Summer Pastas

It seems like the summer is just flying by! I love this time of year, but we always stay so busy it goes by too fast. Between the vacations, weddings, showers, cookouts and other parties, I like to go to the farmers markets and then make up a meal with whatever looks good that day. One easy thing to do is mix some fresh veggies with fresh herbs and pasta. Here are a few pastas I made this summer that I think are worth sharing:

Eggplant Ragu
- Eggplant, peeled and cut into cubes
- tomatoes, chopped
- black olives, sliced
- dried thyme or oregano
- salt and pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
- fresh basil leaves torn
- about 8 oz. angel hair pasta
- cheese for topping
Begin by sauteing the garlic in 2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the eggplant and cook for another two minutes.Add in tomatoes, olives, dried herbs, salt and pepper. Cook for another few minutes, until the eggplant is soft.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente. Just before serving, stir the torn basil leaves into the ragu. Place the ragu on top of the pasta and top with cheese if desired (I went with parmesan here).

Shrimp and white wine pasta
- 2 tbsp butter
- about a pound of peeled, deveined shrimp
- 2 colves garlic, minced
- green bell pepper, cut into chunks
- crimini mushrooms, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- about 8 oz cooked spaghetti (I used whole grain)
- fresh dill
- cheese for topping
Start by sauteing the garlic in the butter. After a minute, add in the bell pepper and mushrooms. Turn up the heat and pour about a 1/4 c white wine into the pan. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes per side or until pink. Stir in the salt and pepper and fresh dill. Top cooked noodles with shrimp and veggie mixture. Top with shredded cheese (I used romano for this dish).

Happy Eating!