By Solstice. The longest day. I've been marking solstices since the first year of sobriety — a practice I arrived at without intending to, more noticed than decided. The winter solstice is a relief, the summer solstice a fullness, the equinoxes transitions that ask for attention. I don't know what I believe exactly about why this matters. I know that it does.
Haying started Monday. Four days in, the weather is holding and we've got the lower field done and stacked. Dad ran the swather the first two days and I took it over on Wednesday when I could see that his hands were tired. He didn't argue, just climbed down and went to start the baler, and that was the first time I've replaced him on a piece of equipment without him pushing back. I noticed it and didn't remark on it. The transition was quiet and complete.
The rescue horse program got started this week — one day at the Yellowstone Valley Humane Society facility in Billings. Three horses seized from a neglect operation in the eastern part of the state, all of them underweight, all with long, deformed hooves. I spent six hours on the first visit doing intake assessment and starting the initial trims. Slow, careful work, stopping when the horses needed to rest. You can't rush rehabilitation. The horses aren't going anywhere. Neither are the problems. You just have to show up consistently and do the next right thing.
Made gazpacho again with the first tomatoes from the garden — better this time than the May version from canned tomatoes, the way garden tomatoes are always better. Ate it for lunch three days running. Sometimes a thing is so right for the season that you don't want anything else.
The gazpacho ran out by Thursday, and with the haying still going and another early morning ahead, I wanted something that could carry those same garden tomatoes into dinner without much fuss. This pasta — mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, spinach, just enough garlic — is the kind of thing you make when the season hands you something good and you don’t want to bury it. It came together in the time it took to cool down after the last load of the day, and it was exactly right.
Pasta with Mushrooms, Tomatoes & Spinach
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Total Time: 30 minutes | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 12 oz pasta (linguine, spaghetti, or penne)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cups fresh tomatoes, chopped (about 3 medium)
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup reserved pasta cooking water
- Fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/4 cup of pasta cooking water. Drain and set aside.
- Saute the mushrooms. While the pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and cook without stirring for 3–4 minutes until browned. Stir and cook another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add garlic and tomatoes. Reduce heat to medium. Push mushrooms to the side and add garlic, cooking 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chopped tomatoes and red pepper flakes. Cook 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes begin to break down and release their juices.
- Wilt the spinach. Add spinach to the skillet and toss until just wilted, about 1–2 minutes.
- Combine and finish. Add the drained pasta to the skillet along with the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together over low heat for 1–2 minutes until the sauce clings to the pasta. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan.
- Serve. Divide among bowls. Top with additional Parmesan and fresh basil if using. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 420 | Protein: 15g | Fat: 10g | Carbs: 68g | Fiber: 5g | Sodium: 340mg