Zucchini Farfalle

If you are a meat and potatoes kind of person, it can sometimes be difficult to incorporate meals into your week that do not have chicken or beef as a main ingredient! Fortunately, this recipe is so fresh and flavorful that meals without meat won't seem so intimidating anymore!



Here's what you'll need (in order of appearance):

- salt
- 1 medium yellow onion (or white if your store doesn't carry yellow)
- 4 zucchini
- 3 cloves garlic
- 4 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 small can chicken broth
- 1 small package farfalle (also known as bowtie pasta)
- 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c. heavy cream
- pepper
- thyme
- basil
- lemon juice
- 2 c. grated parmesan

First, you want to put a pot of water on the stove over high heat. Be sure to add a shake of salt to the water. This will help the noodles not to stick together once you get to that point.

While you are waiting for the water to boil, dice up your onion! Next cut up your zucchini by chopping off the ends, then slicing them into four long strips.



Next, cut the long vertical portions of zucchini by slicing the other direction, about 1/2 inch thick. Then mince your garlic (remember, mincing means chopping those garlic cloves into the smallest pieces possible).

Your water should be boiling by now, so go ahead and toss in the pasta and reduce the heat to medium. Cook the pasta according to the package until it is al dente.

While your pasta is cooking, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet. Once the oil is nice and hot, toss in half of the chopped up zucchini. Add a couple shakes of salt. Now the secret to cooking zucchini is to not get stir-crazy right away. Let the zucchini cook on one side for a few minutes before you start stirring.



Stir and cook the zucchini until it is nice and brown. Then pour the zucchini on a plate and set aside. Repeat these steps with the other half of the zucchini.



In the same skillet as used for the zucchini, add 2 Tbsp. olive oil. Throw in the garlic and the onion. Stir around until the onion is nice and cooked. Then throw in 1/3 c. chicken broth.

Put the rest of the chicken broth in a small bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. flour to the bowl. Stir with a fork until the flour dissolves into the chicken broth. Add this mixture to the skillet and also add 1/2 c. cream. Next add the zucchini to the skillet.



Mix this around. Your sauce should be thickening up nicely. If it's a little too thick for your liking, you can use some water reserved from your pasta water to help thin out the sauce. If it's a nice consistency, however, no need to add anything! Next, season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

Your pasta should be cooked al dente at this point. Drain the pasta (if you haven't already) and pour the pasta into a large bowl. Shake in some basil, thyme, and add a few squirts of lemon juice. Now pour the skillet mixture over the pasta. Mix that baby up!



Now add the parmesan cheese (the more the merrier). Mix that up and serve!




* serves 4