Vegetarian Pasta Recipe

Here's a light vegetarian recipe using summer zucchini. It makes a good weekday entree during the period before Tisha B'Av, when it's customary to not eat meat.

From Food for the Soul - Traditional Jewish Wisdom for Healthy Eating, Gefen Publishing House

Pasta with Zucchini Sauce (Dairy)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 small onion, minced

5-6 medium zucchini, thinly sliced

2 cups non-fat or low-fat milk

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

freshly ground pepper

1 pound whole-grain or regular pasta tubes or spirals

Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the onion until soft. Add the zucchini and cook, stirring until slightly soft.

Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Cook uncovered over very low heat, until most of the milk has evaporated, stirring the mixture occasionally so that the bottom of the pan does not burn. Allow up to an hour of cooking for the milk to cook down with the zucchini into a sauce.

When the sauce is about half cooked, bring a large pot of water to boil and cook the pasta. Drain the pasta, rinse, drain again and set aside.

Add the cheese and ground pepper to the cooked sauce and mix with the pasta.

Serves 6-8