Broken Lasagna With Zucchini-Tomato Sauce

The week before we went on vacation, back at the end of June, I dropped my laptop on the hardwood floor.  Laptop was only two years old, landed right on the power supply plug, smashing it.  Granted the laptop was giving me fits as it would just randomly shut down, but a new laptop really wasn't top of my list of things to buy.

David checked it out and declared it broke.  Yeah, twisted metal was my first clue.  Since then I've been using the old laptop that's about 6 years old.  Twelve inch screen and the touch pad is broken, so I use a wireless mouse.  Problem being I have to reboot every 20 - 30 minutes because the laptop stops recognizing the mouse is plugged in.  Sweet.  So I'm only on the laptop these days when absolutely necessary.  Such a pain in the neck (she says, as she speed types in an effort to get this done in 20 minutes). 

This recipe was the cover recipe on Food Network Magazine last month and I thought it was a good way to use up some of the shredded zucchini I had hanging out in the refrigerator (shredded and then lightly salted and placed in a colander for a couple of hours to get rid of some water).  It also used up some fresh cherry tomatoes and chives I have growing in the garden (I love summer).  I sauteed everything as the pasta was cooking. 

Since the carnivore would turn his nose up at a meatless meal, I cut up 2 leftover grilled chicken breasts and added them in with the zucchini.  I was in a hurry making it with my little helper, that I didn't realize it didn't call for garlic.  Most definitely would add some chopped garlic in with the tomatoes next time.  It didn't heat up the kitchen too much and it was literally done in 30 minutes.  Love those kinds of meals!

Broken Lasagna With Zucchini-Tomato Sauce
Food Network Magazine

Kosher salt
2 large zucchini (about 1 3/4 pounds), coarsely grated
12 ounces lasagna noodles (not no-boil), broken into bite-size pieces (I used bow-ties instead)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups cherry tomatoes (1 cup whole, 1 cup halved)
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1 small bunch chives, cut into 1-inch pieces

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, toss the zucchini with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a colander set over a large bowl. Let stand 10 minutes, then gently squeeze out the excess moisture.

Add the pasta to the boiling water and stir vigorously to prevent it from sticking. Cook until al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until blistered and slightly softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the zucchini and lemon zest and cook, lightly crushing the tomatoes with a wooden spoon, until the zucchini is crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Transfer the zucchini-tomato mixture to a large bowl. Add the pasta and cheese and toss. Stir in half of the chives and about 1/4 cup of the reserved cooking water, adding more to loosen, if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls and top with more cheese and the remaining chives.