Put a pot of water on the stove to bring to a boil. While you wait for the water to boil, melt the butter and olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the zucchini and tomatoes to the pan and cook them, stirring occasionally. Once the pasta water is boiling, add the pasta and cook until very al dente, about two minutes less cooking time than the package suggests.
While the pasta boils, continue cooking the vegetables. The tomatoes will start to break down and their juices will combine with the moisture released from the zucchini. Add the parsley and lemon juice. Add the pasta and toss to combine. Let the pasta cook with the vegetables for another two minutes or so. It will absorb the light sauce as it cooks.
Serve the pasta with grated Parmesan.
Notes
Be sure to give zucchini a good scrub, especially if you buy them directly from a farmer. The grit has a tendency to stick to the skin so a simple rinse under the tap isn't always enough to remove it.
Grape tomatoes are our choice because they're bite-sized and only the large ones need to be halved. They cook with the zucchini and as they heat up they burst making a simple sauce.
While our recipe calls for fresh parsley, basil and thyme would be delicious, as well, or a mix of all three. A quarter cup is all you need so mix things up a bit based on what you have on hand.
I used bucatini, a thick and long pasta that's hollow in the center. I love how sturdy it is, but you can use any sort of pasta. Spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, or even penne would work great.