Penne Rigate with zucchini and tomato

Ingredients for 2 servings:

• 200g Penne Rigate (Rigatoni)
• 2 small zucchini
• 200 g cherry tomatoes
• 25 g Parmesan, freshly grated
• 20 g butter, cold
• 1 large garlic clove(s)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Salt
• pepper
• basil

Instructions

Working time approx. 10 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 15 minutes; Total time approx. 25 minutes

Quick pasta dish for hectic weekdays

Cook the pasta in plenty of salted water according to the package instructions, reserving 1 coffee cup’s worth of water when draining and setting it aside. Meanwhile, peel the garlic clove and chop it very finely. Place a large pan on the stove, add the olive oil and garlic clove to the cold oil, and heat gently over medium heat. The garlic pieces should fry gently without burning, otherwise they will become bitter. Wash the cherry tomatoes, pat dry, and halve them. Wash and pat dry the zucchini. Cut each zucchini lengthwise and then halve each piece lengthwise again. Cut each piece into three to four large pieces. Don’t cut too small; the zucchini should still have some bite at the end and not fall apart. Add the zucchini to the garlic in the pan and cook for about 8 minutes over medium heat. Then add the halved tomatoes, sauté for about 1 minute, and season with salt and pepper. Don’t use too much salt, as the Parmesan will add flavor. Then add the pasta water and butter. The starch in the pasta water, combined with the cold butter, creates a lovely, creamy, and very quick sauce. Gently mix everything with the pasta and fold in the grated Parmesan. Roughly tear the basil and sprinkle over the top. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.