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3 Tbsp good flavorful olive oil, plus more for serving

4 garlic cloves

6 medium zucchini (I like one that are not too thick or fat as the inside is too watery)

4-5 long strips of lemon zest

2 dried chilis left whole or a pinch of dried chilis

2-3 rosemary stems

1½ tsp Maldon salt

1 tsp lemon juice, plus more for serving

½ tsp lemon zest, grated

2 Tbsp Parmigiano Reggiano, grated, plus more for serving

1 Tbsp heavy whipping cream, optional

8 basil leaves, roughly torn

1 lb pasta (I used radiatori but I also love fusilli or anything where the sauce can get stuck in the pasta)

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1. Trim the ends from the zucchini, then halve and slice into half moons. Slightly smash garlic cloves.

2. Starting out in a cold pan, add the olive oil and garlic and cook on a medium heat until the garlic has gone golden brown. Remove.

3. Add the zucchini, strips of lemon zest, chilis, rosemary and salt to the pan. Give it all a good mix and coat all the zucchini in the olive oil. Cook covered on medium low for 25-30 minutes. Every 7-8 minutes or so, I will stir it so nothing on the bottom burns. You don’t want the zucchini going brown.

4. Once the zucchini is totally soft and cooked, you can uncovered and start mashing it with a fork off the heat. Add the lemon juice, grated zest, and Parmigiano cheese. Give it a good mix and then add in the heavy cream, if using. Add in the torn basil leaves.

5. Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, as salty as the sea. Once it’s 1 minute under the al dente instructions, remove it straight to the sauce. Add a ladle of pasta water to the sauce and start mixing. Stir for about 30 seconds and you will have a beautiful and glossy sauce coating all the pasta.

6. Finish dish with another squeeze of lemon juice, drizzle of good olive oil, and a dusting of Parmigiano.

Tags: dinner, Italian, main, pasta, veg, vegetarian, zucchini

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