Fresh garlic and zucchini give this recipe seasonal flair.

We just returned from Rome, where we stumbled upon a fantastic little restaurant near the Spanish Steps called Babette, owned and run by two sisters committed to cooking with fresh summer produce, like zucchini and basil — two staples you’ll find at your farmer’s market.

The dish that made us swoon was warm ziti coated with an emerald-green pistachio pesto, rich with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and garlic, yet lightened with zucchini. Brilliant! In honor of National Zucchini Day, coming up Aug. 8, here’s a version of the pesto recipe to enjoy with this lowfat, low-calorie squash. While the recipe yields enough to coat 4 pounds of pasta, other tasty ways to savor this pesto include spreading it on toast for bruschetta; slathering it over hot, sizzled shrimp, chicken or scallops; and dolloping it over sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Delizioso!

Roman-Style Zucchini Pesto

1 large garlic clove
1 cup packed fresh basil leaves
1 small zucchini, trimmed and diced
1/3 cup shelled pistachio nuts, toasted
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place garlic in food processor and process until minced. Add basil, zucchini, pistachios, cheese and olive oil. Pulse mixture until chunky-smooth, scraping down sides of work bowl as necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes about 24 servings of 2 teaspoons each.

NUTRITION SCORE (per serving)
29 calories
84% fat
Fat 3 g
Carbs 1 g
Protein 0.5 g
Fiber 0 g
Calcium 15 mg
Iron 0.2 mg
Sodium 6 mg

For more inspired international recipes and cooking ideas, check out “Travel the World With Your Fork” from the March/April issue of VIVmag. And tell us: What’s your latest culinary discovery?

Photo credit: Carmen Steiner

Tags: Bruschetta, Carmen Steiner, Cheese, Condiments, farmer, Food and drink, food processor, Fork, Garlic, Hospitality/Recreation, Italian cuisine, olive oil, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Penne, Pesto, Rome, Zucchini