Penne with Grilled Zucchini & Spicy Basil Alfredo

Winter isn't over!  This warm pasta dish is perfect for a cold, snowy winter night.  It's not too heavy, and the zucchini just makes it perfect with a clean finish.  Fresh basil, as always, is key to this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

Oil
5 zucchinis, sliced
4 cups penne pasta
2 cups heavy cream
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2  cup fresh basil, chopped
2 serrano peppers, de-seeded and chopped
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
½ Tbsp freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

• Heat your grill pan on medium and spray or drizzle a little oil over it.  Once hot, add the zucchini.  Cook for about 3 minutes on each side, until you get some nice grill marks.  Once finished, set aside on a plate.
• Boil water and a dash of salt in a large pot, then add the 4 cups of penne pasta.  Boil for 11 minutes, then drain.
• Meanwhile, in a blender, add heavy cream, basil, and Serrano.  Blend until smooth.  Be sure not to over blend, as it’ll start to thicken.
• Heat heavy cream mixture over low-medium heat in a deep saute pan. Add butter and whisk gently to melt. Sprinkle in cheese and pepper.  stir to incorporate. In a large stockpot, cook pasta in plenty of boiling salted water for 3 minutes.
• Add the drained pasta to the sauté pan, gently toss the noodles and zucchini to coat in the Alfredo.