplaaaaaant!!!!
Ms. Shadeah: 

Needless to say, these kids pretty much gave my enthusiasm a run for its money, begged for more shaved corn, served each other the pasta they helped make, and fought over (I dare say, the supervisors included) the last spoonfuls.

Kid A: “Whoa…. this is FANTASTIC!!!!”
Kid B: “Ms. Shadeah, I like veggies like you do!”
Kid C: “Can I have the recipe so that my mom can make this?”

Head supervisor: [at the demo station, fending off other supers for the last visible roasted tomato]

 

Roasted Summer Veg Pasta:

Ingredients:
  • Your favorite summer veg for roasting
  • Fresh pasta
  • Your favorite local pasta cheeses (e.g. ricotta & Asiago)
  • Fresh herbs, if desired (e.g. parsley, basil)
  • Olive oil
  • S/P
Instructions:
  • Pick your favorite assortment of summer produce. I chose a variety of summer squashes (cousa, zucchini, yellow squash, patty pan), eggplant, sweet bell peppers, corn, lots of second tomatoes (fields and heirlooms), onion, garlic.
  • Preheat oven to 200F.
  • Season tomatoes with olive oil, s/p. Spread out on parchment-lined baking sheet and slow roast for 3 hours. (This can be done in advance.)
  • Preheat oven to 450F and put a large pot of water on boil for pasta.
  • Cut veggies into similar-sized pieces for even cooking, ensuring size of bite appropriate for chosen pasta, and shave corn off cob. Season cut veg with olive oil, s/p, and any desired herbs or spices. I like some paprika for added sweetness and color and a hint of thyme and oregano. Roast in the 450F oven until browned (Depending on oven and size of cut, should take about 10-15 min. If you can’t wait the 13 min, feel free to switch your oven to broil and slash off a few of those minutes and potentially gain a bit of a nice char that will add a yummy caramelized flavor to the pasta. I like me some char.)
  • Salt the pasta water liberally (should be as brackish as sea water) and cook fresh, extruded pasta for two – three minutes tops (should float to top when reconstituted).
  • In a large bowl, add the roasted tomatoes and smush with a large spoon. Then add the roasted veg. With a spider strainer remove pasta straight from its bath and into the bowl. (Pro tip: Adding the pasta in this way also adds some of the starchy, salty pasta water, sometimes referred to as “liquid gold,” loosening and enhancing the flavor and “continuity” of the sauce.)
  • Got cheese? I like to add some local ricotta and a whole lot of grated local Asiago (your local parm equivalent). Could definitely go fresh mozzarella balls here instead of ricotta.
  • If so inclined, chop up some fresh parsley for freshness and/or add torn Genovese basil.
  • Mix together, [spoon drop], and step aside!
Shadeah Suleiman

Manager, Stillman’s Farm BPM

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