Pasta with Chickpeas and Zucchini

In late summer there is nothing more plentiful than zucchini and summer squash. These veggies grow plentifully - and most home gardeners know that if you grow zucchini you will need to find plentiful ways to eat it. One summer I planted six dark star zucchini bushes - and we ate it at every meal for months. This recipe is one of my mom’s, something she has made for as long as I can remember and it is a favorite for good reason.

This recipe does however spark some debate in our family - mom uses just onions, my father adds minced garlic as well. I will happily eat it both ways and leave that up to you.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons EVOO

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 medium zucchini

2 summer squash

1 medium/large sweet onion

3 cloves garlic (optional)

1 15oz can chickpeas

1 lb pasta

Set a large pot full of water to boil while you get started with the veggies - by the time the pasta is cooked the veggies will be ready.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Slice the onions into crescent moons, and add them to the oil, with the crushed red pepper and salt to taste. Cook the onions until soft, fragrant, and beginning to caramelize (these pictures were taken 10 or so minutes apart).

While the onions cook prep the zucchini/squash - it can be chopped into thin chunks, or grated on the coarse side of a box grater. Add the garlic to the onions, and let them cook until they get fragrant, 30 seconds or so.

Drain the can of chickpeas and add them to the pan with the garlic & onions, then add the zucchini/squash. Season with salt and pepper to taste, cooking until the vegetables are heated through and tender.

When the pasta is cooked al dente, reserve half a cup or so of the cooking water before draining. Toss the veggie mixture and pasta together in the still warm pot, adding some of the pasta cooking water to help the veggies mix with the pasta.

Typically I serve with a hearty sprinkle of parmigian cheeeese.