With the garden in full production mode, the family has been hard pressed to come up with new ways to consume all the produce. We stumbled upon a recipe (on the back of a box of pasta) that seemed perfect for our garden's abundance of zucchini, tomatoes, and basil.

Penne w/ Zucchini Sauce and Sausage

1 lb. Italian Sausage (crumbled)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium zucchini, chopped (2 cups)
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes (approx 4)
10 fresh basil leaves, torn
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t. salt
1/8 l. ground black pepper
1 lb. Penne pasta
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 T. chopped parsley

Boil pasta according to package. Drain.
Cook the sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat until done. Remote from skillet and set aside
Heat oil in a skillet. Saute zucchini, tomato, basil, garlic, and seasonings 6-8 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
Add sausage to vegetables. Stir. Add sausage and vegetables to hot pasta. Toss. Sprinkle cheese and parsley.

Notes - basil needs to be fresh. The quality of the sausage obviously makes a difference. Don't overcook the pasta. We also find the dish tasty the next day as a cold leftover.

Tags: Gardening