Cathi's Florentine Zucchini

A simple, delicious pasta that my friend Cathi created while living in Florence. Flavors you wouldn't think to combine mix wonderfully. Don't use large, woody zucchini, but nice, young tender ones. The fresher the ricotta, the better. How much you reduce the wine depends on your ricotta: if you have fresh, slightly runny ricotta you need to let the wine reduce a little more than half, maybe two thirds, or your end product will be runny. And use a pasta with nooks to hold the sauce.

• Preparation Time: 10 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 40 mins
• Calories: 311 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound seashell pasta
• ⅔ cup white wine
• 4 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch slices
• ½ pound ricotta cheese

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

Step 2

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until onions begin to soften. Stir in zucchini and season with salt and pepper.

Step 3

Increase the heat to medium-high and add the wine. Allow it to reduce by half, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in ricotta and cinnamon. Heat through and season with salt and pepper. Add drained pasta to skillet and toss. Serve immediately.