Pappardelle with Pesto Sauce, Zucchini, & Goat Cheese

| By: Josh Riembauer |

This is a feel-good recipe that reminds me of warm, sunny days, with a colorful variety of ingredients including the summer vegetables cherry tomato and zucchini. There are a number of flavors present in this dish that all complement, rather than compete with, each other. Although the recipe only calls for ½ teaspoon of chili flakes, it adds just the right amount of spiciness to round out the overall taste of the dish.

Ingredients

• 1 batch pappardelle pasta

• 1 punnet cherry tomatoes

• 2 large zucchini, cut into rounds

• ½ teaspoon chili flakes

• Goat cheese (any amount desired)

Pesto Sauce:

• 1 ½ cups basil leaves

• ¾ parsley leaves

• 1 large garlic clove

• ¼ cup olive oil

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Juice of ½ lemon

Cooking Instructions

1. Rinse, dry, and measure the appropriate amount of basil leaves and parsley leaves. Add to a food processor or blender. Also add the peeled garlic clove, olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Blitz until the desired consistency of the pesto sauce is reached. Set aside for later use.

2. Heat a large pan over medium-high heat with a little olive oil (enough to cover the bottom). Add all of the cherry tomatoes and the chili flakes. Cover the pan except to occasionally mix the tomatoes to prevent burning. Cook for 3-5 minutes, until the tomatoes begin to burst. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Heat another large pan over low-medium heat with some olive oil just as in step #2. Cook the sliced zucchini rounds until golden-brown on each side. Do in as many batches as necessary depending on the size of the pan so all of the zucchini rounds can cook properly.

4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add salt and pepper if desired. Cook dry pappardelle for 6 minutes (for al dente) to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Drain the pasta and add then add back to the pot. Add the pesto sauce, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and toss to combine. Add goat cheese as desired.

Notes

• Serve right away! Store any leftovers in the refrigerator and eat within 3-5 days.

• For step #3, can use the same pan from step #2, but make sure to add more olive oil as necessary to prevent burning.

• Can add pine nuts as an ingredient to the pesto sauce if desired.