Red Truck Farm on the hill: a summer solstice birthday

Tuesday was my mom's birthday. Our Nana. It kicks off birthday week in this family. Handy husband and Keri share a birthday on the 28th of June. It was the first day of summer, the sun was high in the sky, the temperatures were above 70 for the, maybe, second time this year. We had a reason to party. Seeing as how it's the longest day of the year, we had a lot of time to fill. The kids and I surprised Nana with an al fresco lunch on her patio. We arrived with sandwiches from Purple Cafe, champagne, Pellegrino, and a tablecloth.

That evening, the family headed to our house for dinner and dessert. Thanks to my new issue of Bon Appetit (well, it's a couple months old but that's how far behind I am at reading) I found a couple of delish new recipes. We started off wth a Shaved Summer Squash Salad, followed by Roasted Tomato and Anchovy Oregananta Pasta, and really enjoyed our Coconut Cake with Rasperries and Lemon Cream. It's the first time I've made this cake and the recipe is from the cookbook of my local favorite bakery, Macrina Bakery.

Shaved Summer Squash Salad

3 tablespoons whole almonds
1 pound summer squash (a mix of green and yellow)
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 minced garlic clove
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Baby arugula

Roast almonds and coarsely crush. Meanwhile, trim the ends off summer squash. Using a vegetable peeler, thinly slice the squash lengthwise into strips and transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic clove, and kosher salt to taste. Pour dressing over squash. Let stand for a few minutes, then add a few handfuls of baby arugula. Shave a little Pecorino over the squash and toss. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with the crushed almonds.

Roasted Tomato and Anchovy Oregananta Pasta

4 cups cherry tomatoes, divided
9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
1/4 cup unseasoned dry breadcrumbs (preferably homemade)
1 tablespoonfinely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 teaspoonfinely chopped fresh thyme
Large pinch dried oregano
Freshly ground black pepper
16anchovy fillets packed in oil, drained
12 ounces spaghetti
2 cloves, finely chopped
Small handful fresh basil leaves, roughly torn

Preheat oven to 200°. Place 2 cups tomatoes in an 8x8x2" glass baking dish. Stir in 1 Tbsp. oil and a large pinch of salt. Roast, stirring occasionally, at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours (the longer they roast, the sweeter and more concentrated the flavor). Set aside.

Increase oven temperature to 400°. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. Place breadcrumbs and herbs in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle 1 Tbsp. oil over; stir until mixture resembles damp sand. Lay anchovies about 1/4" apart on prepared sheet. Evenly pack breadcrumb mixture over; drizzle with 1 Tbsp. oil. Bake until golden brown, 3-5 minutes; set anchovy oreganata aside.

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, place remaining 2 cups tomatoes in a large bowl. Crush tomatoes with your hands. Heat 4 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add crushed tomatoes and a pinch of salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until juices thicken, 6-7 minutes. Add roasted tomatoes.

Add drained spaghetti to skillet; toss to coat, adding reserved pasta water by 1/4-cupfuls if dry. Remove from heat; stir in basil. Drizzle with remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Divide among bowls. Top each with 1/4 of the anchovy oreganata.