Summer Zucchini Pasta

Guess what I am having for lunch today. Leftover pasta from dinner last night. I only made like a fourth of the recipe because I didn't think Alex and Elisa would like it much (Sabrina doesn't like pasta) and knew I'd like it, but had no idea how much I'd like it. They both liked it as much as I did. I could have eaten this as a main dish, but I indoor grilled some marinated chicken to have with it. We have just a little left over from last night and I'm about to go enjoy it. Next time I'll definitely make more. I just used a block of mozzarella instead of the fresh mozzarella. Not as fancy, but still tasted great.  

I found this recipe recently at Samantha's cooking blog Cool Foodie Mama. If you'd like to check out her family blog, pop by The Extraordinaries. She's in the middle of moving with her family from Oregon to Utah right now (literally on the road).

Summer Zucchini Pasta1 pound penne pasta
1 medium green zucchini
1 medium/small yellow summer squash
2 med. cloves of garlic
1 pint of cherry tomatoes (or grape tomatoes, DON'T use regular sized tomatoes)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella (not water packed, it's the squishy kind that's next to the water packed stuff, should be in a big ball wrapped in plastic)
FRESH chopped basil
Olive oil

Cook your pasta according to package directions and save some pasta water in a glass, drain and set aside.


Sauté the zucchini and summer squash that have been diced into bite size or slightly larger pieces, add in the garlic on top. Depending on the size of your pieces and sauté pan, it will take approximately 10-12 minutes. Season while sauteeing with salt and pepper. Don't over-sauté the zucchini, you don't want it mushy, just enough to take the raw edge off. Set aside to cool slightly.


Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and set aside. Dice the cheese and place back into the fridge until the last minute. Chop the basil and set aside.

THIS IS NOT A HOT DISH!


In your empty pasta pot, place your pasta and toss with zucchini mixture, add in cherry tomatoes and stir to just barely warm them through. Salt and pepper to taste. You may need to add in some pasta water at this point to make a bit of a coating for the pasta, also adding a tablespoon of olive oil if needed.


Toss in most of the basil, reserving some for garnish. Lastly, add in your mozzarella and toss to combine. Salt and pepper to taste. Pour into serving dish, garnish and serve.


**NOTE: This is not meant to be a hot dish, the mozzarella will melt and create a big gooey mess, you want it barely warm or even room temperature. Enjoy right away.