Pasta night with a summery twist

Serves 4

Ingredients
For the herb pesto:
1 cup fresh parsley
½ cup fresh basil
1 bunch fresh chives
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1½ cups olive oil
2 cloves garlic
Salt and pepper

For the meatballs:
1 pound ground beef or veal
½ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons milk
1 medium onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 ball fresh mozzarella
½ teaspoon chili pepper flakes
2 tablespoons herb pesto
Salt and pepper

For the pasta
1 pound pasta of choice
1 yellow summer squash
2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
2 cloves garlic
½ cup white wine
½ cup grated Parmesan
½ cup heavy cream
Olive oil

Directions
To make the herb pesto, combine the fresh herbs, Parmesan, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until semi-smooth. (I prefer a “chunkier” pesto, but blend to your desired consistency.) Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375℉. To make the meatballs, place the meat, breadcrumbs, egg, milk, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, pepper flakes, and herb pesto in a large bowl and mix until thoroughly combined, but not a paste; I prefer to use my hands to do this. Take about a half cup of meat mixture, depending on desired size of meatballs, and form mixture into a cup shape in the palm of your hand. Place three cubes of mozzarella in the center of the meat and form the meat around the cheese to form a ball, completely covering the cheese. Repeat with remaining meat until all are formed.

Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium heat with enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Brown the meatballs, allowing about 3–5 minutes per side. Remove the pan from the heat and place into the preheated oven. Bake until cooked through, about 20–25 minutes.While the meatballs bake, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the directions on the package. While pasta cooks, thinly slice the yellow squash or cut into half-moon pieces. Heat a medium skillet with olive oil over medium heat. Add squash until slightly browned, but still firm. Add minced garlic and sweet corn, stirring until combined and garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook another minute. Add heavy cream and Parmesan.

Once the pasta is cooked, transfer it to the skillet with the vegetables, tossing until coated with the sauce. Add two to three dollops of herb pesto and toss. Season with salt and pepper and additional Parmesan as needed. Serve with meatballs, more pesto, Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!

This recipe is from the newly released ‘The Catskills Farm to Table Cookbook’ by chef and author Courtney Wade.