Zucchini Pasta Sauce, or the Vegetarian Heart Attack by GaudyNight

This is originally from Marcella Hazan; my mother makes it at least once a week in the summer and DH and I call it the "Vegetarian Heart Attack." Goes great with insalata caprese (tomato and mozzarella salad with basil vinaigrette), or with fresh sweet corn. A terrific way of using up all those baseball bat-sized zucchini your friends unload on you in August.

Serves four. A little goes a long way. But if you're serving six, double the recipe. No, I've never understood this, but there was one dinner party where we almost ran out of sauce.

1 lb zucchini (2 small, 1 medium, or less than half of a baseball bat), julienned
Vegetable oil to deep-fry it in (at least 1/4 inch deep in the skillet)
1 lb spaghetti/linguine/fettucine
3 Tablespoons butter
3 Tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon flour stirred into 1/3 cup milk
2/3 cup roughly chopped fresh basil (or more - Mr. Night likes LOTS, to the point that it really should be called Basil Sauce)
Salt
1 egg yolk, beaten lightly with a fork
¾ cup parmesan (or mixture of parmesan and romano)

BEFORE you start putting the sauce together, HAVE ALL THE INGREDIENTS MEASURED OUT, PREPPED AND READY TO GO.

Fry zucchini sticks in oil, in batches if necessary, until brown and limp; drain on paper towels. Start the pasta.

When you're ready to start (about 3-5 minutes before the pasta is ready) melt half the butter; add all the olive oil. When the butter begins to froth, turn the heat down to medium-low, add the flour and milk a little at a time. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Add the zucchini, turning them 2-3 times, then add ¼ teaspoon salt and the basil. Cook long enough to turn everything once or twice.

Turn off the heat, swirl in the remaining butter. Rapidly mix in the egg yolk, then all the grated cheese. Serve immediately.