WAIT! Before you start folding up the picnic table and packing away the lawn darts, let’s pretend like it’s still summer for just a little bit longer, please? While everyone else rushes to embrace the new pumpkin-infused season, plenty of warm, sunny days remain in the forecast yet, with much of the west coast in particular still due for a solid heatwave soon. Despite what the calendar may tell you, take a look outside before donning that heavy sweater. Let’s party like fall is but a distant concept for later days, concerning only overly cautious weathermen determined to throw shade on our fun.

My encouragement is of course entirely self-serving, but you see, it would be a shame to sit on this great pasta salad for another full year. Inspired by a trip to Baia Pasta, my neighbors in Oakland that I never knew lived next door all along, such incredible noodles need little ornamentation to shine on any table.

These small-batch artisan noodles are making a big splash nationwide thanks to an obsessive level of passion for every detail. Obvious considerations are the specific amounts of protein, moisture, type of flour, but what about the drying temperature and time? Procuring the unique shapes and the obscure dies to extrude them? Determining the types of wheat that can endure such a demanding process without breaking, dissolving, or crumbling under the pressure? That’s to say nothing of the unconventional seasonings blended into some of the more colorful pastas, giving rise to full rainbow of bright, bold flavors.

Organic durum, whole durum, spelt, whole spelt, and whole khorasan wheat are the foundations of each charming twist, twirl, and tube. Pale, limp spaghetti strands are no where to be seen here, and you’d never miss them in the first place.

To fully celebrate such an exquisite yet uncomplicated staple, the greatest (and most challenging) task for the cook is to simply not mess with perfection. It’s already great as is- What more could one add?

In this case, my inclusions are more like additional refrains of the chorus, echoing and underscoring what already got the crowd off their feet to sing. Beautiful Organic Durum Wheat Flavored Soup Radiatori (Dynamos) are infused with beets, spinach, and tomatoes, which are exactly the same guests I invited to harmonize. Yes, that’s why it’s the BeST pasta salad, but for more than that cute pun alone. Accented with an invigorating punch of fresh basil, savory yet subtle white miso, and a light kiss of buttery avocado oil, it might very well be best dish of the season altogether, if we can sneak this last ode to summer in, right under the wire.

Smothering any of the superlative pastas from Baia with a heavy sauce seemed a crime, though I’ll readily admit, later experiments with mac and cheese were a stunning success…

But that can wait for colder days. For now, let’s revel in the fading sunlight, the last call of summer, until we reach the very bottom of the bowl.

BeST Pasta Salad

2 Cups Grape or Cherry Tomatoes, Halved
1 Medium Gold Beet, Peeled and Spiralized
8 Ounces Rainbow Radiatori Pasta, Cooked, Rinsed in Cold Water, and Thoroughly Drained
4 Cups Baby Spinach
3 Scallions, Thinly Sliced
1 Clove Garlic, Very Finely Minced
1/4 Cup Avocado Oil
3 Tablespoons Sherry Vinegar
2 Tablespoons White Miso Paste
1/2 Cup Fresh Basil, Roughly Chopped
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

As you might imagine, this pasta salad comes together very quickly and easily. If you’ve gone through the trouble of prepping the ingredients as listed, you probably aren’t even reading this instruction right now. That’s okay; I wouldn’t bother either. Simply toss everything together until well blended, and either enjoy immediately, or chill for up to 4 hours. Savor a taste of summer all over again.

Makes 4 – 8 Servings

Printable Recipe

Pumpkin pie is a classic fall dessert, but in my family there are always a few holdouts that want some chocolate after dinner instead of a traditional pie. These Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies are a new fall classic that combine rich, fudgy brownies with a layer of spicy pumpkin cheesecake, making a dessert that will satisfy the whole family!

The recipe starts with a brownie base that has a deep dark chocolate base. A small portion of the batter is set aside to help create the marble look in the finished dessert. While I sometimes swirl the cheesecake and brownie base together directly in cheesecake brownie recipes, this cheesecake is much lighter in texture and the recipe works a bit better when the layers are more separate. This is because the cheesecake also includes pumpkin puree, so it’s really a hybrid between cheesecake and pumpkin pie.

The cheesecake batter is best when it is made in the food processor, as it will be able to easily get any lumps out of the mixture and ensure a smooth cheesecake. You can mix it up by hand, but be sure that your cream cheese is very well softened before starting. The cheesecake also includes pumpkin pie spice – a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves – to really give it a fall flavor, as well as a dash of vanilla and salt to bring out the flavors of the cream cheese. A small portion of the batter is added to the reserved brownie batter, then that mixture is swirled into the finished cheesecake to create the dessert’s marbled look.

Bake the brownies until the cheesecake layer is completely set. The brownies will still be quite fudgy underneath, but they will provide a stable base for the creamy cheesecake once the dessert is chilled. Since the cheesecake is tender, I do recommend refrigerating this before slicing for best results. Serve slices on their own or top them with a dollop of whipped cream to dress them up!

Marbled Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Brownies
1/2 cup butter
2-oz dark chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Cheesecake
8-oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9×9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and lightly grease.
In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt butter and chocolate together. Add in cocoa powder and stir until very smooth. Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisking steadily, pour chocolate mixture into sugar mixture. Stir until smooth. Add flour and salt into the bowl and stir until batter is uniform.
Transfer 1/4 cup of brownie batter to a small bowl. Add chocolate chips to the remaining batter and pour into prepared pan, spreading it into an even layer.
In a food processor, blend cream cheese, pumpkin puree, sugars, eggs, spices, salt and vanilla extract until smooth. Remove 1/2 cup of cheesecake batter and add it to small bowl with reserved brownie batter, then stir to combine
Pour remaining pumpkin cheesecake over the brownie layer and spread evenly. Drizzle chocolate cheesecake mixture over the top and gently swirl it in with the regular cheesecake batter using a knife.
Bake for about 40 minutes, until brownies and cheesecake are firmly set. A knife inserted into the cheesecake mixture should come out clean and the edges will be lightly browned.
Cool in the pan completely, then refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 16-20 brownies.

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