It’s October and I am harvesting the last of my garden. It’s only my second year tending to my food garden and it didn’t go that well. While I did harvest an amazing amount of eggplants, garlic and basil, and I am still getting little tomatoes and the last of the cucumbers, the caterpillars ate the kale, the peppers failed, the heirloom tomatoes never grew, and zucchini plant produced one, and only one, very tiny zucchini.
I am not sure what happened out there, but I know from my flower garden, that things fluctuate. I planted the tomatoes really late because it was cold until June. I don’t know where this caterpillar infestation came from but I am determined to make sure it doesn’t happen next year. And I am going to have to be more thoughtful in general about what I plant
In the meantime, I am enjoying the last of my garden with this amazingly fresh and tasty dish. It feels really summery but theoretically it can be made anytime. I use roasted garlic from my stash from the summer and lemon zest for an extra zing. But, add any flavors you like and/or any other vegetables for a kind of primavera. Because, let’s face it, there is nothing better than a big bowl of pasta, sauce and vegetables. At least in my world!
GARDEN PASTA WITH ZUCCHINI, FRESH TOMATOES & BASIL
Fresh zucchini, tomatoes and basil make this pasta dish light and delicious! This recipe makes enough for one person, but make enough for as many people you are cooking for!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb. spaghetti (use gluten-free, if necessary!)
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 teaspoon roasted garlic (press a clove if you don't have roasted garlic on hand)
- 6 cherry tomatoes
- 3 or 4 basil leaves (save one for garnish!)
- Lemon zest, a few scrapes
- Tomato sauce (homemade or store-bought)
- Olive oil, for sautéeing
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
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Get the pasta going.
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Slice the zucchini into thin, bite size rounds. Heat the olive oil in a pan and sauté until they start to soften. Add the garlic.
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Slice the tomatoes in half and add to the pan. Add the basil leaves and lemon zest.
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Add tomato sauce and mix everything together.
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Drain the pasta, reserving some cooking water, and add the pasta to the pan. If the sauce is too thick, add pasta water. If not, add more sauce. Make it to your liking. Enjoy!
