If you haven’t been to Williamsburg’s local farmers market, make plans to visit this weekend! This market is an absolute gem, loved by tourists and locals alike! And, of course, once someone finds a good farmers market, the next thing they need is a great farmers market recipe!

Do farmers markets and delicious summer farmers market recipes sound good to you?

Then read on!

 

First, let’s tell you about the farmers market!

The Williamsburg Farmers Market
Open Saturdays, 8am – 12pm
Merchants Square
402 W. Duke of Gloucester Street
Williamsburg, VA 23185

Every Saturday, our quaint downtown area fills with music, great food, and people looking for the freshest farmers market fare. The current vendor list includes an impressive 55 unique local Williamsburg businesses! And because of Williamsburg’s location in Virginia, there is wide variety of products available.

 

So what are some things you should expect to see?

Fresh Seafood!

Williamsburg is surrounded by both rivers and the ocean. This means there is no shortage of fresh seafood available! Not every farmers market can offer premium crab, oysters, and seasonal fishes, but this one can!

Farm Fresh Produce, Meats, and Dairy!

Opposite the coast, to the east of Williamsburg, lay quite a few farms and plantations. This means you can find most types of farm fresh produce! Anything from fresh bacon, chicken, turkey, and eggs, to hand-picked fruits and veggies. It doesn’t get any better than this!

Baked Goods

Looking for bread, still warm from the oven? How about delicious pies? Gourmet cupcakes? Hand-made chocolates? Fresh pasta? The Williamsburg Farmers Market has a vendor for that too!

And that’s not all! There are other products available as well, such as local honey, roasted peanuts, and supplies for the garden.

So about that recipe…

A summer farmers market means lots of gorgeous fresh summer produce. Do you know what to do with it? Here’s a great idea of a healthy, summer farmers market recipe you’re gonna love!

 

Summer Pesto Pasta with Roasted Veggies

First, get your veggies roasting…

• 2 medium yellow squash, sliced into thin strips
• 1 small eggplant, cut into cubes
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, left whole

Toss each prepared veggie with olive oil, salt, and pepper, keeping them separate. Place on three different baking sheets as they will cook for differing amounts of time. Place in a 375 degree F oven.

Cook squash until browned and softened, about 25-30 minutes.
Cook eggplant until browned and softened, about 45 minutes.
Cook tomatoes until bursting and slightly caramelized, about 15-25 minutes.

Next, make the pesto sauce…

• 2 cups packed fresh arugula and/or basil, tough stems removed
• ½ cup toasted pine nuts
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 medium garlic cloves
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor, adding in olive oil while pulsing. Once it becomes a paste, set aside.

Now, prepare the pasta…

• 1/2 pound whole grain (dry) spaghetti or linguine, can substitute fresh pasta

Cook according to the packaged instructions to your liking. Once done, drain and place into a large bowl. Toss with a small amount of olive oil to coat the pasta and keep it from sticking.

Now time to assemble!

Add the squash strips to the noodles and combine. Add most of the pesto and stir until completely coated. (You may want to reserve a little pasta water or a touch of cream to help it coat the noodles well.) Top the pasta with the tomatoes, eggplant, and a few shavings of parmesan cheese. Best served warm.

Recipe adapted from cookie+kate.com

Try out this yummy summer farmers market recipe while the ingredients are still in season!

 

Do you know what’s in season right now? Check out this fun chart to see!

 

Where is the Farmer’s Market? Check out this map!