It’s been a whopping 4.5 months since I shared my last recipe — one of the few extended breaks in P&B’s decade of existence — for the reasons I mentioned here. Maybe it’s because I’m finally at the tail end of a hectic period at work (a heavy workload in the summer should be illegal); perhaps it’s because temperatures are suddenly chilly, and the idea of turning on the stove is once again appealing. Most likely it’s because I’ve been feeling more motivated to cook and bake since Carla’s passing. It’s a way to feel close to her, I think.

On a separate but related note, regarding P&B’s future — a friend of mine recently wrote me to say she had made the Chocolate, Orange, and Olive oil cake from the blog for her birthday celebration. I was pleased to hear this, and mentioned to her that P&B was sort of at a stand-still at the moment. I’m not keeping up with the times, I told her. I’m not really relevant — I’m not even on TikTok. To which she responded, with her characteristic German straightfowardness: I’m not on TikTok either. And I read your blog.

She has a point. I’ve missed blogging these past few months. I like the idea of having a place where I document my recipes, and I see that people do read and use them. Maybe it doesn’t matter if I have a million followers on social media, or that I’m still fumbling my way through making a simple recipe video. Maybe I don’t need to update this blog every week like I used to, but only when I have the time and energy (thus taking the pressure off). Maybe it’s okay to have this blog just for myself and whoever wants to read and cook or bake from it. Maybe our ten years together are similar to any long relationship: there are ups and downs, and sometimes it’'s necessary to take a step back and really evaluate things. A lot of maybes. We shall see.

In the meantime: this recipe!

This farfalle with zucchini and ricotta is a dish that I made many weeknights this past summer, even after returning home late from the office. Indeed: it’s quick to throw together, just the amount of time it takes to boil the pasta and soften a bunch of zucchini in the pan. It’s a pasta that expertly toes the line between Summer and Fall: it makes good use of the last of the zucchini your garden hurls at you at breakneck speed every summer, but has a luxurious, cozy and therefore autumnal note to it, thanks to the alchemy that is ricotta + starchy cooking water=creamy pasta sauce. It’s got a whisper of lemon and basil, and a petite hill of Parmesan whipped into the ricotta only improves matters. Lots of freshly ground black pepper is a must. Use any kind of short pasta you want here, noting that farfalle and rotelle (wagon wheels) are the most fun, in my humble opinion.

See you soon with more recipes, I think.

A couple of notes: You can easily halve or quarter this recipe if you need to scale it down. You can add in a little lemon juice if you want more or a lemon flavor than the zest gives. Again, use whatever short pasta shape you like.

Looking for more zucchini-centric recipes? See the first recipes listed here.

FARFALLE WITH ZUCCHINI + RICOTTA

Serves 4 big appetites and 6 more moderate ones.

Ingredients:
1 lb (448 grams) farfalle or other short pasta of your choice
Olive oil
3 garlic cloves, smashed
6 large zucchini
1 cup (250 grams) ricotta cheese
1 cup (40 grams) freshly grated Parmesan
Zest of 2 lemons
A couple of basil leaves, torn up
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
1.) Put a bot of water onto boil for your pasta. Slice the zucchini into thin coins; cut any larger coins in half.

2.) In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat some olive oil (eyeball it; enough to generously coat the bottom of pan). Once the garlic is fragrant, add your zucchini. Season with salt and let cook until softened and golden. If you water is boiling at this point, salt it and add the pasta of your choice.

3.) As your zucchini cooks and your pasta bubbles, mix together the ricotta, Parmesan, and lemon zest in a medium-sized bowl. Season to taste with salt and lots of black pepper.

4.) Once your pasta is cooked (al dente, please!) reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water, and then drain the pasta. Add the pasta back to the pot it cooked in, then add the zucchini (fish out the garlic cloves first). Toss everything together, and then add the ricotta/Parm mixture. Stir well, adding a splash or so of starchy pasta water as needed until the sauce becomes creamy and coats the pasta evenly.

5.) Stir in the basil and a little more lemon zest or salt and pepper to taste, if needed. Serve immediately and enjoy.