It's Hard to Eat Out With This Kind of Eating In

Lunch today was yet another version of our favourite warm summer pasta dish.

Our wonderful produce from Roots and Shoots Farm makes it easy to pull it all together. This time, we used the following items from our last CSA food basket - garlic, red scallions and red Russian kale.

As well, our Yellow Perfection tomato plant from Vicki's Veggies Farm near Picton is full of bounty and added bursts of bright, sweet, sunny tomato flavour.

It's hard to eat out with this kind of eating in.



Heirloom Tomatoes, Red Russian Kale, Scallion, Garlic, Pesto Penne Pasta
Serves 3

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 red scallions, diced (include healthy parts of the greens)
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili flakes
2 red heirloom tomatoes
5 yellow heirloom tomatoes
10 leaves of red Russian kale
salt to season
150 grams penne pasta (my favourite dry pasta brand is Barilla)
1/4 cup pesto
3/4 cup of parmigiano-reggiano, grated
shavings of parmigiano-reggiano
toasted pine nuts

Prepare the ingredients. Dice the scallions. Mince the garlic. I used my preserve from the fridge that is sitting in olive oil. Chop the tomatoes. Remove the stems from the kale. Rough chop the kale leaves. Grate and shave the cheese.

Prepare the penne pasta until el dante. When it is drained, return to the pot and keep the lid on to keep it warm until the sauce is done.

Heat oil in a fry pan. Sauté the scallions until soft. Add the minced garlic and chili flakes. Continue to sauté for another 30 seconds.

Add the tomatoes. When the tomatoes have warmed, add the chopped kale. Sprinkle with salt. Add a bit of water to the pan to help steam the kale if there does not appear to be much liquid from the tomatoes.

When the kale has just wilted and cooked, remove the pan from the heat. Make sure you do not over cook the kale. The kale should be limp but still be a bright green.

Put the pesto on the pasta and stir to cover. Add the vegetable sauce to the pasta and stir. Add 1/2 cup or more of the parmigiano-reggiano to the pot and stir.

Serve in warmed pasta bowls. Sprinkle with parmigiano-reggiano and toasted pine nuts.



Roots and Shoots Farm
1004 Manotick Station Road
Manotick, Ontario
robin@rootsandshootsfarm.com
Website: www.rootsandshootsfarm.com
Facebook: Roots and Shoots Farm
Twitter: RootsShootsFarm

Vicki's Veggies
81 Morrison Pt Rd
Milford, Ontario
613-476-7241
Website: www.VickisVeggies.com
Facebook: Vicki's Veggies Farm
Twitter: VickisVeggies