Easy Penne Pasta with Zucchini and Basil Pesto

Ingredients

• 1 box Dreamfields Penne
• Salt, for pasta cooking water
• 2 medium zucchinis cut into half-moon shapes
• 1 T minced fresh garlic
• 1 T olive oil
• Salt and fresh ground black pepper, for seasoning zucchini
• 2/3 cup Basil Pesto with Lemon
• 1/2 cup pasta cooking water

Directions

1. Set a large pot of water over the heat with about 2 tsp. salt stirred in, and bring it to a boil while you handle the rest of the prep.
2. Rinse the zucchini if they need it, trim the ends, split each zucchini lengthwise into 2 pieces, and slice into half-moon pieces. If a zucchini is especially big, make 4 long pieces before slicing.
3. Pour 2/3 cup basil pesto into a measuring cup, then chop enough fresh garlic for 1 tablespoon.
4. When the pot is boiling, drop in the pasta and give it a stir, then lower the burner to medium, or to whatever setting keeps the water at a gentle bubble. Follow the package directions for the pasta, and before draining, scoop out 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Keep it firm, not mushy; for this pasta, exactly 9 minutes is the target.
5. As the pasta cooks, get the olive oil warming in a frying pan roomy enough to take all the pasta once it is cooked. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the minced garlic, lower the heat to medium, and cook only until the garlic aroma shows up, about 1 minute. Keep an eye on it, because browned garlic is not the goal here.
6. Next, add the zucchini slices, sprinkle in salt and fresh ground black pepper to your taste, and cook, stirring, until it reaches tender-crisp, about 5 minutes. Try one piece and stop when it has the texture you like; a little snap is a good thing.
7. Spoon the pesto into the pan with the zucchini, and fold it through gently. If the pasta needs more time, take the pan off the heat.
8. Transfer the drained pasta to the pan with the zucchini and pesto, then toss gently, splashing in as much of the pasta cooking water as seems necessary so everything comes together smoothly.
9. Bring it to the table hot.
10. Leftovers are fine in the fridge for 1 day or 2, though this pasta is at its best right after you make it.