A simple, tasty pasta recipe with that garden zucchini

Every year, there’s a zucchini problem, and it goes something like this: Too many zucchini, not enough ideas.

Oh, sure, you can avoid them. That is, if you’re not a gardener who planted them, or a communitysupported-agriculture subscriber who gets them in your box, or a market shopper who was seduced by the stacks of green.

As a vegetarian dedicated to seasonal eating, I usually eat my fill for as long as they’re around, and even miss them when they’re gone. Well, maybe a few months after they’re gone.

Until then, here’s another idea for cooking them simply: You coarsely grate the zucchini, cook it with onion and garlic, brighten the lot with lemon juice, and toss it with pappardelle pasta and pine nuts. The zucchini almost disappears (a boon if you — or your dinner guests

E— aren’t a fan), and the dish tastes summery and fresh. Best of all, you’ve dispatched another couple zucchini in the process. 4 servings Adapted from “15 Minute Vegan: Fast, Modern Cooking” by Katy Beskow (Quadrille, 2017). Ingredients

½ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus

more as needed

8 ounces dried pappardelle

E3 tablespoons extra-virgin

olive oil

1 medium onion, finely

chopped (about 1 cup) 1 clove garlic, chopped 2 medium zucchini (12 ounces total), trimmed and coarsely grated

¼ cup fresh lemon juice ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more as needed

¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (see

NOTE)

Handful fresh basil leaves Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over mediumhigh heat. Add the pappardelle and cook according to the package directions, until al dente, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook until the onion starts to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the zucchini and increase the heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, until the zucchini is tender but not mushy, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, the ½ teaspoon of salt and the pepper.

Toss the cooked pappardelle into the pan with the zucchini to coat evenly. Taste, and add more salt and pepper, as needed.

Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and scatter the pine nuts and basil on top.

NOTE: Toast the pine nuts in a small, dry skillet over a medium heat until fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, shaking the pan a few times to avoid scorching. Let cool completely before serving or storing.

Nutrition | Per serving: 380 calories, 10 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates, 19 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 290 mg sodium, 4 g dietary fiber, 5 g sugar