Penne Tricolore - cooking recipe

Ingredients

3/4 lb penne rigate
1 small zucchini, seeded and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
1 small summer squash, seeded and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch-long matchstick strips
1/2 cup kalamata olives or 1/2 cup other black olives, pitted
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated, plus more for serving
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, zest of, grated
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Preparation

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the penne rigate until almost done, about 11 minutes. Add the zucchini, summer squash, and carrots and bring back to a boil. Cook until the vegetables and penne are just done, about 2 minutes longer. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water. Drain the penne and vegetables.
In a large bowl, toss the pasta, vegetables, 6 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water, olives, basil, Parmesan, oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. If the pasta seems dry, add more of the reserved pasta water. Serve with additional Parmesan.
Seeding Zucchini and Summer Squash:
Because the zucchini and summer squash are boiled in this recipe, it's a good idea to seed them first. Otherwise, the pulpy seeds get water-logged. To remove them, cut the zucchini or squash into quarters lengthwise. Then simply cut off the seeds.