Skillet pasta primavera

Dishes like these are why I love Cook's Illustrated. Creative (at least I wouldn't think of cooking pasta in a skillet), carefully thought out, balanced, delicious. I made this for lunch out of Cooking for Two 2010; M's only complaint was, "where's the meat?," which was a) expected and b) irrelevant. Protein is overrated. :) I think this dish was conceived as a vegetarian one, judging by the rare appearance of vegetable broth instead of CI's much-beloved low-sodium chicken broth (which I used instead). Some prosciutto or diced deli ham thrown in at the end would certainly work, but needless to say I loved this dish just as it was. I recently read that if I put a recipe's instructions in my own words, there aren't copyright problems, so I think it's safe to post it here. I did make some practical modifications as well (e.g. the original recipe has asparagus; I just upped the quantities of mushrooms and zucchini).

Skillet Pasta Primavera
Adapted from America's Test Kitchen's Cooking for Two 2010
Serves 2 generously

2 Tbsp. butter
1 zucchini (8-9 oz.), quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2" dice
2 1/4 cups water
4 oz. white mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/3 lb. bowtie or campanelle pasta (shape doesn't matter so much, just make sure it has a cooking time not much less than 14-15 minutes)
2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/2 cup frozen peas (do not thaw)
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmiggiano
2 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. lemon juice

1. Melt 1 Tbsp of the butter over medium heat in a 12" nonstick skillet. Add the zucchini and 1/4 cup of the water with a pinch of salt, cover, and cook til zucchini is crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. Uncover and cook just til tender and liquid is almost evaporated, 1-2 minutes more. Transfer zucchini to a medium bowl and cover with foil to keep warm.
2. Melt remaining Tbsp. butter in the empty skillet and add mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, til they've released their moisture and are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to the bowl with the zucchini and cover again.
3. Add the garlic to the empty pan and stir til just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Pour in the 2 cups water, broth, and 1/4 tsp. salt, then add the pasta. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring frequently, til pasta is tender and sauce has thickened, about 15-18 minutes. (You may need to decrease the heat toward the end if the liquid is evaporating too fast for the pasta to cook, but it needs to be at a rolling boil.)
4. Stir in the mushrooms and zucchini, cream, and frozen peas, and cook til veggies are heated through, about 1 minute. Off heat, add the Parmesan, basil, and lemon juice, and check seasonings. Serve immediately.