You Must Make This Pasta

So as I mentioned a few days ago, my main squeeze, Sergio, had a birthday recently. And neither the presents, the two-day celebration, nor the grungy stripper are what made his birthday special. The pasta single-handedly made his birthday the most memorable birthday yet (if I may exaggerate and/or toot my own horn slightly). And let me tell ya, it is stupid-simple to make. If you don't make this recipe, you're an idiot. Sorry. Because whoever you feed it to will be in awe and praise you for life. Plus, it only takes about 20 minutes to make and it requires very few ingredients. Check this bad boy out:

Pasta with Zucchini and Red Cream Sauce:

2 medium zucchini, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1 clove garlic, whole but cracked (smash it against a cutting board with your palm)

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped (plus more for garnish)

1 jar marinara sauce

15 ounces ricotta cheese (can use part-skim)

1 pound pasta (penne, ziti, cavatappi, have your pick...)

2 cups mozzarella, provolone, and/or parmesan

Boil water. Saute zucchini in olive oil with cracked garlic glove over medium heat for approximately 7 minutes.   Add the basil. Remove the garlic clove. Move the zucchini mixture into a bowl and set aside. Using the same pan, poor in the marinara and heat through on low heat. This would be a good time to add the pasta to the boiling water (be mindful of the pasta's cook time and time accordingly). Add the ricotta cheese to the marinara and whisk until combined. Add the zucchini into the sauce. When pasta is cooked to al dente, strain and combine the pasta and the sauce. At this point, you have a decision to make. You can 1) ex-nay the cheeses and serve as is, or 2) place the pasta into a baking dish and top with the cheese mixture and heat under the broiler for a few minutes until the cheese is melted and golden brown, or 3)  you can place into individual ramekins and evenly distribute the cheese on top and broil until golden brown. Garnish with the basil, and try not to let the pleasure overwhelm you.

The creaminess (sans cream) of the sauce makes it incredibly decadent and the basil and zucchini add fresh flavor. Plus, who doesn't love the taste of browned, melty cheese. And isn't this recipe super easy? Gosh I can't get over it; You Must Make This Pasta!

Moral of the story? Even a 2-day birthday celebration involving gifts and a grungy stripper can't top this pleasure-fest of a meal!