Hairless from the waist up

Among Dylan's ideas for upping one's coolness quotient is getting tan and buff and depilating your upper body. I may not be qualified to comment on what goes for cool any more, but I can say that "Hairless from the Waist Up" is a good name for a rock band (much better than "The Fecal Pellets").

Which reminds me that when Brad and I used to get bored driving to and from his soccer tournaments or travel games, we would decide which road signs would make good names for a rock band. In our neighborhood, for example, "Speed Limit 25" is a nonstarter. "No Outlet" is better, in a subversive sort of way. But the winner is this sign, which even comes with its own predesigned, Eye-of-Sauronesque logo for your new band:

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This recipe has been a favorite of ours since I first saw it in The New York Times in 1990 in one of Pierre Franey's legendary 60-Minute Gourmet columns. It has lost a little cachet in our family over the years with the coming of gluten-free and vegetarian eaters, but you can use gluten-free pasta and fry the prosciutto in a separate pan and it still makes for a quick and tasty meal that's especially good in the summer.

Pasta with Zucchini, Prosciutto, and Tomatoes

Adapted from Pierre Franey in The New York Times (Aug. 29, 1990)

1 to 2 tablespoons fine sea salt
1 pound ziti or fusilli
¼ cup (53 grams) olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (from a few garlic cloves)
1 pound small zucchini (about 3 or 4), ends trimmed and cut into thin slices
¼ pound thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1½-inch strips
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
freshly ground black pepper
kosher salt
1 pound ripe plum tomatoes, cored and cut into ½-inch cubes; or 1 (14½-ounce can) diced tomatoes, drained
⅓ cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

    1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large, covered stockpot. Add the fine sea salt and stir to dissolve. Add the pasta and stir a few times during the first minute or two to keep it from sticking. Cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a mugful of the pasta cooking water.
    2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large sauté pan or saucier over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds (don’t burn the garlic!). Stir in the zucchini, prosciutto, red pepper flakes, a few twists of black pepper, and a small pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini begins to soften, about 3–4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini and tomatoes are softened, another 2–3 minutes.
    3. Stir in the pasta and ¼ cup (a 2-ounce ladleful) of the reserved pasta cooking water. Cook for 1 minute. Off heat, stir in the basil and cheese. Taste for seasoning. Adjust the consistency with more pasta water as needed. Serve promptly. Serves 4.