Now that school is back in full swing, we need a few simple recipes up our sleeves for fast and nourishing dinners. This bowl of pasta should be on your list. It's a fresh and robust weeknight dinner you can whip up in less than 30 minutes. The simple sauce relies on my favorite pantry staple: Italian plum tomatoes that blanket crisp-tender broccolini in a vibrant sauce that's boosted with garlic and chili flakes. The addition of Italian sausage adds an extra oomph of spicy flavor and protein.

Broccolini is a slender version of broccoli with narrow stalks, which makes it perfect for sauteing, since the stalks and florets will cook in the same amount of time. No more worries about overcooking the florets while you wait for a thick stalk to thoroughly cook! Broccolini is naturally sweet and tender, so simply cook until it's crisp-tender to keep its flavor and color bright.

Spicy Sausage, Broccolini and Tomato Pasta

Active time: 25 minutes

Total time: 25 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 pound pasta, such as farfalle or fusilli

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

12 ounces spicy Italian sausage

12 ounces broccolini, cut in 1-inch pieces

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste

1 (28-ounce) can Italian plum tomatoes with juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup basil leaves, loosely packed (torn in half, if large)

1/3 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus extra for sprinkling

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and transfer to a serving bowl.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the sausage and brown on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, slice sausage crosswise 1/3 inch thick.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from the same skillet and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the broccolini and saute over medium heat until bright green but still crisp, about 1 minute. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, breaking the tomatoes apart with a spoon. Return the sausages to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Remove the sauce from the heat and pour over the pasta. Add the basil and cheese and stir to combine. Serve immediately, garnished with extra cheese.

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It's that time of year when vegetables sneak up on you. Early in the summer, squash, eggplant and peppers are a mere hint in the garden, peeking out from their blossoms, while in the market they are just becoming available in small amounts for a steep price. These early season purchases are a little premature, a bit too eager and cost too much for something you know will soon be abundant.

Then, before you can say, "ratatouille," it's the end of the summer, and zucchini, eggplant and peppers are teeming everywhere. The garden is lobbing them at you like tennis balls, and the market shelves are stacked with a vibrant cornucopia of Provencal vegetables, providing eye candy ripe and ready for consumption. With such a bounty, it's important to be creative, because, ironically, it's easy to tire of this abundance at the end of the season -- and that would be a shame. So, I was determined to use my imagination to celebrate this end-of-summer bounty. Turning to the tried-and-true ratatouille for inspiration, I made this gratin.

It's super-simple and relatively light as far as gratins go. Layered with vegetables and basil and sprinkled with mild goat cheese, it's delicious served warm or at room temperature.

Try to choose squash and eggplant of a similar diameter. This recipe makes enough for an 8- to 9-inch square or round pan. Alternatively, you can arrange the vegetables in smaller, individual gratin dishes.

Ratatouille Gratin With Goat Cheese and Basil

Active time: 30 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

1 narrow eggplant, about 10 ounces

1 medium zucchini, about 6 ounces

1 medium yellow squash, about 6 ounces

1 large red bell pepper, quartered and seeded

Olive oil to coat the tray and dish, and to brush the vegetables

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup basil leaves, torn into 1/2-inch pieces, plus extra for garnish

3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese

Preheat the oven broiler.

Slice the eggplant, zucchini and yellow squash crosswise about 1/3 inch thick. (If the eggplant is much wider than the squash, quarter lengthwise and slice 1/3 inch thick.)

Arrange the eggplant, zucchini, squash and pepper in one layer on an oiled baking tray. Brush the tops with additional oil and lightly season with salt and black pepper. Broil on the top shelf of the oven until the vegetables are tender but not mushy, and brown in spots, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once. Remove vegetables; let cool until they are cool to the touch.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil an 8- or 9-inch square or round gratin dish. Arrange the vegetables, alternating and slightly overlapping, in rows or a circular pattern. Tuck the basil between the vegetables in a random pattern, so that it is evenly distributed. Scatter grape-size amounts of the goat cheese evenly over the vegetables.

Bake the gratin in the oven until the cheese is soft and lightly golden in spots, about 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with extra basil if desired.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS

This apricot dessert is simple, fresh and seasonal -- a golden rule of cooking, which is easy to follow when summer produce is at its peak. It requires only a few ingredients that allow the sweet, ripe apricots to shine. Greek yogurt is used as a garnish, a wondrously rich yogurt that is naturally thick, creamy -- and healthy. For a jolt of oozing sweetness, a little sugar is sprinkled over each apricot half, which is bruleed until the sugar dissolves. As the apricots cook, the fruit will soften and virtually melt into itself, held together by the soft skin, while caramelized sugar pools in the center. A dollop of whisked yogurt, lightly sweetened and brightened with lemon, is spooned over the top or to the side of the fruit -- you decide -- serving as a cool complement to the apricot's warmth. It's a luscious and fresh end to any meal. Your guests will be licking their plates.

Grilled Apricots With Yogurt and Lemon

Active time: 15 minutes

Total time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar, plus extra for garnish

6 ripe but not-too-soft apricots, halved lengthwise and pitted

Canola oil for brushing

3/4 cup Greek whole milk yogurt

1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest, plus extra for garnish

Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat.

Mix the 1/4 cup sugar and the brown sugar in a small bowl.

Lightly brush the cut sides of the apricots with canola oil. Arrange the apricots, cut-side down, on the grill grates or in a grill pan. Grill until the apricots begin to color, about 2 minutes. Flip the apricots and sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over each half. Continue to grill until the centers are bubbly and beginning to caramelize, 3 to 5 minutes. Divide the apricots between serving plates.

Whisk the yogurt, the 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar and the 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest together in a small bowl. Spoon a little yogurt over each apricot half. Sprinkle with a little brown sugar and extra lemon zest for garnish.

CAPTIONS AND CREDITS