Spaghetti alla Nerano
I’ve been watching Stanley Tucci’s new food docuseries, “Searching for Italy”, and I’ve fallen in love with him and the food he is enjoying. This is the pasta dish that he exclaims is the best thing he’s ever eaten while in Naples. I don’t know if it’s the best, but it is really good! Maybe their version is the best. It is similar to Cacio e Pepe, which is one of my favorite things to eat. Just a few ingredients are all you need for this peasant food, turn gourmet. I love recipes like this.
Tips:
I used the zucchini I can find at the grocery store all year round. When the farmer’s market opens I look forward to using the small, local zucchini which will be sweeter than this version.
On the show the chef tells Tucci that he makes the zucchini a day ahead of time and allows it to sit in the refrigerator to breakdown further. I didn’t have time to do that, but I will try it next time to see if it makes a difference.
Spaghetti alla Nerano
PREP 5 minutes
COOK 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
3 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
Enough safflower oil to deep-fry the zucchini
1 lb. spaghetti
1 cup freshly grated cheeses (parmigiano, pecorino romano, provolone del monaco)
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
4 tablespoons butter, cut into a few pieces
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
INSTRUCTIONS
Boil water for your pasta in a large pot, with plenty of salted water.
In a large stock pot pour enough safflower oil or other neutral oil to deep-fry. Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add your zucchini. You’ll know the oil is ready if it bubbles up when you add the zucchini. Test one piece before adding it all to the pot.
Fry the zucchini rounds until they are golden brown. It’s okay if the pot is crowded with zucchini, it will just take a little longer to fry, about 15 minutes.
Remove the golden zucchini to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and the cloves of garlic. Cook the garlic for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Discard the garlic.
Cook the spaghetti in the salted water until it is very al dente, about 3 minutes shy of being done. You will continue to cook it in the sauce. I like to use tongs to take the pasta out of the water, avoiding straining it. Either way you do it, reserve 2 cups of the pasta water.
Add the cooked pasta to the sauté pan and coat the spaghetti with the olive oil. Add the zucchini, basil, butter, 1/2 the pasta water and 1/2 the cheese. Using your tongs swirl the spaghetti around, continuing to cook the pasta and create a sauce from the cooking water. After a minute add the rest of the cheese and enough pasta water to make a creamy sauce. You may not use all of the 2 cups you set aside. It will depend on how far you cooked the pasta.
Continue to swirl the spaghetti in the pan until the pasta is al dente and the sauce has come together. Plate the spaghetti, topping it with some additional cheese and maybe some basil.