Summer Squash Linguine

When I lived in Spain I hung around with a roving cast of young, wild, world-hoppers. Also known as freelance ESL teachers. One of these women returned to Seville from a days-long hippy festival in Portugal and recounted to my friends and I that, while there, she'd eaten her first flower. Given the context, I'd assumed the flower was either some unknown drug, or some unknown drug slang, and was too self-consciously un-world-hoppy to do anything but act as if flower eating were a completely familiar phenomenon. But as the conversation progressed, someone more self-assured than I dared to ask what kind of flower this was. And it was just a flower. Just a regular flower. Hallucinations not included.

I've learned since that eating flowers isn't so uncommon. And though I think my friend ate a more traditionally flowery flower, this dish uses two "flowers:" capers, which are pickled flower buds, and squash blossoms. So if you've not eaten your first flower, now's your chance.

(the recipe below was inspired by this)

2 1/2 pounds small yellow and green (zucchini) summer squash, washed and unpeeled
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 pound whole wheat linguine
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Ricotta cheese
salt + pepper
3/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
4 squash blossoms, thinly sliced

Using a vegetable peeler, shave the squash into ribbons. Place these in a strainer over a bowl and toss with the salt. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the garlic, capers, and red pepper in a mortar and use a pestle to crush them into a paste. Transfer this to the bottom of a large serving bowl.

Cook the pasta until al dente and, using tongs, transfer it to the serving bowl, reserving the pasta water. Return to the squash and, using your hands, squeeze as much water from it as possible. Once wrung, add the squash ribbons to the pasta. Add the olive oil and ricotta, and toss until well combined. If dry, add a 1/2 cup or so of the pasta water. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with basil, Romano, and squash blossoms.