Zucchini Cream Pasta with Speck

• 3¼ cups short pasta of your choice (320 g)
• 3 medium zucchini
• 1 cup speck, cut into strips (120 g)
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional (40 g)
• Pasta cooking water, as needed
• A few fresh basil leaves
• Salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1. Wash the zucchini, trim the ends, and slice them into thin rounds.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the speck until crispy, then remove it from the skillet and set aside.
4. In the same skillet, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the garlic clove. Add the zucchini and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Season lightly with salt (the speck is already salty) and add freshly ground black pepper.
5. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve some of the pasta cooking water.
6. Remove the garlic clove from the zucchini. Set aside a few zucchini slices for garnish. Transfer the remaining zucchini to a tall container or blender. Add the Parmesan (if using) and a few tablespoons of the reserved pasta water. Blend until smooth and creamy.
7. Pour the zucchini cream back into the skillet and warm it over low heat for a minute.
8. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the zucchini cream. Toss well, adding a little reserved pasta water as needed until the sauce reaches a creamy consistency.
9. Stir in most of the crispy speck.
10. Serve topped with the reserved zucchini slices, the remaining crispy speck, a sprinkle of black pepper, and a few fresh basil leaves.

Enjoy!