Summer is finally here! The heat has arrived, the sun stays up well after 9pm, and my garden is teeming green leaves, shoots, and stalks. CSA season is also in full swing, so if you're lucky enough to have a subscription to a share or perhaps you have an herb garden of your own, this recipe is a great way to get a taste of summer and use up all those herbs! It's a delicate, simple dish that can be whipped up in a pinch.
I first saw this recipe over at Food 52 a few weeks back and squirreled it away for the perfect moment. That moment arrived a few evenings ago when I was famished and wanted something filling that could come to fruition in about 15 minutes. It was perfection and totally hit the spot.
Crushed-Herb Pasta
1 pound pasta
4 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
some chives or garlic chives
3 sage leaves, minced
1 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh oregano
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 cup chopped fresh basil
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, then drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, minced bay leaf, minced sage, and minced rosemary. Cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes or until fragrant.
Mix all the remaining chopped herbs together in a small bowl. Set half aside. Add the other half of the herbs to the pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Add the butter and herb mixture to the pasta and toss to coat. If the butter doesn't melt, return to the stovetop to heat briefly to melt the butter.
Add the remaining fresh chopped herbs to the pasta and toss to mix evenly.
Serve as is, or top with grated Parmesan cheese.