Italian Zucchini Soup

INGREDIENTS

• ½ pound spaghetti broken into bite size pieces
• 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus more for serving
• 1 medium onion diced
• 6 cloves garlic chopped
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes optional
• 4-5 medium zucchini cubed
• 1 14 ounce-can plum tomatoes hand crushed, see notes below
• 6 cups water
• salt and pepper to taste
• ¼ cup basil chopped
• ¼ cup parsley chopped
• Pecorino Romano for serving

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. Heat a large pot to medium-low heat and add the olive oil along with the onions. Saute for 4-5 minutes or until soft then add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes longer or until lightly golden.
3. Add the hot red pepper flakes and cook for 30 seconds more then add the zucchini. Turn the heat to medium and saute the zucchini for about 10 minutes or until fairly soft.
4. Add the tomatoes to the pot and continue to cook for a few minutes. Season the tomatoes and veggies with salt and pepper then add the water and bring soup to a simmer.
5. At this time cook the broken spaghetti until al dente.
6. Once simmering taste test the soup and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Once satisfied, turn off the heat and add the al dente broken spaghetti, basil, and parsley. Mix together.
7. If the soup is too thick add a bit more water. Serve the soup in bowls with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and grated Pecorino Romano cheese along with crusty Italian bread on the side.