Circle B Kitchen

I’d say a year and plus months makes it high time that I pop in here and check in with you all. So Hi! Hope you’re all doing well and you and yours are staying healthy. We’re all doing fine here.

With vaccinations all in order, we were able to pull the family together for a week of fun in the Colorado mountains this summer. On the tail of this epic adventure, The Husband and I celebrated 50 years of being married, conveniently to each other. I can’t even begin to describe how crazy it is to contemplate this. I mean, I still haven’t fully taken in the idea of being alive for 50 years. Clearly, I have some catching up to do here. Nevertheless, we’re celebrating this fun and romantic achievement with a trip to NYC this fall to eat endless plates of gorgeous food, take in some Broadway shows, re-visit our favorite spots and discover some new ones.

In the meantime, the blogging hiatus continues, and work on the book is moving forward. Mostly. I’ve finally finished weeding through the hundreds and hundreds of recipes I’ve amassed over my 50+ years of cooking, and decisions have been made (and unmade) about which recipes will be included. It’s a fairly fluid process that’s sort of taking shape as I refine the recipes and pull it all together into something that I have yet to actually figure out. That sort of sums it up right there. I’ll keep you posted.

But I couldn’t just pop in, say Hi! and pop back out for another year, right? I mean, in spite of being busy with life stuff and recipe testing and book assemblage, there’s been some serious (and lots of not-so-serious) cooking going on, and the least I can do is share a recipe with you while I’m here. And for some reason, it seems fitting that it be a pasta recipe. 😬 But not just any pasta recipe.. no, it should be one that’s seasonal, easy and ever so delish. So, how ‘bout this one? It’s an awesome zucchini pasta that's become one of our new favorite summertime meals, (yes, I know summer is over for most of you, but I’m not giving up that easily; 11 more days, people). Even in late summer/early fall there is still fresh zucchini and basil in abundance, and honestly, this stuff is really really good even if the zucchini and basil aren’t at peak season.

It seems that all summer long we're inundated with the mazillionth new way to pair up tomatoes and basil, which of course is delightfully delicious. But very few know that although tomatoes and basil are definitely BFF's, zucchini and basil are every bit as tight; they just aren't quite as braggy about it.

So I'm here to tell you that zucchini and basil are definitely good friends and this is one scrumptious pasta recipe that makes the point. Throw in some lemon, some creamy feta cheese, maybe a little spice if you’re so inclined, and a little grated Parm and we're talking about a memorable meal that would come together quickly on a busy weeknight or impress guests on the weekend. We like that.

As a quick side note, I must mention that in order to create the creamy sauce that makes this pasta so delectable, one must procure feta cheese of the highest quality. True feta cheese is made from sheep's milk or maybe a combination of sheep's and goat's milk and is sold in blocks with some of the brine used in the aging process. I strongly advise against using pre-crumbled feta cheese here, which is usually made from cow's milk, is much dryer, less flavorful and will not be at all helpful in creating the creamy sauce we're after. But good feta cheese is widely available and can be spotted by a quick peak at the ingredients label. Some of my favorites are Bulgarian feta, French and Israeli feta. But of course, a good Greek feta is always a great choice.

Alrighty then, I'll stop talking so you can get cooking. Here's the recipe...

Zucchini Pasta with Lemon, Feta and Basil

Click here for a printable recipe

This is such a great pasta dish. It’s bright with lemon and fresh with basil and zucchini. We love the bit of spice, but if you’re spice averse, I recommend you just use a little less and try not to leave it out altogether. If you like spicy, add a little more. I can’t stress enough the importance of using a large 12-inch pan here. In order to get all of the components mixed in well with the pasta, you need that real estate in the pan. Enjoy!

Serves 4-6

3 medium/large zucchini
1 pound dried pasta (I used spaghetti)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh basil (plus a little more for serving)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (plus more for garnish)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and then cut into half-moons. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta 2 minutes less than the package directions. Before draining, remove 1 cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan. Add the sliced zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and some fresh cracked black pepper (to taste). Saute for 5 minutes or until just barely tender.

Add the drained pasta to the pot along with the parmesan, lemon zest and juice, basil, and feta cheese. Stir in about half of the reserved cooking water. Toss to combine, then taste for salt and pepper and toss again, adding more of the pasta cooking water as needed. I usually use the full 1/2 cup.

Turn the pasta into a serving bowl and top with some more crumbled feta cheese and chopped basil. Serve immediately. Pass extra parmesan cheese at the table, if you'd like. We like :)