Saratoga Farmers' Market

basil

Pasta with Spinach and Ricotta

By

Recipe adapted from The Spruce Eats, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 6

Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 12 ounces of pasta*
● 2 teaspoons olive oil
● ½ cup onion*, minced
● 2 garlic cloves*, minced
● 10 ounces fresh spinach*, roughly chopped
● 1-ounce fresh basil, chopped
● 1 cup ricotta cheese*
● ¼ cup milk*
● freshly ground pepper
● 2 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese or Pecorino cheese

Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté until onions are soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes, making sure the garlic doesn’t brown.
3. Add spinach and basil to the skillet and stir until wilted.
4. Add ricotta cheese and milk to skillet and stir well.
5. Drain pasta, reserving ¼ cup or so of the cooking water.
6. Combine cooked pasta and ricotta mixture in a large bowl. If too thick, add a bit of the cooking water to the mixture.
7. Serve with freshly ground black pepper and 1 teaspoon of cheese per serving.

Farmers’ Market Tomato Tart

By

Adapted from the recipe by America’s Test Kitchen, shared by My Saratoga Kitchen Table
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

Tart shell:
● 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
● 1 Tablespoon sugar
● ½ teaspoon salt
● 8 Tablespoons unsalted butter*, cut into ¼ inch pieces and chilled
● 3 Tablespoons ice water

Tomato filling:
● 3 tomatoes*, cored and sliced ¼ inch thick
● salt and pepper
● 3 Tablespoons olive oil*
● 1 garlic clove*, minced
● ½ cup Parmesan cheese*, grated
● ½ cup ricotta cheese*
● ¼ cup mozzarella cheese*
● 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil*

Instructions

Tart shell:

  1. Process flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor until combined. Scatter butter pieces over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 15 pulses. Add 2 Tablespoons ice water and continue to process until large clumps of dough form, about 5 seconds. If the dough doesn’t clump, add the remaining 1 Tablespoon of water. Incorporate with 4 pulses.
  2. Sprinkle walnut-size clumps of dough evenly into a 9-inch tart pan. Working outward from center, press dough into even layer, sealing cracks. Working around edges, press dough firmly into corners of the pan with fingers. Press dough up sides and into fluted ridges. Smooth using the palm of your hand.
  3. Place plastic on top of the dough. Place tart pan on a large plate and in the freezer until firm, about 30 minutes.
  4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put the tart pan on a baking sheet. Press double layer of aluminum foil into the frozen tart shell and over edges, fill with pie weights. Bake until golden brown and set, around 30 minutes. Rotate halfway through. Remove foil and weights and allow to cool on wire rack.

Tomato filling:

  1. Spread tomatoes out over several layers of paper towels. Sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt and let drain for 30 minutes.
  2. Combine 2 Tablespoons oil and garlic in a small bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine Parmesan, ricotta, mozzarella, and remaining 1 Tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spread ricotta mixture evenly over the bottom of the tart shell. Blot tomatoes dry with paper towels. Shingle the tomatoes over the ricotta in circles. Drizzle with garlic oil mixture.
  5. Bake on rimmed baking sheet until bubbling and tomatoes are slightly wilted, 20 to 25 minutes. Rotate halfway through baking.
  6. Let cool on a sheet pan for 10 minutes or longer. Sprinkle with basil before serving.
Photo courtesy of Pattie Garrett

Basil and Parsley Stem Pesto

By

Recipe by Michelle Rabin, featured in Modern Farmer

This pesto is made by finely chopping the ingredients rather than placing them in a food processor. It makes the pesto hearty and crunchy and adds beautiful texture and flavor to any dish. This recipe works great as a dressing for salads and vegetables or spooned over roasted chicken, grilled steak and fish.

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

● ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted and finely chopped
● 1 cup parsley* stems, finely chopped
● ½ cup basil* stems, finely chopped
● 1 clove garlic*, finely chopped
● ½ cup Parmesan cheese*
● 1 tsp lemon zest
● ½ cup olive oil*
● Salt to taste

Directions
Place all of the ingredients in a bowl and stir.

