Fitlicious

Ingredients

5 quarts salted water in a 6-quart pot
1 pound small zucchini, about 4 or 5
1 pound imported penne pasta
4 tablespoons good tasting extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes, and more to taste
4 large garlic cloves, coarse chopped
2 cups grape tomatoes halved, or 2 cups fresh tomatoes, rough chopped
1 to 1-1/2 cups feta cheese, crumbled
1/3 tight-packed cup fresh basil leaves, rough chopped
Pan Fried Zucchini Flowers (optional; see recipe below)

1. Have the salted water boiling.

2. Trim off the ends of the zucchini. Cut the squash into matchsticks about the size of the penne.

3. Drop the pasta into the boiling water. In the last 3 minutes of boiling (check pasta package for timing), drop the zucchini into the pot. Boil, stirring often, until the penne are tender but still have a little bite. Scoop out 1 cup of the pasta water and reserve. Immediately drain the pasta and zucchini in a colander.

4. Return the pasta pot to the heat, turning it down to low. Film the bottom of the pot with the olive oil. Add the hot pepper flakes and garlic, and gently saute just until the garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.

5. Remove the pot from the heat, add the drained pasta and zucchini, the tomatoes, feta, basil, and as much of the reserved pasta water as necessary to lightly coat the pasta. Gently toss, taste for seasoning, and serve. Top each serving of pasta with the zucchini flowers if you'd like.

LYNNE'S T