Pasta Harvest: Delicious Recipes Using Vegetables at Their Seasonal Best

Fletcher, who trained at Chez Panisse and is currently the editor of the newsletter of the American Institute of Food and Wine, found inspiration in her local market for this enticing collection of 82 vegetable and pasta dishes. Organized by vegetable (rather than by season), the recipes proceed methodically from artichoke to tomato, with tips and techniques offered along the way. Recipes range from the extremely simple, such as Ditali with Asparagus, which features the vegetable and short hollow pasta with butter and Parmesan cheese, to the more elaborate, such as Buckwheat Pappardelle with Cabbage, Fontina and Sage. The flavors of pasta and fresh, seasonal vegetables are frequently enhanced by prosciutto, anchovies, cream, tomatoes and, of course, cheese. The user-friendly introduction includes detailed advice on suiting the sauce to the pasta shape, proper saucing techniques, when best to use fresh and dried pasta and how to use a pasta machine. Brightened by color photographs of finished dishes, this collection appeals to eye and palate. (June)