CREAMY LEMON ZUCCHINI

This week’s recipe is a fantastic and versatile base. Already vegetarian, you can use “non-dairy” products to make this dish vegan, or go the other way entirely and add a protein like chicken!

Ingredients

• ¼ cup unsalted butter

• ⅓ cup olive oil, plus more for serving

• 3 pounds zucchini, thinly sliced (about six medium zucchini) 

• 3 garlic cloves 

• Salt

• 1 pound fregola (or pearled couscous) - I used couscous

• 1 lemon

• 1 cup grated Parmesan 

• Torn basil (optional), for serving

(I baked some chicken thighs and cut them into bite-sized pieces to add more protein to this dish) 

Prep

1. Heat butter and olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When butter is melted and foaming subsides, add the zucchini and grate the garlic into the pot. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, then stir to coat in the oil. Cover and cook for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until completely broken down with a saucy consistency. If at any point the zucchini begins to brown or stick to the bottom, reduce the heat.

2. While the zucchini cooks, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook fregola until al dente, 8 to 12 minutes, then drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water. (If using couscous, prepare according to package directions)

3. Remove the pot of finished zucchini from the heat. Grate the zest of the lemon into the pot and then halve the lemon and squeeze in the juice. Season with salt and pepper. (The zucchini mixture can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 4 days.)

4. Add the fregola (or couscous) to the zucchini and stir until creamy and evenly combined. If the pasta is too thick or dry, add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen. (You won't have reserved pasta water if using couscous, but I didn't need to add any water). Stir in the Parmesan and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve topped with more olive oil and, if desired, torn basil. (I stirred in the chicken at the end. Tasted great!) 

Enjoy!