Pasta con Sesamo e Zucchine

I stumbled upon this delightful combination of flavors in Parma, Italy, perhaps the unlikeliest of places to find a delicious plant-based dish given that the city is best known for its prosciutto and cheese. The name grabbed my eye on the menu and I was in heaven as soon as I took the first bite. The beauty of this dish is its simplicity, allowing you to really taste each ingredient in its full glory. For the best results, use a really great quality olive oil, choose mature (but not too overgrown) end-of-season zucchini, and do not skip the step of toasting and grinding the sesame seeds.

Prep time: 30m | Serves 4

Ingredients:

2½ Tablespoons sesame seeds
12 ounces fusilli pasta, regular or gluten-free*
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 medium zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise and sliced into 1/4-inch half-moons
1 Tablespoon tahini
Salt

Preparation:

Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the sesame seeds and toast for 2–3 minutes or until slightly brown and fragrant, stirring often. If the seeds “jump” out of the skillet, lower the heat slightly. Remove skillet from heat, and when seeds have cooled slightly, transfer them to a mortar and pestle or mini-food processor and grind lightly. Set aside. (This step can be done ahead of time, but I would recommend not doing it too far in advance; same-day is ideal.)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat and place the tahini in a small bowl. While you wait for the pasta water to boil, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the zucchini and a large pinch of salt. Cook the zucchini for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned, flipping it once the first side has developed color. (If your skillet is not large enough to hold all the zucchini in a single layer, do this step in batches.) Once the zucchini has finished cooking, remove from heat and set aside.

When the pasta water is boiling, cook the pasta until al dente. Just before draining the pasta, transfer 3 tablespoons of pasta cooking water to the bowl with the tahini and whisk together. Once the pasta is drained, add it back into your pot, along with the tahini mixture, the cooked zucchini, the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, most of the ground sesame seeds (save a little for garnish) and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir well and serve immediately, garnished with the reserved sesame seeds.

* Jovial’s brown rice pasta is my choice for a gluten-free option.

Spiced Black Lentil Burgers with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

These easy, kid-friendly burgers can be spiced any way you like – feel free to substitute different fresh herbs and spices as you wish. Black lentils are sometimes sold as beluga lentils, or use French green lentils in their place if you cannot find them. Leftover burgers are easily re-heated for a quick meal.

Prep time: 55m | Serves 6–8

Ingredients:

¾ cup black lentils
¾ cup rolled oats
½ onion, roughly chopped
1 egg (for vegan version, use 1 Tablespoon ground flax mixed with 2 Tablespoons water)
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 handful cilantro, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
Neutral cooking oil (for brushing)

For sauce:
½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in hot water until soft and drained
½ cup canned tomatoes or blanched/peeled fresh tomatoes (when in season)
1 clove garlic, peeled and quartered
A few sprigs of fresh oregano (remove leaves from stem) or a couple leaves of basil
2 teaspoons olive oil
1–2 pinches salt

Preparation:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking pad.

Place lentils in a medium pot and add water to just cover them. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover the pot and simmer lentils for 15–17 minutes. They should be cooked through but not mushy. Drain lentils in a fine mesh strainer and rinse with cool water. Let lentils cool slightly before proceeding. 

While lentils cool, prepare the sauce: Place sun-dried and regular tomatoes in a food processor, along with garlic and oregano/basil leaves. Process until sun-dried tomatoes are chopped well. Add in the olive oil and salt and pulse a few times to incorporate. Taste sauce and adjust flavors as you like. Transfer sauce to a bowl for serving.

Place oats in a food processor and process them until they resemble a coarse flour. Transfer the oat flour to a large mixing bowl. Place the onion and lentils in the food processor and use the pulse function a few times until onion is chopped and lentils start to break down (do not overprocess – mixture should not become a paste). Transfer lentils to the same bowl as the oats, and add in the egg, spices, cilantro and salt. Use a wooden spoon or silicon spatula to stir the burger mixture well. Taste and adjust any seasonings as you wish.

Divide the mixture into 6–8 even portions, then use your hands to shape them into uniform patties. Lightly brush both sides of each burger with oil and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake burgers for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Serve immediately, accompanied by the prepared sun-dried tomato sauce.

Brown Rice Pasta with Zucchini, Walnuts & Herbs

This summer dish is super simple to prepare and ready in a matter of minutes, and makes delightful use of fresh herbs. Feel free to substitute and/or add in different herbs depending what you have on hand.

Prep time: 15m | Cook time: 10m | Total time: 25m | Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. of pasta (gluten-free or otherwise…I like brown rice fusilli)
1 large zucchini, shredded
1/8 c. chopped chives (scallions may be substituted)
1/2 c. chopped parsley leaves
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts
1 t. salt
1/4 t. fresh or dried oregano
2 T. nutritional yeast (optional)
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)

Cook pasta according to package instructions.

While pasta cooks, prepare all remaining ingredients and add to a large bowl.

When pasta is ready, drain well and mix with the other ingredients until it is well coated.
Serve immediately, garnished with extra herbs and/or nutritional yeast.