I love spaghetti. Don’t you? I like that to eat the pasta, I have to skillfully roll it around the fork before I can slip the food inside my mouth. It’s an art that my grandfather Eugène playfully taught my brother B. and I to master when we were little — well, I think we particularly loved the mess we used to make with the spaghetti.
When I thought about my next contribution to the Seasons column of the Boston Globe food section, I immediately imagined a refreshing dish matching the season. I wanted food that takes no time to prepare and uses the best of the seasonal ingredients. Words like arugula — with its delicious lemon-peppery flavor and pretty lace-shaped leaves — lime, tasty cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and flavorful aged parmesan popped into my head, and I had a dish and a recipe.
I know that most of you — including me — use arugula in a salad. But have you tried the greens on top of a pizza, a tomato tart or in a dish of pasta? This is how this recipe uses it. Arugula is only added at the end and cooks from the heat of the spaghetti. It’s the kind of food that you’ll love to improvise at the last minute and share with a bunch of friends when they stop by unexpectedly — a recipe that makes you want to thank and kiss the Italians for bringing spaghetti and arugula to our table.
The recipe can be found here.
Of course, living in italy makes it easy for me to eat arugula (rucola, they call it here in Rome). I love making pesto with almonds with it, to use on pasta nd my favourite pizza is a white wafer thin focaccia cooked in a wood fueled oven and then covered with rucola, pacchino cherry tomatoes and bits of mozzarella di buffala. Wonderful for the summer!
In South Africa, we call arugula ‘rocket’ – it grows like a weed in my garden. I have most of these ingredients in my fridge… Thanks Béa, you’ve just inspired my dinner for this evening!
I love arugula pesto, this seems like much simpler way to get the same flavors in my fav dish. And the cherry tomatoes are ummm the cherry on the cake? 🙂
yummy, l love it!
a taste of pure summer!
Fresh and delicious! Perfect for summer! 🙂
I’m honoured, as italian, of your kisses and thanks!! Arugula… let me say RUCOLA, I prefer (!), is really a versatile veg that you can only love or hate! For example, my husband hates it and I cook it rarely… but I really love it! Fresh and bitter in perfect armony!!
Very good dish! Kisses 🙂
It looks amazing Bea. That is exactly what I am craving these days!
I cook this pasta dish all the time in the summer, I love the peppery taste of the rocket and the sweetness of the cherry tomatoes. Serve with a glass of good white wine and presto!
In France, we say roquette, different names but same taste with pasta and tomatoes, delicious
Yummy! I’ll be making this for lunch!
Btw, if you don’t mind my asking, have you had professional culinary training? I’ve been curious for a while, so I had to ask, haha. =)
I love pasta too!! Your pasta looks lovely and yummy!! 🙂
You’re right about arugula on pizza. Good, good, good. A simple pasta dish is just as tasty.
Arugula is a fantastic, versatile ingredient and this recipe proves it!
Who doesn’t love Spaghetti?? Yours is every colorful and bursting with flavor
I must try this as I do love arugula!
YUMYUMYUM.
i love arugula to death. &feta?.. be still my heart.
I love arugula in pasta….and what a pretty picture that is!
I love using arugula in pasta dishes. What’s really lovely is frying peppers, aubergines and onions in some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and then tossing it under the pasta and adding lots of fresh herbs and arugula on top.
I love the taste of arugula in salads and pizza. Pasta? I think it’ll be perfect!
Zoe, no professional training but a true passion for food! 😉
Thank you everyone. I am glad you are just like me, and love arugula and pasta in the same way. So nice for summer, non?
i love arugula in pasta, i make it all the time, with a sauce of heavy cream, grated parmesan, lemon juice and lemon zest, adding a slice of prosciutto di parma on top before serving. Delicious and beautiful.
Je decouvre ce blog en faisant une recherche sur Google pour “Roasted tomatoes and leek”, ce qui me permet de decouvrir les “leek, blue cheese and tomato quiches” et d’apprendre que la blogueuse est lorraine. Un petit bonjour donc d’une Lorraine a une autre. Ce blog est SUPERBE.
Great looking pasta! It just screams summer:)
The ingredients look pretty, very vibrant and fresh! Sounds like a perfect summertime dinner.
This looks yummy! Love your blog! Oh, you probably know this already, but there is a French Library in Boston.
Look forward to your next post.
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I need all the ideas I can get for arugula…it is growing out of control in my garden! I have been eating a similar recipe that is couscous tossed with arugula and sauteed zucchini. Delicious. Thanks for another great post.
What a perfect timing!
I have arugula in my garden; it is very easy to grow.
I love it but I haven’t think about the spaghetti with argula.
Thank you for another beautiful dish and photo!
I love this recipe – simple, delicious and gorgeous! Rocket is fantastic – I grow it everywhere and now it self seeds I give away big bunches as posies to friends when i go over to their houses! It looks so pretty tied with purple ribbon! We make pesto out of it with sunflower seeds, put it into pasta, add it to all salads and sandwiches and have it wherever we would use spinach.
Thanks a lot! I’m also a gourmet and pastry enthusiast and this would really go to my compilation. I would also like to share. I came across a good site about European and Swiss cooking which also gives free sample family-secret recipes.
Very beautiful blog.
Your spaghetti with arugula and tomatoes is gorgeous. I just discovered your beautiful blog. Penny on Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen had your blog in her link list so I clicked over. I’m so glad I did.
Sam
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A great Milano dish — Shrimp with Arugula. Very easy. Cut arugula up into bite-size pieces. I use lots of them, because they cook down. Everyone should be at the table, ready to eat…Saute shrimp (you can dust them with Old Bay seasoning if you like a bit of hot) in olive oil and a bit of butter in a large pan. When they are cooked, dump in the arugula, stir and continue turning and stirring until limp but still green and serve. (If you want it more juicy, add some chicken broth with the arugula)
I had arugula on pizza in Brazil. Sorry Italy but it was the best pizza I’ve ever had!! Now I will try it with pasta!
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Hi , boring technical question ,just wondered what camera and lens are you shooting with .i love your point of view ,short focus and composition. thanks neil
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