Sometimes the best things in life don’t require much fuss, and this Spaghetti alla Nerano is the PERFECT example of that. With an emphasis on fresh summer produce and a handful of other ingredients to elevate the flavors, a beautiful, simple and delicious pasta dish comes together.
I just came home from a beautiful trip in Italy and with no surprise, food was a very big part of it. What never ceases to surprise me is that despite eating pasta at least once of day (something I definitely do not do back home), I leave feeling lighter than when I left. I’ve thought a lot about this idea and came to the conclusion that I credit it to high quality produce and ingredients used. Because like this recipe, many Italian dishes keep the ingredient list to a minimum. They allow for the ingredient to shine without covering it up with many other flavors. It may be simple but it is damn delicious.
The recipe came to fruition thanks to the plentiful box of squash blossoms found on a farmers market run with my fellow culinary school friend Maddy DeVita. Squash blossoms (fiori di zucca in Italian) are commonly found in summer markets but along with them come high price tags. When we found a box filled to the brim with unblemished flowers for $6, I immediately knew a dish needed to be created around this. A zucchini, Thai basil bunch, lemon, garlic, parmigiano cheese, and a box of spaghetti later I was on my way to bring this dish to life.
Here is the recipe!!
Spaghetti Alla Nerano
Ingredients
- 1 package zucchini flowers (about 10-15), gently cleaned (little stems & pistil removed)
- 2 small green zucchini (or one large) , sliced in 1/4 inch rounds
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup olive oil
- 10-15 leaves fresh basil , I used thai basil here but any is fine!
- 1 lemon , zested
- 1/2 cup Freshly grated parmigiano cheese
- 1/2 pound Spaghetti/Bucatini
Instructions
- Clean the flowers and slice the zucchini and garlic.
- Add the oil into a medium sized skillet over medium heat, should be about 1/2 inch up the side. When the oil is hot, begin frying the zucchini in a single layer. Cook until golden brown on both sides. Place zucchini on a paper towel lined dish. Work in batches until all are fried.
- To the remaining oil, add in the garlic. Once fragrant add in the squash blossoms and cook until wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and remove from heat.
- Cook pasta 2 minutes under al dente in salted boiling water. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta directly into the pan with squash blossoms. Toss well to coat the pasta in the oil, adding a ladle or two of pasta water to help coat it.
- Add in the zucchini slices, fresh basil, lemon zest, and parmigiano cheese and toss the pasta once more.
