Zucchini and Lemon Pasta

This recipe will be familiar if you are a fan of Stanley Tucci and his docu-series in Italy. It is called Spaghetti alla Nerano from the restaurant Lo Scoglio da Tommaso on the Sorrento peninsula and is a simple preparation of fried zucchini and pasta.

In my adaptation, I add lemon juice to the final dish. I use lemons all the time in cooking and I think it gives the dish a little pop of flavor that cuts through some of the oily notes of the dish. I also give the dish a subtle garlic flavor by letting it sauté in the oil but removing it from the final dish. Enjoy!

5-6 thin zucchini, sliced thin into 1/4 in rounds
1-2 cups oil (olive or vegetable oil)
Salt
1 pound spaghetti 
3 garlic cloves, flattened (crushed)
1 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, finely grated (Parmigiano Reggiano works too)
Butter
1 lemon
Basil

Preparation:
In a large deep skillet, heat 1 cup oil over medium low heat.
In batches, fry the zucchini so they take on color but don’t become hard chips.
Add more oil if necessary.
Drain zucchini on paper towels, lightly salt and set aside.
Prepare a pot to cook the pasta as instructed. 
Save 1 cup pasta water and drain the pasta 2-3 min earlier than instructions. 
While the pasta is cooking, prepare a large skillet over medium heat.
Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan with the garlic cloves.
When the garlic gets slightly brown, remove from the pan and discard.
Add 3/4 of the zucchini to the pan.
Using a spatula or spoon, break up the zucchini into smaller pieces. 
Add the undercooked pasta and the pasta water. Add 1 tsp salt.
Stir and continue cooking until the pasta is cooked. 
Remove from heat and add another 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp olive oil.
Add the 1/2 the cheese and stir to incorporate. 
Squeeze lemon and combine. 
Serve with remaining cheese, basil and zucchini.


Pair with…
The recipe is versatile enough to go with a range of white wines. Try it with one of our featured wines this week, Le Petit Saint Jacques from St Jacques d’Albas. This wine is a blend of typical Southern Rhone grapes Rolle (Vermentino) and Viognier. The wine is has expressive notes of apricot, white flowers and almonds and provides a citrus freshness on the palate. Serve with pastas, fish and other light dishes.