This pasta is the epitome of late summer and early fall. It’s fresh but cozy and pairs perfectly with a crispy chicken cutlet, filet mignon, or even short ribs… I think I just gave myself an idea.
The first time I made this, I took my eyes off of the zucchini for a few minutes too long, got distracted by the pasta, and it was disastrous. Both the zucchini and the garlic were blackened and icky. I ended up removing half of it and adding in another zucchini. Sometimes things flop!! But that’s why I urge you to keep the temps lower, be patient, and add pasta water.
If you’re here from instagram, then you likely saw my longer form ‘practicing for my cooking show’ video - if you watched the whole thing or even more than 5 seconds, THANK YOU! longer form videos are intimidating to film and edit and yet I had so much fun making this one.
Here’s the full recipe, enjoy <3
Ingredients
2 zucchinis
1/4 sweet onion
4 garlic cloves
2 servings of pasta
1 cup pasta water
2 tablespoons basil pesto
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 lemon wedge
parmesan cheese, lots
seasoning: salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
Instructions
Cook your pasta until al dente, reserve a cup of pasta water and drain the rest. I love mafaldine because it looks like pretty ribbons and the crimped edges hold sauce really well!
To prep your veggies: Cut the ends off the zucchini, then slice it in half long ways. Cut each half into little half moons, about 1/4 inch in thickness. Don’t worry if they’re not all uniform! Peel and thinly slice or chop the garlic cloves. Slice the 1/4 of an onion into slices about the same thickness as the zucchini.
Add a tablespoon or two of olive oil to a skillet over medium low heat. Add in onion and sauté until it starts to soften and appears more translucent. Then add in the garlic and zucchini. Sauté and stir every couple of minutes, add a splash of pasta water to help it cook down. Be careful not to let it burn or brown! If it’s sticking, add another splash of pasta water and turn the heat down a bit. Season with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes.
10-15 minutes later, the zucchini should be mushy! Stir in the basil pesto, heavy cream, and a splash of pasta water. Add in your pasta and toss to coat. Add pasta water if needed to help the sauce spread.
Turn the heat to low and top with lots of parmesan and a squeeze of lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and add more salt/pepper as needed. I always add extra red pepper flakes!
ENJOY!!