Mafalda Pasta & Yellow Tomato Sauce

Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the zucchini lengthwise, then thinly slice crosswise. Peel and roughly chop 2 cloves of garlic. Halve, peel, and thinly slice the onion. Cut off and discard the stem of the pepper. Quarter lengthwise; remove the ribs and seeds, then thinly slice crosswise.

In a medium pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced zucchini in an even layer. Cook, without stirring, 3 to 4 minutes, or until lightly browned; season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the pot of boiling water. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 to 12 minutes, or until al dente (still slightly firm to the bite). Turn off the heat. Reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, drain thoroughly and return to the pot.

In the same pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the pancetta. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly browned and cooked through. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a paper-towel lined plate.

Place the tomatoes in a bowl; gently break apart with your hands. In the pan of reserved fond, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chopped garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until slightly softened. Add the sliced onion and sliced pepper; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until softened. Add the capers and as much of the red pepper flakes as you’d like, depending on how spicy you’d like the dish to be. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until combined. Add the crushed tomatoes (carefully, as the liquid may splatter); season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened. Turn off the heat. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

To the pot of cooked pasta, add the browned zucchini, cooked pancetta, sauce, and half the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook on medium-high, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, or until combined and the pasta is coated (if necessary, gradually add the remaining cooking water to ensure the pasta is thoroughly coated). Turn off the heat. Stir in the mascarpone until combined. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve the finished pasta garnished with the parmesan. Enjoy!