Sunflower seed penne

Ingredients for 3 servings:

• 400 g penne or other pasta
• salt water
• 2 zucchinis
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• olive oil
• 100 g sunflower seeds
• 4 tsp pesto (basil pesto)
• e.g. Parmesan

Instructions

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

Penne with roasted sunflower seeds – a light summer dish

Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package instructions. Meanwhile, peel the onions and cut into medium-sized cubes, peel the garlic, and finely chop. Wash, peel, and dice the zucchini. Wash the tomatoes as well, peeling if necessary. To do this, simply drop the washed tomatoes into the boiling pasta water with a tablespoon for about 20 seconds, then remove and let cool. The skin can now be easily peeled off with a knife. After peeling, dice the tomatoes. Roast the sunflower seeds in a small pan without oil and heat over medium heat. After 5-10 minutes, some of the seeds will begin to darken—quickly remove them from the pan, otherwise they will become too dark and taste burnt. When the pasta is done, drain and set aside in a colander. Heat a good splash of olive oil in a large pan. Then add the onions. Once translucent, add the zucchini cubes and fry, then add the tomatoes a little later. Then add the cooked pasta to the pan and fry with a dash of olive oil, mixing well. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and the pesto. Finally, sprinkle the roasted sunflower seeds over the pasta and fold in. Serve with Parmesan cheese. If you want it crispier, you can fry the pasta a little longer. Arugula or other ingredients also taste great in this pan; you can add them as desired; it’s a very versatile recipe. Anything that complements the nutty flavor of the roasted sunflower seeds and Italian cuisine is possible.