Summer Squash Pasta

This one is a giant summertime hug in a bowl!! I love eating squash all year round but especially in the summer when they taste super fresh!!

To make the breadcrumbs at home: rip up a few slices of your favorite bread (I did a demi baguette of ciabatta) and place them in a food processor. Blend until crumb size. Mix with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp garlic powder and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook the bread crumbs in a skillet on medium heat until toasted and crispy - about 10 minutes. Be sure to stir them every few minutes so that they cook evenly and don't burn.

What you need:

• 1/2 lb pasta (I used rigatoni)
• 1 large green zucchini 
• 1 large yellow zucchini 
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp evoo
• 2 garlic cloves, grated
• 3 tbsp lemon juice (I used half a lemon)
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
• 1/2 cup toasted breadcrumbs (see recipe above in blog post intro)

What to do:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to packaging instructions.
2. If making homemade breadcrumbs (highly recommended) see the step for that in the intro to this blog post above.
3. Grate both kinds of zucchini and use either a cheese cloth or thin dish towel to drain out all of their liquid. There's a lot - be sure to get it all so that your pasta dish isn't soupy.
4. Melt the butter in a large skillet and grate the garlic into it.
   
5. Once the garlic is fragrant, add in the zucchini and mix. Season with a little salt and pepper here. The zucchini will start to caramelize after a few minutes and then it's ready for the pasta.
6. Add the pasta, lemon juice and parmesan cheese to the zucchini and start to mix it all together. About halfway through mixing, add in that starchy pasta water to make it all come together and for an extra silky texture.
7. Top with a little more parm, breadcrumbs and black pepper right before serving.