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 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 multiple pounds of zucchini into one delicious pasta main. 

Update: I've tweaked this recipe further and like it even more! Inspired by the New York Times' caramelized zucchini pasta recipe, I grate the zucchini and caramelize it. I find it easier to do than transferring and blending later, plus I like the way the zucchini forms a more cohesive sauce this way. I've also discovered that I like even more zucchini in this recipe to really amp up the veggie nutrition and flavor. I've included the updated recipe first, and my first version of the recipe below. 

Pasta with caramelized zucchini sauce (updated recipe)

2 t salt, divided
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2.5-3 lbs zucchini, grated

1 lb pasta, I prefer a short cut like fusilli here
4 cloves minced garlic

black pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
1/2 lemon juice and zest
2 T butter

big handful fresh basil (if you don't have basil, a couple of T pesto is a good substitute). chopped
3 oz parmesan, Pecorino Romano, and/or shredded Italian blend cheese

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a dutch oven. Add zucchini and 1 t salt, and sauté. First, the zucchini will release a lot of liquid, which will then cook off. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the zucchini caramelized and browned. This will take about 20-30 minutes. The more caramelized the better!

When the zucchini is almost done, 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.

Add black and red pepper and garlic to zucchini, and cook for 2 minutes. 

Combine drained pasta, zucchini mixture, lemon juice and zest, butter, and basil. Slowly stir in cheese. If it is not saucy enough, add more cooking water. Taste for seasoning and add salt if needed. 

Pasta with caramelized zucchini sauce (first version of recipe)

2 t salt, divided
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2.5-3 lbs zucchini, thinly sliced (I use my food processor for this)
4 cloves minced garlic

black pepper to taste
red pepper flakes to taste
1 lb pasta, I prefer a short cut like fusilli here
1/2 lemon juice and zest
2 T butter

big handful fresh basil (if you don't have basil, a couple of T pesto is a good substitute)
3 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.