Anthem to Summer

Cooking at the sorority house has been a great gig thus far, but there is one gigantic drawback: no leftovers. And in our house, that's tantamount to a cardinal sin.


So today, my big plan was to make a huge casserole that would give R and I lunch at least through Wednesday. But dudes, I don't think this bad motha' is going to make it past lunchtime tomorrow.


I've been wanting to make this casserole for a couple of years now, but I only seem to come across the recipe in the dead of winter -- not the best time for a dish featuring distinctly summertime produce. But today, I made it, and our tastebuds sang and danced to the tune of the Macarena. Okay, not really.


The casserole consists of penne pasta, pan-seared summer squash, sweet little cherry tomatoes, and copious amounts of basil and parsley, all bound together with a silky yet light garlicky cream sauce and topped with crispy bread crumbs. Honestly? You must make this essence-of-summer dish before summer disappears altogether.


See? Even L thinks so.



Baked Penne with Summer Squash, Tomatoes, and Basil
From Cook's Illustrated: Cover and Bake

Topping
4 slices sandwich bread, torn into quarters
2 T butter, melted

Filling
1 pound zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1 pound yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2 inch thick
Kosher salt
3/4 lb penne
4 T olive oil
6 medium shallots, minced
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 c flour
2 1/2 c chicken broth
1 1/2 c cream
2 oz Parmesan, grated (about 1 c)
3/4 c chopped fresh basil
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
Pepper
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

1. Process the bread and butter in a food processor until coarsely ground; set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 400 degree. Toss the squashes with 2 T kosher salt and place in a colander to drain for 30 minutes. Bring a large pot of water to a boil; stir in 2 T kosher salt and the pasta. Cook until al dente. Drain; return to the pot and toss with 1 T of the oil. Set aside.

3. Blot the squash dry with paper towels. Heat 1 T oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking. Add half the squash and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and slightly charred, 5-7 minutes. Add the squash to the pasta and repeat with the other half of the squash.

4. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the now-empty skillet. Add shallots and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add flour and cook, stirring, until golden, about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in broth and cream; simmer and cook, whisking often, until lightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, basil, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

5. Add the sauce and tomatoes to the pasta and squash. Stir to combine, then pour into a 9x13 baking dish and sprinkle with the bread crumb topping. Bake until topping is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately.