Growing up, I shunned summer squash and zucchini. Probably because my only exposure to them was in soup — that is, soup in which they had been cooked to death and were mushy. Sad squash/zucchini.

Like many things, I’ve come to appreciate squash and zucchini [and their flowers] over the years, for instance this one, this one, this one, and this one.

A simple preparation that lends itself well to squash/zucchini entails giving it a hard sear in a hot skillet — caramelizing the exterior with the interior remaining pleasantly tender [read: not mushy]. Sometimes, I’ll enjoy them like that with fresh herbs, toasted nuts (e.g., pine nuts, pistachios), creamy ricotta and a splash of white wine vinegar.

If I want to make a meal out of it, I’ll toss the squash/zucchini with some pasta. Today I used paccheri, a large tubular pasta, along with a good amount of chopped pistachios, mint and basil from the garden, grated Pecorino, pinch of chile flakes, and, of course, plenty of fruity extra virgin olive oil. While the squash flowers don’t add a whole lot in terms of flavor, I like to include a few because they look pretty and are seasonal.

Today’s creation reminds me of leisurely summer meals enjoyed on the island of Sicily.

Paccheri Pasta with Summer Squash

To be honest, I kind of eyeball it when I make pasta, adding a little more of this or that to taste. Live on the edge 🙂 and feel free to do the same.

Olive oil
4 small-medium (about 2 pounds) summer squash and zucchini, sliced into rounds
Salt and black pepper
Red chile flakes
12 ounces paccheri or other large tube pasta
1/3 to 1/2 cup chopped roasted pistachios, plus extra for garnish
Pecorino, grated
Lemon juice and zest
6 squash blossoms (optional), stamens and stems removed, torn into large pieces
Handful of fresh chopped mint and basil

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When smoking hot, add the zucchini/squash in a single layer (in batches as needed), season with a pinch of salt and cook until nicely browned on the bottom. Flip and repeat on the other side. Set aside. Repeat with the remaining squash, adding more oil as needed.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the pasta and cook until al dente, reserving the pasta cooking water.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cooked pasta and some cooking water. Add the cooked squash and pistachios and gently toss. Season with salt, pepper and chile flakes to taste. Grate some Pecorino over the pasta. Fold in the herbs and toss, adding a little more pasta water if needed to coat the pasta. Grate some lemon zest on top and add a squeeze of lemon. Taste, adding more salt and pepper as needed. Fold in the squash blossoms and take off the heat.

Transfer to serving bowls. Grate a little more Pecorino on top and sprinkle some more fresh herbs and chopped pistachios on top. Finish with a drizzle of fruity extra virgin olive oil.