Creamy Summer Squash Pasta with Fried Capers and Fresh Herbs

A quick and easy recipe that is also a perfect opportunity to take advantage of the abundant summer produce (or use up mountains of zucchini growing in your parent's garden).

Welcome back guys, it is Monday again and we made it through my first Substack post, yay.

This week I am sharing a recipe for a silky, creamy, lemony summer squash pasta topped with fried capers and fresh herbs because everything is better if you add at least one fresh herb. I came up with this recipe one evening when I was hungry, but did not specifically know what I wanted to eat. Our fridge was also lacking (fun) produce, except for almost 1 kg of summer squash, which I buy almost religiously throughout the summer months. It started like every good recipe does (with onion and garlic) and then I threw in some miso as well. We had an almost empty jar of capers and I wanted to get rid of it, so I quickly fried the capers to top the pasta. And we had about 5 bags of herbs slowly dying in the fridge which is something I am not proud of.

While writing this newsletter I have discussed the appropriate amount of pasta per person with my friends and learnt that we all eat very different portion sizes. I usually do around 125g of pasta per person, which is a reasonable amount in my opinion, but my partner always insists on adding another 20g for good measure, because what if there is not enough pasta?! And some people do a lot less, which is completely fine, I just don’t see how 80g of pasta gets you full. That’s like a starter for me. But who am I to judge, right?

Serves 2 (quite hungry people)

Ingredients

40g capers
2 shallots (around 50g chopped)
5 garlic cloves (around 18-20g peeled)
800g summer squash (I like to use a mix of light green, dark green and yellow)
100g water
1 1/2 tbsp white miso paste
90g raw cashews
100g unsweetened plant milk (I like to use the barista blend of soy and oat)
30g lemon juice (around 1 normal sized lemon)
2 portions of pasta of your choice (I recommend a tubular shaped pasta)
Zest of one lemon
Salt
Pepper
Olive oil

Method

Prepare the vegetables first. Peel and finely dice shallots, peel and finely dice garlic cloves (or use a garlic press - I do), and slice summer squash using a mandoline or a knife. Aim for 3mm thick discs. Zest a whole lemon.

Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and add drained capers. I like to partly cover my pan with a lid to prevent oil from splattering all over my kitchen counter. Fry capers on medium-high (7/10 on my induction stove) for around 5 minutes. They are ready when they burst, turn crispy and slightly brown. Set aside.

In the same pan heat another 2 tbsp of olive oil, add finely diced shallots, and cook until they turn translucent. Add garlic and fry until it starts to brown slightly. Then add sliced summer squash, and season with 2 tsp of salt and cracked black pepper. Mix well and cook on medium-high (7/10 on my induction stove) for a couple of minutes, add 100ml of water and cover with a lid. After around 8 minutes uncover, and let the leftover water evaporate almost entirely.

Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt generously, and cook your pasta of choice according to the manufacturer's instructions. When cooked drain the pasta, but reserve some pasta water.

In a high-speed blender combine 1/2 of the amount of cooked summer squash, 1 1/2 tbsp white miso, 90g raw cashews, 100g unsweetened plant milk, 2 tbsp olive oil, and 30g lemon juice. Blend into a silky smooth sauce and season with salt and cracked black pepper.

To the pan with cooked summer squash add your pasta, blended sauce, and a zest of one whole lemon. Mix well and adjust the consistency by adding a bit of pasta water. Transfer your finished pasta into a serving bowl, and top with fried capers and herbs of your choice. I like to go all in with a mix of thinly sliced chives plus, mint and basil leaves. If you are feeling extra add some more lemon zest (for me, there is never enough).

Enjoy the pasta and we will talk again next Monday! My DMs are open if you would like to discuss the appropriate pasta portion size or the best pasta shape.