By February, which is Vermont's longest month in feel if not in fact. The cold doesn't break in February; it just continues. The days are getting longer — perceptibly longer now, a minute or two at each end — but the light doesn't warm you yet, it just informs you that warmer light is coming. That's enough, actually. Knowing is enough.
I've been working through Helen's cookbook collection in a systematic way this winter, something I've been meaning to do since she died. She had particular favorites, books that are worn and stained in a way that tells you which recipes got used. I made her ragù bolognese this week, which I've eaten many times but never made. Three hours on the stove, the long slow cooking that develops the layers. It came out right. Or rather: it came out exactly as I remember it, which is a kind of right that carries more weight than any other.
Carol and I have settled into a real rhythm with our Sunday dinners. We alternate houses — one week she drives to the farm, one week I drive to Stowe. It adds structure to the winter week, a point to cook toward. Helen always said the best reason to cook is having someone to cook for. I used to think she was being philosophical. It turns out she was just right in the plain sense.
The vaccine appointment came. March fourth. I marked the calendar with genuine feeling. There is a before and an after to this year and March fourth will be part of what separates them. I called Sarah to tell her and she said: good, Dad, that's good. That's two words from Sarah but the tone carries more than that. We've all been worried in the background this whole year, trying not to show it.
The ragù wasn’t the only page in Helen’s cookbook with the spine cracked open and the margins soft from handling. This Italian spaghetti with chicken and roasted vegetables sat just a few pages later — simpler than the ragù, but still the kind of dish that asks something of you: the patience to let the oven do its work, the attention to layer things in the right order. I made it the following Sunday, Carol’s week to come to the farm, and it was exactly the right thing to put on the table — warm and abundant and worth the wait, which is how this whole winter has started to feel.
Italian Spaghetti with Chicken & Roasted Vegetables
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Servings: 4–6
Ingredients
- 12 oz spaghetti
- 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch strips
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 1 medium red onion, cut into thin wedges
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 4 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp salt, plus more for pasta water
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
- 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Roast the vegetables. Preheat your oven to 425°F. Spread the bell peppers, zucchini, red onion, and mushrooms in a single layer across two rimmed baking sheets. Drizzle with 2 tbsp of the olive oil, season with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper, and toss to coat. Roast for 25–30 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until the vegetables are tender and lightly caramelized at the edges. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water before draining. Drain and set aside.
- Brown the chicken. While the vegetables roast, heat the remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken strips with the remaining salt and pepper. Cook in a single layer, undisturbed, for 3–4 minutes until golden on the bottom, then turn and cook another 2–3 minutes until cooked through. Transfer to a plate.
- Build the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the same skillet and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute until fragrant. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and chicken broth. Add the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly.
- Bring it together. Return the chicken to the skillet along with the roasted vegetables. Stir gently to coat everything in the sauce and heat through, about 2 minutes. Add the drained spaghetti and toss to combine. If the sauce feels tight, add a splash of the reserved pasta water and toss again until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Serve. Divide among warmed bowls or serve family-style straight from the skillet. Scatter the torn basil over the top and finish with a generous grating of Parmesan. Pass extra Parmesan at the table.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 510 | Protein: 36g | Fat: 13g | Carbs: 61g | Fiber: 6g | Sodium: 480mg