Garden Picnic Pasta Salad

By

Recipe courtesy of Barb Biagioli, board-certified holistic health coach and nutrition consultant

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market

For the pasta salad:
● 1 box green lentil pasta, cooked
● 1 cup cherry tomatoes*, halved
● 1 zucchini*, cubed
● 1 yellow squash*, cubed
● 1 cup spinach*, chopped
● ½ cup basil*, chopped
● ½ cup walnuts, chopped

For the dressing:
● ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes
● ¼ cup olive oil*
● ¼ cup balsamic vinegar
● 2 garlic cloves*
● 1 tsp sea salt

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta according to the directions and allow to cool.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, place the cooled pasta, chopped vegetables, herbs, and nuts. Stir to combine and set aside.
  3. Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic and sea salt in a blender or food processor. Pulse or blend until creamy and smooth. Taste and adjust the seasonings as necessary.
  4. Add the dressing to the large mixing bowl of pasta and vegetables. Toss well to combine.
  5. Serve immediately or chill for an hour and enjoy!
Photo by Pattie Garrett

Polenta with Grilled Eggplant, Tomatoes and Basil

By

By Catherine Morba, Plate of Mind. Adapted from EatingWell.
Serves: 4 (¾ cup of polenta, 2 cups of vegetables)

Ingredients
*Ingredients currently available at the farmers’ market
● 4 cups water
● 1 cup cornmeal
● 1 tablespoon butter*
● ½ teaspoon salt, divided
● 3 large tomatoes* of choice
● 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil*, divided
● 3 cloves garlic*, minced
● ½ teaspoon ground pepper
● ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper*
● 1 large eggplant, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
● ½ cup chopped fresh basil*
● 1 tsp minced fresh thyme*

Instructions

  1. Toss tomatoes with 3 tablespoons oil, garlic, pepper, crushed red pepper and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Set aside to marinate.
  2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in cornmeal and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until thickened, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter and the other ¼ tsp salt.
  3. Brush eggplant with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Grill directly on the grate on medium-high heat until charred, turning once, about 5 minutes per side. Let cool, then chop into bite-size pieces and add to the tomatoes along with basil and thyme. Spoon the vegetable mixture on top of bowls of polenta and serve.
Photo by Catherine Morba

Herbs: The Good Neighbors of the Garden

By

By Katherine Morba

Potted herbs and greens at Burger’s Marketgarden, photo by Pattie Garrett

Like people, plants relate to one another differently. Unique characteristics such as fragrance, stature, and ability to attract pollinators and repel pests make a plant more or less compatible with its neighbors.

Companion planting, or paying attention to beneficial relationships that exist between species of plants, give way to healthier crops, increased yields, and even enhanced flavor in harvests. Herbs are especially companionable when mindfully placed in a garden bed.

Herbs also possess healing properties to soothe the ailments of the gardeners who tend them. For centuries herbs have been exalted as medicinal remedies, offering relief for sore throats, anxiety, stomachaches, and other health concerns.

Rather than planting rows of single crops this season, try intermingling herbs for a garden that is both plentiful and curative.

Basil and tomatoes have heightened flavors when grown in proximity. Basil also compliments asparagus, beans, beets, cabbage, and bell peppers. Basil tea alleviates an upset stomach and is a natural skin cleanser. Place wet leaves under eyes to reduce puffiness and dark circles.

Thyme repels pests like cabbage worms, corn earworms, and tomato hornworms. It will strengthen the flavor of most plants it borders while attracting honey bees and predatory insects. Thyme relieves congestion from colds and seasonal allergies.

Dill is a companion to broccoli, cabbage, kohlrabi, brussels sprouts, and kale. It attracts honey bees and butterflies while deterring cabbage loppers and spider mites. Dill should not be planted near carrots, as the two may cross-pollinate. Steeping two tablespoons of crushed dill seed in one cup of boiling water creates a dill tea for cold and flu symptom relief.

Rosemary pairs well with broccoli, beans, cabbage, and hot peppers. Aromatically it improves cognitive function and memory. A rosemary tea or essential oil can be used on hair to strengthen and condition.

Lavender compliments cabbage, kale, cauliflower, and rose bushes. Adding a few drops of lavender oil in a bath reduces stress, insomnia, and anxiety. Fragrant dried flowers can be sewn into pillows or sleep masks for a calming effect.

Calendula, or the pot marigold, is a must grow for its bright yellow and orange flowers, pest prevention, and medicinal qualities. Calendula acts as a trap plant, attracting aphids to a sticky stem and away from garden vegetables. The flowers are harvested and used to make oils, teas, and ointments that have antiseptic and wound healing properties.

Potted herbs at Burger’s Marketgarden, photo by Pattie Garrett