Cooking garlic cloves whole and then mashing them into the sauce not only saves time, it creates a mellow garlic flavor that melds into the silky burst cherry tomatoes seamlessly.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup cooking water, drain the pasta and cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring, until it begin to soften and turn light golden, about 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, zucchini and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini softens and the tomatoes begin to burst, 4 to 5 minutes. Lightly mash the garlic with the back of a spoon. Remove from heat.
Add the pasta and reserved cooking water to the pan along with the basil and mozzarella; toss to combine. Serve with more parmesan.
Notes
How can my kids help?Have them toss in the mozzarella and basil and teach them how to make pasta :)