Zucchini and Bow Ties

Photo: Emily Zager

Ingredients

Coarse salt

1 pound bow tie pasta

1/4 cup olive oil (4 times around the pan)

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium zucchini, cut into match sticks (or I just used one large)

Cherry tomatoes (I was feeling creative, though, and happened to have some orange

Coarse black pepper

1 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese

1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn or shredded

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it. Cook the bow ties al dente. Heads up: you will need to save a couple of ladles of starchy cooking water.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add the zucchini (and tomatoes). Cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and add a couple of ladles of cooking water. Drain the pasta and add to the zucchini. Toss with the cheese and turn off heat. Toss for 2 minutes, until the liquids are absorbed. Serve in shallow bowls with lots of shredded basil on top.