ZUCCHINI, SQUASH, PASTA & LEMON SAUCE

Posted by Carole-Anne on September 3, 2007

This recipe came from a friend in Saskatchewan. And I do not think I have ever tasted anything so good! This is a chance to learn to make your own pasta noodles as well – easy as pie!

You will need a pasta making machine, which is not expensive (Get the 5 piece set if possible so you can make different kinds of noodles.) Villa Ware.

At Healthy Recipes, we try to advise you of the food value of the main items used in the recipes.  Zucchini is a summer squash, is low in calories, and contains a good source of Vitamin A, C, and folate.  Planting your own zucchini garden is great fun, as you may get more than a bushel from one plant!  They grow readily in good gardening areas. Butternut squash is rich in beta carotene, folate and vitamin C and also low in calories.  So let us get to the cooking!

 PASTA DOUGH:

3/4 cup Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed

2 eggs

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

ZUCCHINI & LEMON SAUCE:

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/4 tsp saffron threads

2 tbsp olive oil

2 medium zucchini, cut in julienne strips

Freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp butter

3 large shallots, thinly sliced

2 cloves elephant garlic minced

1 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup light cream

2 tsp grated lemon skin

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (light) grated

FOLLOW ME:

Place cubes of squash into small sauce pan of lightly salted water and boil for 10 minutes (or until tender). Drain well and let cool.

Combine cooled squash and eggs in a food processor and using the pulse button, just pulse until combined. Remove from food processor, and knead with flour until a soft ball is formed. Dough is to be slightly sticky. Let it sit for an hour or so.

Then, come back to dough, cut into 4 pieces. Cover first piece with flour. Roll dough through the largest setting on the pasta machine. Fold pasta 3 times and past through the same setting two times more, decreasing the settings until pasta reaches the desired thickness which will likely be the second from the last setting. Lay dough on counter-top and put freshly ground black pepper on it and pass through machine one more time. Pass the dough through the last time using the fettuccine cutter on the machine. Hang pasta to dry.

FOR THE ZUCCHINI & LEMON SAUCE:

Mix 1/4 tsp. saffron (from the saffron threads), with the olive oil, into a medium saute pan. Stir in the julienne strips of zucchini .  Add butter to saute the mixture in smoothly. Add thinly sliced large shallots, and the minced garlic stirring gently continuously, and when mixture is covered with all the herbs and zucchini, gently add 1 cup of chicken stock and 1/2 cup of heated light cream so they do not curdle, and set aside to simmer. Add lemon zest.

Meanwhile boil the pasta in a medium cooking pot with the lid off, gently checking to see when it is cooked. Drain pasta and add the scrumptious sauce over the cooked fettuccine. (I prefer my pasta just cooked – it is so easy to overcook – so check it carefully while it is boiling to see how you prefer it.

Serve in a beautiful serving dish after sprinkling with the freshly shaved Parmesan cheese.

To the chef! Delightful meal !

Serves 4 -6.