Pasta with caramelized zucchini sauce
As readers of this blog know, I'm working my way through Dan Pashman's Anything's Pastable cookbook, and his zucchini and feta pasta caught my eye. His recipe is inspired by pasta alla nerano, in which zucchini is deep fried and a portion of that is blended into a creamy sauce. Instead of deep frying, Pashman sautés zucchini slices until caramelized, which is time-saving and easier. Pashman's recipe calls for a lot more fat than I found was necessary, and he also called for feta cheese instead of the more traditional Italian cheeses.
I decided to use a bit less oil and slightly more traditional cheeses. Pasta alla nerano usually involves Pecorino or a rather esoteric Italian cheese somewhat like provolone, so I ended up using a mixture of Parmesan and Trader Joe's Italian blend shredded cheese, which was heavy on the provolone, because that's what I had on hand.
If you have some overzealous zucchini plants, this is a great way to turn two pounds of zucchini into one delicious pasta main.
Pasta with caramelized zucchini sauce
2 t salt, divided1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 lbs zucchini, thinly sliced (I use my food processor for this)
3-4 cloves minced or sliced garlic (depending how garlicy you like it)
black pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
1 lb pasta, I prefer a short cut like fusili here
2 T lemon juice
2 T butter
red pepper flakes to taste
1 lb pasta, I prefer a short cut like fusili here
2 T lemon juice
2 T butter
big handful fresh basil (if you don't have basil, a couple of T pesto is a good substitute)
4 oz parmesan, Pecorino Romano, and/or shredded Italian blend cheese
Boil just enough salted water to cover your pasta and add 1 t salt. For me, this is about 6 cups or 1.5 liters. Using less water is more eco-conscious AND results in more concentrated, starchy water, which will help make a creamy, emulsified sauce at the end. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven. Cook zucchini undisturbed for 5-7 minutes to allow it to develop browning on one side. Sprinkle with 1 t salt, and continue to sauté 6-8 more min, stirring occasionally, until some zucchini are quite caramelized. Some may be firmer and less browned, which makes for a nice textural contrast. Stir in garlic, red and black pepper flakes. Remove from heat.
4 oz parmesan, Pecorino Romano, and/or shredded Italian blend cheese
Boil just enough salted water to cover your pasta and add 1 t salt. For me, this is about 6 cups or 1.5 liters. Using less water is more eco-conscious AND results in more concentrated, starchy water, which will help make a creamy, emulsified sauce at the end. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving a cup of pasta water.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven. Cook zucchini undisturbed for 5-7 minutes to allow it to develop browning on one side. Sprinkle with 1 t salt, and continue to sauté 6-8 more min, stirring occasionally, until some zucchini are quite caramelized. Some may be firmer and less browned, which makes for a nice textural contrast. Stir in garlic, red and black pepper flakes. Remove from heat.
Transfer half of the seasoned zucchini to a food processor or blender. Puree zucchini with butter and lemon and enough pasta water to transform into a thick sauce. Blend in pesto or pulse basil leaves until chopped, if using.
Stir together cooked pasta and blended sauce. Slowly stir in cheese. If it is not saucy enough, add more cooking water. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.
Stir together cooked pasta and blended sauce. Slowly stir in cheese. If it is not saucy enough, add more cooking water. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed.
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