Four Seasons Pasta

Book excerpt: The James Beard Award–winning author “pairs pasta with seasonal vegetables in a succinct collection of recipes that should become a family standby” (Publishers Weekly). In a world where everyone seems to be trying to eat more healthfully and seasonally, nothing makes more sense for dinner than pasta with vegetables. In Four Seasons Pasta, bestselling author Janet Fletcher follows the harvest to create more than fifty seasonal recipes for this wholesome combination. Inspired by the southern Italian pasta repertoire, Fletcher has unearthed many little-known gems—authentic, unfussy regional recipes that even novice cooks can make. From a spring fava bean stew with fusilli to summer’s spaghetti alla Palermitana (with zucchini, tomatoes, anchovies and capers), peak-season produce paired with pasta makes a totally satisfying meal. Autumn brings radicchio to braise with pancetta and onions—a savory sauce for tagliatelle. Even winter provides produce for the pasta kitchen: beans for hearty bean-and-pasta soups and kale for a winter pesto. With guidelines for choosing dried pasta, making fresh pasta from scratch, and equipping the pasta kitchen, Four Seasons Pasta offers readers a delicious and sensible way to eat for life. “Like a crash course in pasta cooking . . . That’s all before you delve into the more than 50 southern Italian recipes, many gleaned from chefs and home cooks during frequent trips to Italy . . . will definitely change pasta from a standby to a star in your kitchen.” —San Francisco Chronicle