Grated Zucchini Pesto Rigatoni

Ingredients

2 ounces fresh basil leaves

1 ounce baby spinach

1 garlic clove (smashed and peeled)

2 tablespoons pine nuts (toasted)

Zest of 1 lemon (plus more for topping)

⅓ cup olive oil (plus more as needed)

½ cup freshly grated pecorino Romano

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

2 small zucchini (grated on the large side of a box grater)

12 ounces dry rigatoni

EVOO (for topping)

Torn burrata (for topping (optional)

Chili flake (for topping (optional)

Directions

Place a large pot of water over high heat to boil. Prepare a large ice bath.

Add the basil and spinach to the boiling water to blanch for 30 seconds, then immediately transfer using a slotted spoon to the ice bath. Save the boiling water to cook the pasta!!

Squeeze out all the excess water from the basil/spinach and roughly chop. Transfer to a high-power blender along with the garlic, pine nuts, lemon zest, and olive oil. Blend until smooth, adding a drizzle more olive oil if needed to get things going.

Transfer to a medium bowl, fold in the pecorino and season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in the grated zucchini. Set aside while you boil the pasta.

Heavily salt the reserved boiling water. Drop in the pasta and cook for 30 seconds under the package directions.

Add the cooked pasta to a pot over low heat with a splash of pasta water. Add in the zucchini pesto and stir to coat. Add more small splashes of pasta water as needed to create a saucy consistency. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. This should only take 1-2 minutes of cooking time for everything to come together and finish that last bit of cooking of the pasta.

Serve topped with more lemon zest, a drizzle of evoo and torn burrata and chili flakes if using.