I’ve never loved zucchini. Watery, soft, and relatively bland, it strikes me as the tofu of vegetables— a food that, for better or for worse, only tastes like whatever you cook it with. As a side, in a sandwich… I’ve always found it inoffensive but uninspiring.

But I should have been more forgiving. It turns out that, like me, zucchini becomes its best self when given plenty of time to relax and a fair amount of pasta.

In this recipe, those bland wannabe cucumbers simmer in their own rendered liquid, reducing and reducing and reducing some more until they become rich, flavorful, and downright jammy. Toss through the standard summer pasta accoutrements—the zest and juice of a nice fat lemon, plenty of parmesan, and as much basil as your heart desires—and you have a sauce that is complex but still light enough for summertime.

I made this for dinner for my oldest friend, Parinaz, and her new husband, Taylor, who were just back from a honeymoon in Greece. The recipe requires very little attention, leaving me free to chat (and grill them about everything they ate overseas) while I cooked. Served outdoors, on a cool Bay Area night after a hot day, with a bottle of rosé and hours to talk— it was really the perfect summer evening.

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Previously:
One year ago: Asian Chicken Salad with Snap Peas and Bok Choi
Two years ago: Buttermilk Ice Cream with Olive Oil and Sea Salt (the most surprising flavor combination– this is on heavy rotation at my house in the summer)
Three years ago: Sweet Corn Tofu Frittata with Roasted Cherry Tomato Compote

And for my Australians:
Six months ago: Curried Lentil, Coconut, and Tomato Soup
One and a half years ago: Bittersweet Double-Chocolate Cookies
Two and a half years ago: Chicken Tagine with Olives and Preserved Lemons
Three and a half years ago: Ontama Bukkake (A simple Japanese noodle soup— the very first recipe on the blog, and one I still make all the time in the winter!)

Pasta of the Summer
edizione 2018: Pasta al Pomodoro
edizione 2017: Fettuccine with Rosemary and Lemon

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Summer Squash and Basil Pasta

Adapted from Bon Appétit
Serves 4

Ingredients

olive oil, for sautéing and for drizzling
8 cloves garlic, sliced
3 1/2 pounds (1.59kg) zucchini, quartered lengthwise and then sliced crosswise
salt
pinch of red pepper flakes, to taste
12-14 ounces (340-396g) short pasta, such as penne, capunti, or ziti
5 ounces (141g) Parmesan, grated
juice and zest of one lemon
6 sprigs (or more, really as much as you want here) basil, roughly sliced

Instructions

Heat oil in a large, tall-sided skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic, stirring occasionally, until very lightly browned around the edges, about 2 minutes. Add squash and increase heat to medium high; season with a few good pinches of salt. Cook, tossing occasionally, until squash begins to break down.

Once the squash starts sticking to the pot, turn the heat back down to medium and continue to cook until the squash is jammy and soft. For me, this took 35 minutes from the time I first put the squash in the pot. Throw in a pinch of red pepper flakes.

While the squash is cooking, cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until slightly undercooked. (You’re going to finish cooking the pasta in the sauce.) Reserve a mug full of pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.

Transfer pasta to the skilled with the squash. Continue to cook the pasta in the sauce for a few minutes. As it cooks, add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and generous splashes of the cooking water in stages, stirring frequently, until the pasta is as done as you like it (taste as you go to check!). Finally, add about 2/3 of the Parmesan and most of the basil; stir until melted and combined.

Divide the pasta among bowls and top with more Parmesan, remaining basil, and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve!