My first day as an employee for Yosemite Park &Curry Co. was a memorable one. Mainly because I was so excited to be there. I was in college, and this was my first summer job away from family and home. Such an adventure.
I was going to be working the transportation desk at the park’s fine old hotel, The Ahwahnee, and as I drove up to the elegant granite and timber entry I was bursting with anticipation.
The history and grace emanating from this magnificent structure had already grabbed hold of my soul, and having already missed out on its grand past, I was anxious to become a noteworthy part of its future.
The head of the transportation desk – another Jan – seemed extraordinarily nice. We were within a few years of the same age, which made our initial meeting easy and my summer outlook even brighter.
Midway through my orientation Jan asked me which dorm I was in. That’s when it struck me that when I’d hit Yosemite that morning, I’d been so anxious to start my new job that a few basics had been overlooked – like finding out where I’d be sleeping and eating.
Jan made some calls and confirmed what we already suspected: I had dropped through the proverbial crack at personnel. No room had been issued, and no room was available for 24 hours.
“No problem,” my new boss said. “You can stay with us.”
The other half of “us” was her husband, Phil. They lived in one of the tiny-but-coveted cottages reserved for married management types.
While I learned of Phil’s work for the company, Jan puttered around getting dinner ready. Clanks, sizzles and other cooking sounds issued from the kitchen, while Phil and I diced and chopped our way through a pile of fresh zucchini in the living room.
After a while, Jan announced dinner, adding, “I hope you like spaghetti.”
Now, this was in the days before Wolfgang Puck would be making waves in pasta cuisine. So when my boss said we were having spaghetti, I assumed she meant the traditional tomato and meat sauce version.
The mixture sitting atop my plate of slender noodles caught me by surprise. The zucchini that Phil and I had diced was the featured ingredient, along with tender little chunks of celery, thick slices of fresh mushrooms and a variety of fresh herbs.
Tomatoes and meat were a part of the supporting cast, but the summer squash and other fresh vegetables set the tone.
It was wonderful. So simple, so light, so flavorful. I know that Jan wasn’t attempting some fashion-forward dining experience. She was simply making do in a creative, gracious manner, hoping to take the edge off my first night in a strange, new place.
It must have worked, because what I remember most about that evening is how perfectly it foreshadowed those magical Yosemite days that followed.
Ever since eating Jan’s fresh vegetable pasta sauce, I’ve been partial to such concoctions.
Here’s one that’s simple to throw together because all of the vegetables are grilled the day before, then chopped and added to a spicy tomato sauce mixture right before serving.
A simple vegetable topping for pasta
1large peeled red onion, cut lengthwise into quarters
8medium (about 13/4 pound total) Roma tomatoes, cored and cut in half lengthwise
8-10medium fresh mushrooms
1sweet bell pepper, halved and seeded
2Anaheim chilies, halved and seeded
4cloves garlic, peeled
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Seasoned tomato sauce (recipe follows)
12ounces dry spaghetti or fettuccini
Shredded Fontina cheese for garnish
Shredded Parmesan for garnish
Arrange the onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, peppers, chilies, and garlic on a baking sheet; they can be close together, but avoid layering. Drizzle on some olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast over hot coals, or in a gas grill, or in a 375-degree oven until all of the vegetables are softened and lightly browned. If the tomatoes are browning way ahead of the other vegetables, remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Remove the remaining browned vegetables and scrape them into the bowl with the tomatoes that were removed earlier. If not using immediately, store the vegetables up to 24 hours.
When ready to assemble the sauce, peel the charred skin from the tomatoes and peppers. If you have the energy and want a little extra flavor boost, place the peels in a blender or food processor, along with one or two of the tomatoes (to provide juice) and then chop and mix until the skins are very finely chopped, then return this mixture to the bowl. Seed and dice the bell pepper and chilies. Coarsely chop the quartered onion. Dice the tomatoes and mushrooms. Mince the garlic cloves.
Place the cut up vegetables into the prepared seasoned tomato sauce and heat through.
Cook the pasta until al dente; drain well and place a serving of the hot pasta on each of four dinner plates. Ladle on generous portions of the vegetable sauce, sprinkle on some Fontina and Parmesan and serve.
Seasoned tomato sauce: In a medium saucepan, saute 3 tablespoons of minced fresh basil (or 1 tablespoon dried), and 1/2 teaspoon dried pepper flakes in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for about 30 seconds. Stir in 1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce, 1/3 cup dry sherry, 3 to 4 tablespoons tomato paste, and about 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the grilled vegetables and heat through; serve. (May be prepared several hours ahead and gently reheated right before serving.)
Yields about 4 cups of vegetable pasta sauce, enough for 4 to 6 servings.
Cookbook author Lidia Bastianich says she likes to eat this pasta hot with room-temperature sauce, but you could just as well serve it all cold. In that case, toss the tomatoes and pasta while still hot, then set them aside until you’re ready to serve them.
Finish the pasta by tossing in the basil and bocconcini and serve.
Continues Bastianich: “I can go on detailing recipes with minimal changes in the ingredient list or techniques, but what I want to leave with you is not only recipes but understanding, and hence the liberty and confidence, to deviate from the recipe path and come up with a version of the plate that reflects your personal taste and local produce. When you reach this point, cooking is truly a joy.
Penne with cherry tomatoes, basil and mozzarella
1pound ripe and juicy cherry tomatoes, rinsed, dried, and cut in half
1/4cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling over the finished pasta if you like
1teaspoon sea salt, preferably coarse (see note)
Pinch crushed hot red pepper
4cloves garlic, peeled
1pound penne pasta
10fresh basil leaves, shredded
1/2pound bocconcini (bite-sized fresh mozzarella; see note), cut in half
Toss the tomatoes, oil, sea salt, and crushed red pepper together in a large bowl. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and toss them into the bowl. Let the mixture marinate at room temperature, tossing once or twice, for about 30 minutes.
While the tomatoes are marinating, bring 6 quarts of salted water to a boil in an 8-quart pot over high heat. Stir the penne into the boiling water. Return to a boil, stirring frequently. Cook the pasta, semi-covered, stirring occasionally, until done, 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove the garlic from the marinated tomatoes and toss in the basil. Drain the pasta, add it to the bowl, and toss well to mix. Check the seasoning, adding salt and more crushed red pepper if necessary. Gently stir in the bocconcini and serve.
Note on coarse sea salt: The melting of salt is a chemical reaction that draws the liquid from the tomatoes. The larger the salt crystal, the more liquid it will draw out. And that’s exactly what we want – more juice to use as sauce for our pasta.
Note on bocconcini: Bocconcini, literally “little mouthfuls,” are small rounds of fresh mozzarella that are often sold wherever larger rounds of fresh mozzarella are made. (If you can find bocconcini made from water buffalo’s milk, they’re even more flavorful).
Bocconcini can vary in size from store to store. If yours are larger than the type called “ciliege” (cherries), you may want to cut them into quarters so they are the appropriate size. If you can’t find bocconcini of any type, cut larger pieces of fresh mozzarella into 1-inch cubes.
Makes 6 servings.
From “Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen,” by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contact her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.
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