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This is a simple summer dish and a great way to enjoy seasonal zucchini. Cooking your own pasta sauces is really easy and makes any pasta dish fresher and less expensive than buying bottled sauces. In my experience, homemade sauces always taste better, too. In this dish ravioli and sauteed zucchini (and squash if you like) are tossed with a parmesan cream sauce seasoned with lemon zest and chives. It's so simple I really didn't think it would taste good as I was making it, I thought there weren't enough ingredients for the sauce to be tasty. I was wrong and we both loved it. I'll definitely be making it again. Just be sure to add the chives after plating it. The bite of the chives adds a great contrast to the creaminess of the sauce. I forgot to add the chives when we had it for dinner, but when I ate leftovers for lunch today I sprinkled a bit on top and it makes a big difference! Give this recipe a shot, you'll be glad you did!

Creamy Ravioli with Zucchini, Lemon, and Chives
adapted from Real Simple
Serves 4+

20 oz. cheese ravioli
olive oil
1/4 large onion or 1/2 small onion chopped (the original recipe calls for 1 shallot, I think this would be a better choice, I just forgot to buy one!)
4 zucchini (and/or yellow squash) thinly sliced
3/4 cup heavy cream
zest of 1 lemon
handful grated parmesan cheese (or if you have really big or small hands, 1/2 cup), plus more for topping
chopped chives to taste

Boil water to cook your ravioli. As your waiting for the water chop your zucchini, onion and chives, grate your parmesan and zest your lemon. Cook ravioli with package instructions.

Warm up some oil in a large pan over medium heat. It has to be big enough to toss around all your zucchini. Add the onion and cook until soft. Next add the zucchini and some salt and pepper to taste. Toss the zucchini often so they don't burn (it's okay if they get a little brown around the edges, but it's not as pretty) for about 4 minutes. They should just be starting to soften. 

Stir in the lemon zest and cream and cook for about 2 more minutes. You may need to lower the heat at this point, you don't want to cream to boil.

Don't forget your ravioli! When it is cooked, reserve 1/4 cup of the pasta water and drain the rest. Put the ravioli back in the pot and toss with the cream sauce and pasta water. Quickly throw in a handful of parmesan and stir it until it is melted with the sauce.

Divide onto plates and top with some more grated parmesan and chopped chives, don't forget!It really is tasty! I'm going to eat some leftovers right now, even though it's 10:30 at night!

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