zucchini tomato pasta

my commute to work is about 1.5 hours door to door.

and since i don't have to make the trek every single day,

i've actually learned to enjoy it, especially on these sunny summer days.

yesterday on my way home, i was in the zone...

the AC was on full blast and all the windows were down.

my hair was blowing around all wild and crazy.

then i turned on my M83 pandora station....

and that's when it happened.

i just felt like i was in a dream.

or a car commercial.

either way. you should do yourself a favor and listen to some M83 today.

it might change your life :)

recipe via the food network

ingredients

kosher salt

2 large zucchini, coarsely grated

12 ounces lasagna noodles (not no-boil), broken into bite-size pieces

or other pasta of your choice. i used a bow-tie :)

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups cherry tomatoes (1 cup whole, 1 cup halved)

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

1 small bunch chives, cut into 1-inch pieces

directions

 1. bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

meanwhile, toss the zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a colander set over a large bowl.

let stand 10 minutes, then gently squeeze out the excess moisture.

2. add the pasta to the boiling water and stir vigorously to prevent it from sticking.

cook until al dente, about 12 minutes.

reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

3. meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

add the cherry tomatoes and cook until blistered and slightly softened, about 4 minutes.

stir in the zucchini and lemon zest and cook,

lightly crushing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon,

until the zucchini is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes.

season with salt and pepper.

4. transfer the zucchini-tomato mixture to a large bowl.

add the pasta and cheese and toss.

stir in half of the chives and about 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water,

adding more to loosen, if needed. season with salt and pepper.

5. divide among bowls and top with more cheese and the remaining chives.