Zucchini, Corn & Penne with Basil Pesto

Adapted from Gourmet

This was another great dish to use up some of my farmer's market veggies...yellow squash and corn!  The Parmigian really makes the dish, so make sure to splurge for the good stuff and not just the grated Parmesan cheese. 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. whole wheat penne pasta
• 6 slices bacon, diced
• 3 ears corn, kernels sliced off
• 1 1/2 lbs. zucchini and/or yellow squash
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Parmigiano Reggiano, freshly grated for serving
• 3 Tbs basil pesto

Directions:
1. In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp. Set bacon aside on a paper towel to drain. Reserve about 1 Tbsp. of bacon grease in the skillet and return to medium heat. Add the corn and zucchini and saute until tender-crisp, about 8-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2 . Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the penne and cook, according to package directions, until al dente. Drain, reserving some of the pasta cooking water. Toss the cooked pasta with the zucchini mixture and pesto. Add a little of the cooking water to thin, if necessary. Stir in the bacon. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan.