Garden Squash & Nasturtium Butter Pasta

Nasturtium flowers blended into unsalted butter with shallots, thyme, and savory create a peppery compound butter that becomes the sauce for this garden-fresh pasta. Tiny summer and winter squash sliced into thin rounds get a quick saute in half the nasturtium butter, then simmer with squash blossom ribbons and chicken stock while the tagliatelle cooks.

Nasturtiums have a natural peppery bite, almost like watercress, that cuts through the richness of the butter. That spicy-floral quality is what makes this dish so distinctive.

The squash blossoms cook in the simmering stock just long enough to wilt. They add a delicate sweetness and silky texture that melts into the sauce. Adding them too early turns them to nothing.

Chef Tips

• Use the freshest nasturtiums you can find, ideally picked that day. Wilted flowers lose their peppery punch and turn the butter muddy.
• Saute the squash rounds gently. You want them tender but still holding their shape, not mushy.
• Toss the drained pasta with the remaining nasturtium butter right in the pan. The residual heat melts the butter into a glossy sauce that coats every strand.
• Garnish with whole nasturtium blossoms for a stunning presentation.

Variations

• Swap the squash for whole shallots, fava beans, peas, or leeks as the recipe suggests.
• Use fresh fettuccine or pappardelle instead of tagliatelle for a slightly different texture.
• Make it vegetarian by using vegetable stock in place of chicken stock.