A Crowd Pleaser

Wanted to share this yummy recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

It has become our favorite!!

And it is so easy!

Taken from the book- Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson (pg 137)
I'll give you her exact recipe and then below that I will share with you the way I prepare/serve it.

Summer Linguine

2 large zucchini, coarsely grated (I use a potatoe peeler to peel strips of the zucc.)

8 oz of linguine

2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes

1 tbs of butter

1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Put the zucchini in a colander, sprinkle with a few generous pinches of salt and let sit over a bowl or in the sink for 10 min.

In the meantime, cook the pasta. Salt generously and cook al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving a little cooking water.

Just before you are ready to eat, heat the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper in a large skillet over medium heat for 1-2 min, until fragrant and the garlic just begins to brown. Squeeze the zucchini between your hands, over the sink, to eliminate any excess liquid and add to the skillet. Cook unitl tender, stirring frequently, about 2 min.

Add the pasta to the pan and add a little cooking water if the zucchini mixture seems on the dry side. Toss to distribute the zucchini throughout the pasta. Add the butter and cheese and toss again. Season with salt and black peepper and divide amond bowls. Top with more cheese if you like.

Changes:

I do not reserve the water. After draining the pasta, I add a splash of olive oil and toss it, so the pasta does not get dry.

I do not mix the zucchini mixture and pasta. I allow each person to decide if they want it served on top of the pasta or on the side of their plate. And each person can choose if they want to top it with cheese or not.

As you peel the zuc, it will get to a point where it becomes to thin to peel any further. I always take this part and chop it up into bite size pieces. Since the zucchini mixture above can be to spicy for my little ones taste buds, I use these bite size pieces, sauted in a little butter, as their side dish.

Our changes are minor, but it goes to show you can make this your own.

I always serve this with a nice loaf of garlic bread.

A fast and easy meal that is sure to please the whole crew!