Pasta Harvest: Delicious Recipes Using Vegetables at Their Seasonal Best [Paperback]

Janet Fletcher (Author), John Vaughan (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 1995

In an engaging celebration of one of the food world's happiest marriages, respected author and chef Janet Fletcher offers cooks everywhere over 80 mouthwatering ways to pair pasta with peak-season vegetables and lively sauces. Organized alphabetically by vegetable, the book's appealing suggestions for combining pasta with fresh produce are quick to prepare, light on meat, and rich in flavor -- perfect for time-pressed cooks who want to serve wholesome meals. From a summer repast of Linguine with Green and Golden Zucchini to a winter feast of Penne with Cauliflower Sauce, Pasta Harvest tempts beginner and expert cooks alike to savor pasta with vegetables at their seasonal best.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

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.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Janet Fletcher is a food writer for the San Francisco Chronicle, a frequent contributor to magazines on wine and food topics, and a past president of the San Francisco Professional Food Society. She is the author of a number of cookbooks, including Chronicle Books' Pasta Harvest.

John Vaughan has traveled the globe photographing houses for Architectural Digest, HG, Better Homes and Gardens, and The New York Times, among others. Together, they authored San Francisco: A Certain Style (Chronicle Books, 1989).

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; 2nd edition (April 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811805670
• ISBN-13: 978-0811805674
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 7.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,084,141 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most used cookbook I own., October 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pasta Harvest: Delicious Recipes Using Vegetables at Their Seasonal Best (Paperback)

I have made at least half of the recipes from this book, and have yet to come upon one that did not receive rave reviews from my guests.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The most useful and tasty pasta cook book I own., May 6, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pasta Harvest: Delicious Recipes Using Vegetables at Their Seasonal Best (Paperback)

I own a number of pasta and italian cookbooks. I use this one most often. All the recipees are very tasty and easy to prepare. Real crowd pleaser! The variety of recipees is good without being overwelming. Vegetarians will like the options as well as meat eaters. The pictures are beautiful and helpful when you can't decide what to fix for dinner.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best pasta cookbooks ever!, July 24, 2009

By 

W. Maite "I love books" (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Pasta Harvest: Delicious Recipes Using Vegetables at Their Seasonal Best (Paperback)

I'd not heard of Janet Fletcher before this book, and I still don't understand why she isn't better known in the culinary world outside of San Francisco. She is a genius with food, especially pasta.

This book is divided into sections by vegetable, which is great because if you have a particular vegetable on hand, you can find a fabulous pasta to make with it. My favorites are:

--Gemelli with Artichokes, Olives, Feta and Capers (I make this one the most)
--Spaghetti with Shredded Artichokes
--Ditali with Asparagus (I sometimes add chopped prosciutto to this)
--Buckwheat Pappardelle with Cabbage, Fontina and Sage (I use regular pappardelle)
--Spaghetti with Chard, Onions and Anchovy Butter (so, so good)
--Penne with Broiled Eggplant and Tomato
--Whole Wheat Spaghetti with Arugula
--Spaghetti with Tomato and Anchovy Salad (a great uncooked sauce for summer)
--Pappardelle with Creamy Tomato Sauce

As of this review, the price of this book is a steal. I can't recommend it enough.