Penne al Pesto

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Dice the onion. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Grate zucchini on the medium side of a box grater and squeeze to remove excess liquid. Trim 1 inch off the bottom of the asparagus, and cut remaining stalks into 2 inch pieces. Halve the tomatoes.

Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add chopped asparagus and cook, undisturbed, until charred in places, 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and transfer charred asparagus to a plate. Return skillet to the stove.

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in the large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced garlic, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook until onions are translucent and garlic is soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add grated zucchini, halved tomatoes, just ¼ tsp chile flakes, ½ tsp salt, and a sprinkle of pepper. Turn the heat to medium-high and cook until tomatoes and zucchini are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. TIP: Add more red chile flakes if you prefer more spice.

Add pasta to the boiling water, stir, and cook until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water, drain the pasta, and add pasta to the skillet with the melted zucchini. Add pasta water to the zucchini and stir, 1 to 2 minutes.

Divide the pasta with melted zucchini between bowls. Top with charred asparagus and dollop with pesto. Enjoy!