Green Dinner - Fogile d’oliva with Zucchini and Basil, Asparagus, Spinach

At A Southern Season's big annual sale a few days ago, I found some interesting Fogile d'Oliva pasta - pasta shaped like an olive leaf and, due to being mixed with spinach powder, being green in color. I came up with the idea of making a green dinner like I did with the white dinner back in February 2007.

I used some roasted garlic olive oil that I had also purchased at the sale to sautee a small onion cut into thin half-moons. Just a minute or so later, I added two zucchinis, each cut into half and then, lengthwise, thirds. I let the saute go for a few minutes till the zucchini was just starting to brown, then I added maybe a dozen basil leaves and a litte rosemary and oregano. I cooked for another few minutes, then served atop the pasta.

I also cooked some onion and spinach in a little roasted garlic olive oil, and asparagus spears in tangerine olive oil. Several other greens accented the meal, such as olive, spring onion, cucumber, broccoli, and a rosemary sprig. I was set to serve avocado, but thought that we would have enough food (we did). I added a spot of red by way of a pickled pepper. It was a fun and good meal that we shared with another aunt from Connecticut who just flew in a few hours earlier.

Tomorrow is the vegetarian society's 4th of July picnic; I don't yet know what I'll make. Perhaps we'll be eating at my parents' the following day as the family reunion is underway. Happy 4th of July!