This simple recipe employs summer’s bounty of zucchini for a sweet, subtly fragrant pasta sauce. The zucchini is grated and sautéed along with minced shallot and fresh thyme until most of the moisture has evaporated, then butter and cheese are stirred in for richness. The mixture may seem very thick, but it turns into a silky sauce thanks to a generous splash of pasta water. Serve it with a long pasta, like linguine or fettucine, topped with more cheese and a few leaves of fresh thyme.
2-4 servings
- Place a large saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the shallot and cook, stirring often, until translucent and beginning to brown, about 3 minutes.
- Add the grated zucchini and a large pinch of salt and stir well. Cover and cook for about 8 minutes or until the zucchini has softened and shrunk by about half. Uncover the pan and stir in the thyme leaves. Use the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher to mash the zucchini to a pulpy consistency. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook, stirring often, until most of the water has evaporated from the zucchini and you’re left with a somewhat dry, almost paste-like consistency, about 10 minutes. Stir in the butter and cheese, then taste and adjust the seasoning as desired (this dish will require a generous amount of salt).
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add in the pasta and cook to al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and reserve 1 cup of cooking liquid.
- Add the pasta to the zucchini mixture along with a healthy splash of the reserved pasta water. Toss the mixture, adding more pasta water as necessary, until the zucchini mixture forms a glossy sauce that clings to the pasta. Serve immediately with more Parmesan and a few extra leaves of fresh thyme.