Pasta with Cantaloupe

adapted from Marcella’s Italian Kitchen by Marcella Hazen

serves 4-6

This lovely late summer pasta is ideal for the crux of the season when melons are ripe in the field, and evenings cool off enough that we can welcome a bit of cream in our pasta sauce. Choose a delicate (preferably hand-made) pasta, such as angel hair, thin spaghetti, tonnarelli, or fettuccine. Many varieties of local summer melons work well for this dish.

Ingredients
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
3 cups diced cantaloupe (rind & seeds removed, melon cut into ¼ inch cubes) 1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
½ tsp. tomato paste
~ salt
~ freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. dried pasta or fresh pasta made with 3 eggs & 1 ¾ cup flour

Steps

1. Put the butter & oil in a 10-12 inch skillet and turn the heat to high. When the pan is hot but not smoking, add the melon and sauté for about 2 minutes, stirring often. The melon should soften, but not disintegrate.
2. Add the cream, lemon juice, & tomato paste. Stir & cook over high heat until the cream has reduced by half. Season with salt & pepper & remove from the heat.
3. Cook the pasta, drain, & toss it with the sauce. Serve at once.

from Chef Kathryn Yeomans The Farmer's Feast