Stanley Tucci's Spaghetti alla Nerano Recipe

Each summer season as soon as we uncover ourselves with an abundance of zucchini, we make a Stanley Tucci-inspired pasta. It’s really one of many easiest methods to fall in love with the versatile vegetable.

We first observed the pasta on an episode of Tucci’s current, Looking for Italy. He tried spaghetti alla Nerano—spaghetti with zucchini from Nerano, a tiny fishing village on the Amalfi Coast—and declared it “the simplest points I’ve ever had in my life.” He’s not incorrect. It’s delicious.

Since then, we’ve got seen his followers recreate the recipe all through social media as you can see @amateurgourmet do throughout the TikTok video beneath. And it has been turning zucchini skeptics into believers, notably since it’s so quick and simple to make: sliced zucchini are pan-fried and tossed with pasta, up to date basil, and loads of Parmesan. That’s it.

We love zucchini and lucky for us, because of the sheer amount rising in our aunt’s flourishing yard, we not at all know when 5 kilos of it will grace our doorstep. So, we plan on consuming a lot of this pasta all summer season prolonged.

How To Make Stanley Tucci’s Spaghetti with Zucchini

To serve 4 to six, it’s your decision:

• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 to 5 medium zucchini, sliced into 1/8-inch rounds
• 1 pound spaghetti or skinny spaghetti
• 2 to 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
• Salt and pepper
• Modern basil, for serving

Add the olive oil to a giant skillet, merely adequate to flippantly coat the underside. Set it over medium-high heat. As quickly because the oil is rippling nonetheless not smoking, add the zucchini and put together dinner for 3 to 4 minutes on either side or until golden brown. You may want to try this in batches so that you simply simply don’t overcrowd the skillet, stopping the zucchini from browning.

Change the cooked zucchini onto a paper towel-lined plate. When the skillet cools, we want to wipe it using a paper towel to reduce the amount of oil, nonetheless you can go away it as is.

Whereas the zucchini cooks, convey a giant pot of salted water to a boil. Put together dinner the pasta until al dente, following the package deal deal instructions.

Add the fried zucchini once more to the skillet set over medium heat. Use tongs in order so as to add the cooked spaghetti to the zucchini along with 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Put together dinner the pasta, stirring incessantly with the tongs, until the liquid largely evaporates.

Add the butter and grated Parmesan and put together dinner for a further minute, stirring until the sauce thickens and the pasta seems shiny. Season the pasta with salt and pepper to type. The texture of the quick sauce is silky and splendid. With solely a hint of salt and pepper, the sweet zucchini style shines.

Serve immediately with torn up to date basil leaves and additional Parmesan cheese sprinkled on prime.

3 Solutions for Making Pasta With Zucchini

1. Slice the Zucchini Thicker: Whereas most recipes we’ve got seen on-line identify for slicing the zucchini thinly, about 1/8 inch, we slice ours on the thicker aspect, about 1/4 inch. They take longer to fry—about six minutes per aspect. We like that the zucchini wouldn’t totally soften and have additional texture and substance the thicker they’re sliced.

2. Use A lot much less Oil: Totally different comparable recipes we’ve got seen on-line identify for filling the skillet with an inch or two of olive oil to fry the zucchini. We opted for using a lot much less oil, merely adequate to coat the underside of the skillet. In truth, you probably can use any kind of oil you prefer.

3. Skip the In a single day Leisure: Some recipes identify for refrigerating the pan-fried zucchini in a single day to convey out its style. We don’t suppose this step is important and nonetheless profit from the pasta immensely.