Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced into half moons
  • 3 pounds zucchini, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 6 ounces whole wheat pasta, such as penne
  • 2 links cooked Italian chicken sausage, thinly sliced
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instruction

  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they begin to soften.
  • Add the zucchini and cook, stirring frequently, until the zucchini browns and starts to fall apart. This should take about 15 to 25 minutes, depending on your pan, the heat level, and the size of the zucchini pieces.
  • Meanwhile, add the pasta to boiling salted water. Cook 2 minutes less than the package instructs. Before draining, carefully scoop out 3 cups of the hot pasta water.
  • Add 1 cup of the pasta water to the browned zucchini. Bring to a gentle simmer, adjusting the heat if necessary, and stirring to scrape up any browned bits.
  • Add another half cup of the pasta water and repeat the process until the zucchini takes on a thick, almost creamy consistency.
  • Add the cooked pasta to the zucchini mixture, along with a couple large pinches of coarse salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.
  • Cook, for a couple of minutes, until the pasta softens. Stir in the sliced sausage.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat and taste again to see if the dish needs salt or pepper before serving.