Zucchini, Buffalo Mozzarella and Cherry Tomato Linguini

My refrigerator overflowed with groceries, like a Christmas window filled with children’s toys a few days before the big event.  Peering at the selection of food, visions of what to make for dinner  flooded my head …

I used to live in Point Grey, Vancouver—a lovely, well established neighbourhood, close to the University of British Columbia.  Quaint boutiques and cafés lined the main street and bustled with activity from local pedestrians poking in and out of shops.  I fondly remember spring-times there, when every May, trees that lined the sidewalks would explode with globes of pink and white petals, turning the street into a carnival with their cotton candy-topped trunks. 

I especially remember one spring, when someone took the liberty of “beautifying” the planters that were home to the blossoming trees.  The anonymous gardener had filled each box with annuals one night, until their lushness spilled out onto the sidewalk by morning. Whether this added beauty to the street or not was subjective, but who was to argue with a covert green-crusader?  It was an obvious amateur job, but added a welcome, homey vibe to the community. 

Walking home from work one day, I noticed one planter with flora that looked vaguely familiar yet somehow out of place.  Tiny, yellow flowers peaked out from large velvet-looking leaves that were deep jade in colour and variegated with soft white lines.  I took a closer look ... a zucchini plant had been planted in one of the boxes, perhaps by mistake?  As spring turned into summer, so did the tiny yellow flowers, turn into zucchinis.  Every day I would check to see how they were growing, until one day, I bravely plucked one off of its vine and took it home for supper.

Please with my new acquisition, I took out my grater and began to grate the emerald vegetable.  Ribbons of creamy flesh, spiked with forest green, began to pile upon my cutting board.  I gently heated some olive oil and sautéed a few garlic cloves and a pinch of chili flakes until fragrant; tipped in the zucchini shards and tossed it all with linguini.  A small handful of parmesan crowned the dish and the pasta was ready to be devoured. 

The recipe below is an evolution of my first attempt at marrying zucchini with pasta.  The same principal for simplicity and freshness, below, confirms that you can never go wrong with a few basic, quality ingredients.

Zucchini, Buffalo Mozzarella and Cherry Tomato Linguini

serves 2

• 2 small zucchinis, sliced thinly on a mandolin
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half and seeds removed
• 1 ball of buffalo mozzarella, torn into chunks
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
• 1/2 lemon, zest and juice
• pinch of chili flakes
• 12 fresh basil leaves, sliced thinly
• 12 fresh mint leaves, sliced thinly
• olive oil
• 1/2 package of linguini
• salt to taste

Directions

1. bring a pot of water to boil and cook pasta according to directions
2. heat oil in a large sauté pan and gently sauté garlic until soft—be careful not to burn the garlic
3. add zucchini and cherry tomatoes and heat through—I like the vegetables to be just warmed
4. season with chili flakes
5. add the cooked linguini, lemon juice and zest and toss together
6. plate pasta in large bowls
7. top pasta with torn buffalo mozzarella and ribbons of basil and mint