Pasta and Squash with Tomatoes, Basil, and Pine Nuts

Name: Pasta and Squash with Tomatoes, Basil, and Pine Nuts
Yield: Serves 4 to 6 as a main dish
Ingredients: 4 , medium zucchini and/or summer squash (2 pounds), halved lengthwise and then cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces; , kosher salt; 1 pound, farfalle; 5 tablespoons, extra-virgin olive oil; 3 medium cloves, garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon); 1/2 teaspoon, red pepper flakes; 1 pint, grape tomatoes, each tomato halved; 1/2 cup firmly packed, chopped fresh basil; 2 tablespoons, balsamic vinegar; 1/4 cup, pine nuts, toasted in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat until lightly browned and fragrant, about 4 minutes; , Parmesan cheese for serving

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Appears in Cook's Illustrated July/August 2003

The marriage of pasta and summer squash or zucchini is often not a happy one. Here's how to make this relationship work.

SERVES4 to 6 as a main dish

Pasta and Squash with Tomatoes, Basil, and Pine Nuts

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

For a pasta and squash recipe that would marry the two ingredients in a light, flavorful way while avoiding blandness, we kept the skin on the squash to keep the pieces intact, then salted the squash to release excess liquid. We finished th...

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