In a few days it’s National Linguine Day. Whenever I hear that’s it’s so-and-so national food day, my first thought is, Who picks these days?! Is there a committee somewhere, in a room, just strategizing which days should be national food holidays? I like to think that it might be the most fun job ever. They can’t hire me for the job because I would make every single day: National Corgi Day or National Let’s Eat Pizza Day or National Doughnut Day. I would not offer enough variety.

But today, we’re sticking with the scheduled program. We’re exploring good ol’ National Linguine Day with a twist of an old classic. I’ve been trying to eat a little bit healthier lately so I wanted to make a slightly healthier slant on classic linguine.

I’m doing so by adding some zucchini because we all have so much of it right now and I’m using whole wheat pasta instead of regular pasta, which I love.

And just for some good balance, I added a bit of Pecorino Romano because we need flavor!

Zucchini Linguine with Clams

Zucchini Linguine is a simple weeknight pasta meal featuring clams and Pecorino Romano. (Recipe Credit: Adrianna Adarme of Fresh Tastes)

Ingredients

• Salt
• Olive oil
• 3 small zucchini (sliced or shaved or spiralized)
• 3 scallions, minced
• 1/2 pound little neck clams
• Pinch of red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• Juice and zest from 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup grated Pecorino cheese, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf Italian parsley
• 1/2 pound whole wheat pasta
• 1 tablespoon minced chervil (or tarragon)

Directions

1. Start by bringing a medium pot filled with salted water to a boil. Cook your pasta according to your package’s directions, until al dente. When done, drain and immediately return to the pot. Drizzle in a teaspoon of olive oil and toss (this will eliminate sticking). Cover the pot and set aside.
2. In a medium saute pan, add a teaspoon or two of olive oil. When glistening, add the zucchini, scallions, clams, pinch of salt and crushed red pepper; cover the pan and cook until the clams open up and the zucchini is soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Discard any clams that haven’t opened. Mix in the butter, juice and zest from 1/2 lemon, 1/4 cup of the Pecorino cheese and parsley. Toss together until combined. Add to the pot with the pasta and toss. Give it a taste and adjust the salt according to taste. Top with some freshly chopped chervil and divide amongst bowls. Serve immediately

Yield: 2-4 servings

Adrianna Adarme is a food blogger and author living in Los Angeles, California. She writes the blog A Cozy Kitchen, where she shares comforting, everyday recipes from her kitchen. She recently authored her first cookbook, PANCAKES: 72 Sweet and Savory Recipes for the Perfect Stack. She’s a lover of breakfast, pie (and sometimes even pie for breakfast), corgis and cute things. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.