The star of this bright summer pasta is a luscious zucchini sauce made from sautéing zucchini with olive oil and garlic, then braising with pasta cooking water and lemon until meltingly tender. Blend until smooth with a little butter and Parmesan for a creamy and delicious vegetable-based sauce.
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Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 1/4 cups cooking water, then drain.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium heat. When the garlic begins to sizzle, add the zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the zucchini begins to soften, about 5 minutes; reduce the heat to medium-low if the zucchini begins to brown. After draining the pasta, add 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water and the lemon zest to the skillet. Bring to a simmer and cook until the zucchini is very tender and the water is reduced by half, 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a blender and wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Add the basil, lemon juice and another 1/2 cup reserved cooking water to the blender and blend until the mixture is smooth. With the blender on medium speed, slowly add the butter a few pieces at a time until the sauce thickens slightly and all the butter is incorporated.
Pour the sauce back into the skillet, stir in 1 teaspoon pepper and heat over medium heat. Add the pasta and toss, adding more of the reserved cooking water 1 tablespoon at a time if the sauce seems too thick. When the pasta and sauce are both hot, remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Add more cooking water or cheese to thin or thicken the sauce as needed; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide among bowls and top with more Parmesan.
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Photograph by Ghazalle Badiozamani
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